Cultivated Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America and seeds from related plants found in Mexico date back to 5500 B.C. However the origins of wild pumpkins are uncertain.

The word pumpkin comes from the Greek ‘pepon’ for a large melon. The French change the spelling to ‘Pompon’. Then the English named it ‘pumpion’ or ‘pompion’, a term which dates back to 1547. Finally American colonists changed ‘pumpion’ into pumpkin. Pumpkins are now grown all over the world with Antarctica being the sole exception.

Pumpkins belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds. Pumpkins are available in all shapes, colors and sizes, but one of the best known is the Jack 'o Lantern pumpkin, which can weigh as much as 100 pounds and is popular for carving at Halloween.

Pumpkin seeds? How about some pumpkin seed? Pumpkin seeds are shine skin, snow white, and the size of a ladies nail and may be consumed raw, roasted and salted, toasted, baked, with shell (in-shell) or without shell (shelled / hull-less pumpkin seed kernels, pepitas or pumpkin seed meats). Anyway you prefer pumpkin seeds, just a handful of roasted and salted ones may be a delicious snack food, well-suited to a healthy diet and nutrition. So Enjoy!