Seeds Facts

Q: How can seeds be used in cooking?

Seeds can be used as snacks, toppings for salads or main dishes, and ingredients in breads, granola, puddings, and snack balls.

Learn fun facts about sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, and chia seeds. This page includes how seeds grow, how to choose and store them, nutrition facts, and easy seed recipe ideas.

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Fun Seed Facts

Sunflower seeds grow inside a sunflower.
Sesame seeds grow on a plant.
Pumpkin seeds come from inside a pumpkin.
Chia seeds are tiny but can be used in many recipes.
Seeds are often used in snacks, toppings, and baked foods.

How Seeds Grow, Buying Tips, and Storage

Seeds Are Available

Seeds are available year round.

How Do Seeds Grow?

Sunflower seeds grow in the sunflower. Sesame seeds grow on a plant. Pumpkin seeds come from inside a pumpkin.

What to Look for When Buying Seeds

If buying seeds in their shells, look for firm shells with no cracks. Most seeds are pre-packaged for you.

Storage Tips

Most packaged seeds can be stored in the cupboard, refrigerator, or freezer.

Kid Tip: Keep seeds in sealed containers so they stay fresh longer.

How to Cook with Seeds

How to Use Seeds

Choose your seed type, such as sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, or chia seeds.
Measure the seeds for your recipe.
Use them as toppings, mix them into granola or bread, or add them to puddings and snacks.

Cooking Tip: Seeds are a great healthy snack and also work well as toppings for salads and main dishes.

Different Kinds of Seeds

Sunflower seeds are larger and often eaten as snacks or added to breads.

Sesame seeds are small and often used in coatings, toppings, and snack balls.

Pumpkin seeds are flat and are often toasted.

Chia seeds are tiny and can thicken puddings or be mixed into recipes.

Food Science: Seeds and Plant Growth

Why Are Seeds Important?

Seeds are the part of a plant that can grow into a new plant when conditions are right.

That is why seeds are important both for growing food and for eating as part of healthy recipes.

Mini Activity

Seed Size Sort

Look at different kinds of seeds if you have them.
Sort them from smallest to largest.
Talk about which seeds are easiest to sprinkle and which are easiest to hold.
Count how many different kinds of seeds you found.

This activity helps kids practice sorting, observing, and comparing different foods.

Seed Nutrition Facts

Seeds are a good source of protein. They also contain iron.

Seeds provide protein.
They also contain iron.
Different seeds can add nutrients and texture to many recipes.

More Food Fact Resources

Seed Recipes

Granola

A crunchy homemade granola made with oats, nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, maple syrup, and dried fruit.

Category: Breakfast
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: Varies

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashew nuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins or any dried fruit

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Combine oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt.
Combine the two mixtures and pour onto sheet pans.
Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and add raisins.

More Granola Recipes

Serving Tip: Granola can be eaten by itself or sprinkled over yogurt.

Sesame Seed Pistachio Balls

A no-bake snack ball recipe made with pistachios, almond paste, coconut oil, sesame seeds, and dates.

Category: Snack
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: No cooking
Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup almond paste
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup white sesame seeds
12 pitted dates
Whole almonds for garnish, if desired

Directions

Shell the pistachios and remove seeds from the dates.
Place the dates, almond paste, pistachios, sesame seeds, and coconut oil into a food processor.
Process until the pistachios break into small pieces and the mixture makes fine crumbs.
Take a spoonful and gently roll it into a ball.
Roll into extra sesame seeds if desired and place on a cookie sheet.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Serve chilled.

See more snack ball recipes.

Snack Idea: These are a fun no-bake recipe using seeds and nuts together.