LIBBY'S Pumpkin History

When Pilgrims first arrived in the New World, they discovered many new things. One was the Native American's use of pumpkin. Many people associate pumpkin pie with the Pilgrims, but in actuality their first pies were not pies at all. Early Americans would scoop out a pumpkin, fill it with milk and pumpkin flesh and cook it for hours in hot ashes, often adding spices and syrup to make pudding.

Pumpkin soon became a focal point for the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving festivities, so much so that one early celebration was actually postponed until the arrival of a supply ship carrying molasses — a vital ingredient for baking the much-loved pies.

Early American cooks soon found all kinds of culinary uses for pumpkin. This golden fruit of the vine found its way into breads, puddings and sauces. Settlers would also dry out slices of pumpkin and store them for later when the snow was high and food was scarce. Pumpkin still remains a staple in America's kitchens even to this day.

LIBBY'S Pumpkin first found its way to grocers' shelves in 1929, when a food canning company in Chicago expanded its product line to include America's unique fruit. Unlike the average field pumpkin or Jack O'Lantern variety, Libby's only uses a pumpkin known for its rich, golden color, creamy texture and pure pumpkin flavor — the Dickinson. In fact, Libby's has developed its own special strain of Dickinson through years of agricultural research.

LIBBY'S 100% Pure Pumpkin is exactly that — with no additives or preservatives. We wouldn't want anything to interfere with our unique, delicious pumpkin flavor.

LIBBY'S has always been the major producer of canned pumpkin, planting approximately 4,000 acres of pumpkin each year. LIBBY'S Pumpkin is used to create more than 50 million pies every Thanksgiving. Additionally, many people use pumpkin year round to create delicious delights other than pumpkin pie with favorite recipes such as the ones you'll find here on our Web site.