Share it
Anyone who has scooped out a jack-o-lantern around Halloween is familiar with the processing of pumpkin seeds. The flat, white seeds make a halfway decent snack after they’ve been removed from the gooey pulp, sorted, rinsed, dried, oiled, seasoned and baked at high heat. But even after these steps, the seeds can be a bit of tough chew which has made this yearly tradition strictly seasonal.
But pumpkin seeds tap into several current trends that make them an ingredient not only with year-round appeal, but also one bred specifically for this moment. They offer high protein and omega-3 content for plant-based diets, have an allergy-friendly reputation, and a mild taste that works well with sweet and savory flavors to add a dynamic element to everything from smoothies to snacks. These qualities have also made the seeds in demand: Technavio projects the pumpkin seeds market to grow by $631.1 million from 2020 to 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of nearly 13% during t