You’ve seen them on baseball fields, gas stations, roasted, salted, flavored, etc. Sunflower seeds are a long-time tradition for those who enjoy outdoor sports as well as a tasty treat. They are often eaten by individual seeds or handfuls at a time. But how are these bundles of flavor made?  

Well, it all starts with the seed. Sunflower seeds are produced by the gigantic yellow flowers that have come to be symbolic of happiness, light, joy, and the summer season. The entire plant is edible, relieving any worry of the seed being toxic for consumption. In fact, you can grow sunflower seeds for microgreens. For information on how to do this, check out our microgreens page. 

To create this yummy treat suitable for any baseball game, pick a flavor. Do you prefer a salted, spicy, or exotic flavor? Also, do you prefer shelled or unshelled?

How To Shell Sunflower Seeds:

• Add ½ cup of seed to a plastic bag
• Spread the seeds into a single layer
• Seal the bag closed
• Roll over the seeds with a rolling pin to gently crack the outer shell
• Add the seeds to a bowl of water to separate the kernels from the shells
• Remove the floating shells
• Drain the water away, leaving your kernels

Roasting Sunflower Seeds in the Oven:

• To add a flavoring, first rinse your seeds to remove debris, drain, dissolve seasoning into clean water, add seeds, bring to a boil, then simmer. Drain and rinse, and add seeds to a cookie sheet.
• Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees for shelled seeds or 300 Degrees for unshelled seeds 
• Organize your seeds into a single layer on a cookie sheet
• Toast for 7-10 minutes if shelled or 30 minutes for unshelled, shake or stir occasionally to brown evenly