Where Do Nuts Come From? A Guide for Kids

We use nuts in loads of recipes on Mini Yummers, and even if you haven’t tried any yet I’m sure you’ve eaten peanut butter, scoffed Nutella chocolate spread, munched on peanut M&Ms, or even snacked on salted or roasted nuts. But have you ever wondered where nuts come from? Do they grow on trees or in the ground?

We’ll give you the answers and then we’ll make some delicious and healthy roasted nuts to snack on.

What Are Nuts?

Nuts are really a fruit. They have a hard shell and a seed inside. The seed inside is what we eat.

How Do Nuts Grow?

Most nuts grow on trees and bushes, but some nuts (such as peanuts) grow underground.

Most nuts (such as cashews, pictured below) grow inside a soft casing that hardens into a shell.

Nuts Are Awesome and Healthy

Nuts are a healthy snack that fill you up. They are packed with protein and fibre and are a great food for keeping your heart healthy. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Some nuts are better than others at giving other health benefits too:

Almonds are rich in calcium, which helps to keep our bones strong and healthy.

Brazils are good at boosting your immune system (to keep away bugs and illness). They are also rich in something called selinium which helps wounds to heal–great if you are a bit clumsy or get injured playing sports.

Cashews contain a good amount of zinc and iron as well as being protein rich, so are a great choice if you are a vegetarian.

Pecans are great if you feel tired. They contain B3, which helps our bodies get to the energy in our food.

Walnuts are rich in something called Omega-3, which has been proven to help us concentrate better. They are the best nuts for boosting your brain power (and they look a bit like brains too!).

Let’s Make Dry Roasted Nuts

You can use any nuts in our roasted nuts recipe, but almonds, peanuts and cashews work best. Unlike dry roasted nuts you buy, the only ingredients we are going to use to coat our nuts are spices, a pinch of salt, and water. This is the easiest snack you will ever make.

Stuff You’ll Need

100g nuts of your choice (as vegetarians we picked cashews)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp mild curry powder
Pinch of salt
Water (around 3 tsps)

Let’s Get Going

Preheat your oven to 180c, 350f, gas 4.

1. Measure all your spices and salt into a bowl. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, until you’ve made a spicy paste.

2. Tip your nuts into the bowl and stir them around until they are all coated in the spicy mixture.

3. Pop them on a baking tray on a single layer and get a grown-up to put them into the oven.

4. After 5 minutes, get your grown-up to take them out of the oven and shake them around. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes and do the same thing again.

5. Give them another 2-3 minutes before taking them out of the oven. They should be dry, golden, and smelling yummy. Leave to cool before snacking.

If you’ve had fun making these roasted nuts, then have a go at some of our other recipes that use nuts:

Image Credits: Cashew tree – Cordelia Persen