Chickpea Facts for Kids

Chickpeas (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. 
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Watch to learn more about How it Grows!

DID YOU KNOW

• Chickpeas weren't popular in North America until the 1990s 
• India harvests the most chickpea 
• Chickpeas are used across the world in many dishes but are most popular in the United States for hummus

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!