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Squash: The Amazing Garden Giants!

Get ready to meet squash, the super-sized fruits that grow on long, vining plants and come in many fun shapes and colors!

Images

Afternoon Cooking

Afternoon Cooking

openverse
amazing shrimp and zucchini grill
roasted delicata squash with kale
Clagett Farm CSA Week 10
Cooking as Experimentation
Keng Bouad Mak Fak Kham (coconut pumpkin soup)
Clagett Farm CSA 2008 Week 11
DSC_8887
Moms Pumpkin Pie at Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook
Seven Cheese Vegetarian Lasagna (Before Cooking)
roasted delicata squash with kale
Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner at Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook

Key Facts

Plant Family
Squash are part of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae.
Original Homes
First grown in the Americas, especially Mexico and Central America.
What They Are
Botanically, squash are fruits, not vegetables.
Fun Fact
Some squash can grow to be very, very large, weighing as much as a small car!

What's a Squash, Anyway?

Squash are like big, bumpy treasures that grow on long, leafy vines! They aren't really vegetables, but actually fruits, just like apples and bananas. They come in so many cool shapes, from round and plump to long and skinny.

Some are bright orange, others are green, and some even have stripes! They grow from flowers on the vine, and when they get big and ripe, they're ready to be picked. Imagine a pumpkin, that’s a type of squash!

They are a delicious part of meals all around the world.

Where Did These Garden Wonders Come From?

Long, long ago, people in places like Mexico and Central America discovered these amazing plants. They learned how to grow them and eat their tasty fruits. Over many years, they shared squash with other parts of the world.

It’s like a delicious secret that traveled all over the globe! People learned to cook them in different ways, making yummy soups, pies, and side dishes. So, the squash you eat today has a very old and interesting story.

Squash's Superpowers!

Squash are packed with good stuff that helps our bodies stay strong and healthy. They have vitamins, like vitamin A, which is super important for our eyes, helping us see even in the dark! They also have fiber, which is like a broom for your tummy, helping everything work smoothly.

Eating squash can give you energy to run and play on the playground. It’s like giving your body a healthy boost with every bite!

So Many Squashes to Try!

There are so many different kinds of squash! You might know pumpkins, which are famous for Halloween. But there are also butternut squash, which are a lovely orange color and taste a bit sweet, perfect for soup.

Zucchini is a type of squash that’s long and green, and it’s super easy to cook. Acorn squash is shaped like a little acorn and has yummy, tender flesh inside. Each one is special and tastes a little different!

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Based on content from Wikipedia · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0