Get ready for a surprise: much of the food YOU eat was first grown by Native Americans!
Do you like popcorn? Corn was first grown by Native farmers thousands of years ago — and yes, they made popcorn too! French fries and mashed potatoes? Potatoes were first farmed by Native peoples in South America. Chocolate, tomatoes, peanuts, pumpkins, blueberries, and maple syrup — all first foods of the Americas!
Native peoples also taught early settlers HOW to grow and cook these foods, helping them survive. So the next time you eat popcorn or pumpkin pie, remember: you're tasting thousands of years of Native farming wisdom.
1. Name three foods first grown by Native Americans.
2. Who invented popcorn?
3. How did Native peoples help early settlers survive?
With a grown-up, look through your kitchen. Check off every Native American first-food you find!
| First food | Found it? ✓ |
|---|---|
| Corn (or popcorn, corn chips, cornbread) | |
| Potatoes (or fries, chips) | |
| Tomatoes (or ketchup, pizza sauce) | |
| Chocolate | |
| Peanuts (or peanut butter) | |
| Pumpkin, squash, or beans | |
| Maple syrup or blueberries |
1. How many first-foods did you find? Which one surprised you most?
2. What would your favorite meals be like WITHOUT these foods?
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
Draw a table filled with Native American first foods you love — popcorn, chocolate, pumpkin pie, and more!
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| Foods first grown by Native Americans | YES / NOT YET |
| How these foods reached my table | YES / NOT YET |
| How Native farmers helped settlers | YES / NOT YET |