Guide Note

Pumpkins are a variety of squash, typically orange or yellow, that can range in size from a few inches across to several yards. Most pumpkins used for cooking and Jack-o-Lanterns in North America are about 1-2 feet wide and weigh between 10 and 15 pounds.

Fast Facts

1. Is actually a Fruit
2. High in Vitamin A
3. Good source of beta carotene and low in saturated fat
4. Pumpkin seeds are high in manganese and iron
5. In the squash family

Pumpkins are in season during the autumn months and dishes are prepared most often around Halloween and Thanksgiving. Though the inside of a pumpkin can be eaten raw, the pumpkin "meat" is most often baked into pumpkin pie or cooked alongside other vegetables as a side dish.

Pumpkins are often mixed with cream and water and made into soup. The dish resembles tomato soup but will have a sweeter taste and is usually seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pumpkin seeds can be roasted and eaten as a snack. The seeds are a good source of protein and zinc, and families usually have a surplus leftover after carving Jack-o-Lanterns.

Most Jack-o-Lanterns have a frightening face on them, though professional artists can create vivid images on the countenance of a pumpkin. Common images include black cats, witches and the character Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas.