List of vegetables facts for kids

A vegetable is a part of a plant that people eat as food. When we talk about "vegetables" in cooking, it's often different from how scientists (botanists) define them. For example, a tomato is actually a fruit in science, but we use it like a vegetable in our kitchens! This list focuses on plants we commonly call vegetables in cooking. It doesn't include herbs, spices, or most fruits and nuts that are usually eaten sweet.

Leafy and Salad Vegetables

These are vegetables where we eat the leaves! They are often used in salads, stir-fries, or cooked as greens. They are packed with vitamins and minerals.

Garden Cress

Iceberg lettuce growing in a field.

Spinach plants.

Miner's lettuce.

Fruits Used as Vegetables

Even though these are botanically fruits (meaning they grow from the flower of a plant and contain seeds), we often cook and eat them like vegetables. Think of how you use a tomato in a salad or a pumpkin in a savory dish!

Pumpkins.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers are fruits from the Capsicum plant. They are known for their spicy flavor, which comes from a chemical called capsaicin. They come in many shapes, sizes, and heat levels!

Edible Flowers

Some flowers are not just pretty, they're also delicious! These flowers can add unique flavors and colors to dishes.

Calabaza flowers.

Podded Vegetables

Podded vegetables are plants where we eat the seeds or the pods that contain the seeds. These include many types of beans and peas. They are a great source of protein and fiber.

Different types of common beans.

Varieties of soybeans.

Bulb and Stem Vegetables

This group includes vegetables where we eat the underground bulb or the above-ground stem. These parts often store nutrients and have a unique crunch or flavor.

Garlic bulbs and individual cloves.

Root and Tuberous Vegetables

These vegetables grow underground. We eat their roots or tubers, which are swollen underground stems that store food for the plant. They are often starchy and filling.

Carrots come in many colors and shapes.

Different types of potatoes.

Sea Vegetables

These are plants that grow in the ocean, also known as seaweed. They are often used in Asian cuisine and are full of unique flavors and nutrients from the sea.

Caulerpa is a type of edible seaweed.

See also

• Herbs
• Vegetable juice
• List of culinary fruits
• List of leaf vegetables
• List of vegetable dishes
• List of foods
• Seed