Snackster Sam Blog
Our recipes and activities are always Snackster Sam approved and kid approved.
 What am I?I am technically a fruit, but you find me in the vegetable section at the grocery store. I am a type of summer squash. I can be green, yellow, or white. The variety you get today comes from Italy. You can eat my flesh, skin, seeds, and even my flower!  Where I growI grow on a bush-like vine. I grow in warm climates. I need lots of sun to grow. My plant has boy and girl flowers. Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers, and then my fruit grows.  I grow fast! Within 1 to 2 months, I'm ready to pick. Keep me on the plant and I will keep growing! The largest of me was over 8 feet long! That's huge! But you wouldn't want to eat me, I'm best when I have the most flavor when I'm small! Once I'm picked, I can be made into anything, from bread to chocolate cake! After I'm picked Did you guess... ZucchiniEspañol: calabacin Did you guess Zucchini? Zucchini can be eaten fresh or made into a lot of foods! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store
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 What am I?I'm fuzzy and sweet. I'm also finicky, which means I like things a certain way. My tree needs a mild winter - not too warm and not too cold. I like the perfect amount of sun, and if my tree is not pruned (cut back), I won't grow sweet fruit. I am native to Asia, but my desired fruit was transported across the world by Spanish explorers.  Where I growI grow on trees. Unlike many fruit trees, I don't live very long. My tree lives between 8-25 years. In the spring, my bright pink flowers bloom. The wind pollinates the flowers, and then my fruit can grow. Except, if all the flowers turned into fruit, my tree wouldn't be able to support them! So farmers hand-pick flowers off my branches.  After I'm pickedFarmers hand pick me when my skin has no yellow or green. Once I'm picked, set me on the counter, or if I need to soften, put me in a brown paper bag. If I'm put in the fridge, I will dry out and lose flavor. My fuzzy skin protects me and locks in moisture, which makes me more juicy. That's why you should only wash me right before you're ready to eat my fruit. I can also be baked, canned, and even grilled!  Did you guess... PeachEspañol: durazno Peaches are sweet and juicy stone fruits. Stone fruits have a pit in the middle. Did you know a nectarine is just a peach without fuzz? Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store
 After I'm pickedI'm picked once my rhizome has hard skin on it. Then I'm boiled to kill any harmful bacteria. Then I am dried in the sun or in air dryers. Last, I'm tossed into a drum where I am skin is polished. I'm often added to recipes in a dried, ground form. I'm a spice with a lot to offer!  Did you guess... TurmericEspañol: cúrcuma Turmeric is a bright gold spice with a bitter flavor. It goes well with cinnamon, ginger, orange, and more. Hey, Snacksters! Watch the video to learn more about turmeric.
Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store  What am I?My oldest trees on in Lebanon and are 6,000 years old. My trees never quit producing fruit. Even if my tree is damaged, it can come back to life. But it's not just my tree that's exciting, it's the fruit on it and what that fruit juice becomes! You've been told my fruit makes oil, but it's really juice! Keep reading to learn more.  Where I growI grow on trees and am native to the Mediterranean. There are over 700 varieties of me, and each one offers a different flavor. My fruit starts green and turns purple when it's ripe. When it's ripe, it produces more juice but less flavor. My tree is ready to beat and shake when I have fruit that's green AND fruit that's starting to turn purple.  After I'm PickedAt harvest, timing is everything. If the weather is too hot, I can mature too quickly. If the weather is cold, I might have to be picked before I'm mature in case of a frost. Once I'm picked off the tree, I need to be made into juice right away. Farmers today try to get me from the tree to the mill in just 3 hours! Did You Guess?Español: aceituna Olive oil is full of flavor. Try this condiment that has been enjoyed by people for over 6,500 years! Let's try it!How Olive Oil is MadeFeed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?Do you prefer sweet or sour? I can be either! I'm known for my beautiful flowering trees and delicious fruit. I am native to Asia. Now I'm grown all over the world. I like cold winters and warm (not too hot) summers.  Where I growI grow on trees. The tree takes about 4 years before it grows fruit. Most fruit trees live for 20 years, but there are 3 trees in Japan that are over 1,000 years old! Before other fruit trees, my tree blossoms. It's a sign that Spring is here! The flowers are so beautiful, most of the trees in Japan are grown for the flowers only and they don't grow fruit! I need pollinators (like honey bees) in order to grow fruit. When the flower dies, my fruit start to grow.  After I'm pickedIn June and July, it's time to pick! I do not ripen when I'm off the tree, so I need to be picked at the right time. The average tree has 7,000 fruits on it! Today, farmers use a tree shaker to shake off my fruit in just 7 seconds. The fruit should be attached to my stem so it stays fresh longer. My sweet varieties are eaten raw, juiced, or canned and the sour kind is often dried and used for baking. There is a seed inside, so take a bite and spit out the seed!  Did you guess... Cherry!Español: cereza Do you like cherries? Cherry trees are also used to make furniture. Watch the video to learn more. Remember, most cherry trees that come from Japan do not grow cherry fruit. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I grow in the tropics where every part of my tree is used, even to build roofs on houses! I have many layers, and I am a strong fruit with a hard shell. Parts of the fruit and shell are used for oil, drinking water, and food.  Where I growI grow on trees in warm, tropical climates like the Philippines. My fruit is soaked in water for months until the seedling is ready to plant. Once I start growing, it takes 5-6 years until I grow fruit. After my tree is 15 years old, it will grow more fruit until it's about 80 years old! All year round I grow more fruit.  After I'm pickedI'm not actually picked. If I'm fully mature, I fall from the tree. Although I can be picked before I fall because, depending on how I'll be used, I'm always ripe! When I'm ready to be used, you need a large sharp knife to cut open my husk and hard shell.  Did you guess... CoconutEspañol: coco Did you CRACK the code? Have you had a fresh coconut? There are a lot of ways to try coconut like, coconut water, dried coconut, coconut milk, and coconut oil! Hey, Snacksters! Watch the video to learn how coconuts grow! Try it!Did you know you can eat a coconut after its sprouted? Watch the video below to learn more about how to eat mature, sprouted coconut. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm a fruit with flowers on the INSIDE. But we'll get to that next. Most people in the United States have not tried me fresh, but I'm common in the Mediterranean countries. In fact, my fruit is mentioned in the Bible 44 times.  Where I growI grow on trees in warm, dry climates. I rely on a special wasp that pollinate this fruit - but not how you think. The female wasp enters the fruit and lay eggs in the fruit! When the eggs hatch, the wasps wiggle out of the fruit. However, most of the fruit available today does not need wasps to grow, so don't worry. To grow new trees, farmers use cuttings from mature trees and grows it in pots.  After I'm pickedI have to be picked at the perfect time when I just start to ripen. Once I'm picked, 90% of the fruit grown is dried. If you've had me, it's most likely in a cookie. That's because my natural flavor is sweet and has a nutty texture from the seeds in the fruit.  Did you guess... Fig Español: higo Did you FIG-ure it out? If you come across a fresh fig, don't miss your opportunity to try it! Figs are pretty amazing and have been enjoyed for thousands of years! Watch the videos to learn more! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I am native to Mexico where I am commonly set out as a tasty and crunchy snack. I defend myself with poisonous leaves and beans. My plant is a legume (like peas) but the part you eat is a "tuber" which basically means a swollen root. Do not eat any poisonous part of the plant.  Where I growSwollen root? Yep, that means the part you eat grows under the ground. The root swells up instead of branching out and holds all the nutrients. This is how a potato grows, too! I am usually dug up once I'm the size to fit in the palm of your hand and am 1 to 5 pounds, but I can grow really large. The heaviest of me weighed 21 kg (46 lb 4.8 oz) and was grown by Leo Sutisna in Indonesia.  After I'm pickedAfter I'm dug up, I can be stored in a dark place for up to 2 months. Because I defend myself from pests, it's important to cut off my skin and wash me. I'm most commonly cut in spears (like fries) and seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice. I can also be baked or sautéed and added to stir fry.  Did you guess... JicamaEspañol: jícama Pronounced: hi-kuh-muh Did we stump you? See if you can find jicama at the grocery store. It tastes a lot like an apple with the texture of a raw potato. Remember to peel off the skin before eating it. Watch the video to learn more about the health benefits of Jicama! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?My name can be traced back to the 1493, when I was discovered in the islands south of Florida by famous Spanish explorers. I grow best in tropical and warm climates, like Costa Rica, Brazil, and Hawaii.  Where I growYou might be surprised to know I grow out of the ground from a plant that has long spikey leaves. In the center, you'll find my fruit. When I'm starting to grow, multiple berries fuse together to make the fruit you'll eat. I don't grow from a seed. Instead, the top of the fruit is cut off and put back into the ground.  After I'm pickedIt can take about 3 years until my plant fully grows my fruit and I'm ready to pick. I don't ripen after I'm picked, so you should eat me right away! If you are saving me for a special occasion, set me in the fridge until you're ready to eat.Then cut off the scales on my skin and the hard core of my fruit.  Did you guess... PineappleEspañol: piña Good job! Pineapple is delicious raw, in smoothies, and even cooked! Have you had a fresh pineapple? Watch the video to learn more: Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm often added to soups to add more flavor. I started growing in the Middle East and have been farmed for at least 3,000 years. I was used as a decoration on King Tut's tomb! The seed, which is actually the fruit of my plant, was used in ancient medicine.  Where I growSee my gnarly roots? You guessed it, I grow under the ground. However, I have many varieties, and on other plants, you'll eat the part that grows above the ground, which is a long green stalk. I'm a cool weather plant, which means I grow best when temperatures are 55 to 70°F.  After I'm pickedI grow slowly, and usually after the first frost, I'm ready to be picked. Farmers cut the stalks off the root. Once I'm picked, I should be kept cool. My root is delicious cooked and added to soups or mashed like potatoes. My seeds can also be used as a spice. And the stalk can be eaten raw or cooked.  Did you guess... Celery RootEspañol: raíz de apio Have you tried celery root before? It can also be called celeriac. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I'm slightly sweet with an unmistakable look. I can be grown from a seed, and I grow so fast! I can even grow fruit in one year after being planted. But, I only live for about five years. I started growing in Mexico. I love tropical weather (hot and humid).  Where I growPeople think I grow on a tree, but it's actually a large plant. My plant produces boy or girl flowers, which dangle from the center of the plant. Bees and butterflies collect pollen from flowers and share it, which is called cross pollination. After this, my fruit can grow. My leaves are very large, about 20 inches wide!  After I'm pickedOnce my skin is yellowish-orange, I'm fully ripe! But, you can eat the fruit when I'm not ripe - you just cook me like squash. You can even eat my leaves in tea, juice, or cooked. My ripe fruit can be eaten raw, roasted, mixed in smoothies, or dried. You've probably tried me in trail mix! Did you guess... PapayaEspañol: papaya Have you tried papaya before? Papaya is also called papaw or pawpaw. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?I technically am a fruit. I grow on a vine, with a yellow flower. I mostly come green, but also can be yellow and white! I started growing in India and now grow all across the world! I've been an important fruit for thousands of years.  Where I growI grow on the ground. Farmers have to plant me in the ground by hand. Once I start to grow they wrap my vine around the nets. The bees are very important for my fruit to grow. (In fact, bees are important for most food!)  After I'm pickedI am picked before I'm fully grown, otherwise I would taste bitter, have a lot of seeds, and be yellow. Yuck! 🤢 I can be eaten fresh or pickled! In fact when I'm pickled I'm called... PICKLES!  Did you guess... CucumberEspañol: pepino You are so smart! Watch the video to learn more about how it grows. Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
 What am I?You could say I'm a power house vegetable. My scent is powerful enough that people used to keep me to scare away vampires. I was given to ancient Olympians to make them stronger. Before modern medicine, I was thought to fight illness. People would even put me on their cuts. Thankfully, we have Band-aids now!  How I growMy bulb grows under the ground. My bulb holds water and nutrients for my plant, so even if the weather isn't perfect for growing, I can still survive. I have long green leaves that grow above the ground. The part you eat is also the seed.  How I'm picked.Before I'm picked, the farmer stops watering my plant and starts the curing process, where I'm dried out. The farmer knows I'm ready for picking when there are 5 to 6 skins. After I'm picked, I'm dried out in the sun. Leaves cover the bulb to make sure I don't get sunburned! Did you guess... Garlic?Español: ajo Skip the garlic powder and try adding garlic cloves into your next dish! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
Hey, Snacksters! Happy Valentine's Day! Watch the video to learn more about Passion Fruit.  What am I?You might think I'm a bean, but I'm actually a seed, or a legume. Not long ago, I wasn't found in as many dishes as I am now, well in the US that is. I've been an important food across the world for thousands of years. I started growing in the Middle East. Now, India grows the most crops.  Where I growI grow on a plant on the ground in warm and dry climates. I can pull nutrients and water from the ground all summer long. But before harvest, farmers actually want me to dry out, so I am not watered! I also keep bugs away with a natural acid on my pod. When I am dried, the acid goes away.  After I'm pickedI grow in a green pod all summer, and I'm ready for harvest (picking) in September. Farmers are looking for a unified (one) color, because most of me will be canned and blended into hummus.  Did you guess... ChickpeasEspañol: garbanzo Do you like chickpeas? What about hummus? By the way, you may hear "garbanzo" for chickpeas. Garbanzo is the Spanish name! Go to the next slide to learn more about chickpeas! Chickpea FactsChickpeas (also called Garbanzo beans) are seeds, not a bean! It's a plant from the pea family. It's an important plant used in main dishes across the world and can grow without a lot of water. HOW IT GROWS Chickpeas grow on a bushy plant. It grows small white or reddish flowers. The seed then grows in a pod, just like a pea. The pods release acid (chemicals) through tiny hairs on the pod and stems of the plant. This protects it from insects, but it can also put holes in your clothing! A fresh chickpea is green, but this isn't a common way to eat it. Instead, the plant is naturally dried out from the heat of summer. By September, the plant is ready to harvest. DID YOU KNOW
HOW TO EAT IT At the grocery store, you will find canned or dried chickpeas. You can blend it (like hummus), add it to salads, roast it, and bake it. It can even be used to make desserts! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
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