{"id":15556,"date":"2024-04-15T09:00:04","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T13:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/food-health\/?p=15556"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:08:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:08:57","slug":"fruit-or-vegetable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/food-health\/2024\/04\/15\/fruit-or-vegetable\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask EFNEP: Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2014 By Laurie Colton<\/a>, EFNEP Community Education Assistant in Northern Aroostook County, University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/em><\/p>\n

This blog post is a part of our \u201cAsk EFNEP\u201d series where members of UMaine Cooperative Extension\u2019s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)<\/a> answer questions they are asked when delivering food and nutrition programs.<\/p>\n

Question: Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?<\/p>\n

When I am teaching in a school about the fruit and vegetable groups, students are confused whether tomatoes and avocados are a fruit or a vegetable. I usually answer that question this way: scientifically tomatoes and avocados are fruits, but according to USDA\u2019s MyPlate<\/a>, they are considered vegetables<\/a> (MyPlate).<\/p>\n

Confusion over what is a fruit and what is a vegetable is not new. According to David Handley<\/a>, University of Maine Cooperative Extension\u2019s Vegetable & Small Fruit Specialist, \u201cIt\u2019s all about context; in terms of marketing and culinary use, “vegetables” historically include many fruits (tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, etc.), and are used for nutritional and savory purposes. Whereas “fruit” is marketed and purposed as dessert items, i.e. valued for their sweetness and not as a main course. However, if you are discussing things from a botanical perspective, then yes, seed-bearing organs are indeed fruit. So, some vegetables are fruit, but not all fruits are vegetables.\u201d<\/p>\n

Botanically, a tomato is a fruit because it is seed-bearing. However, tomatoes are often used in savory recipes and meals like tomato sauce or salad. So tomatoes are typically used as a vegetable. Avocados are another example of a fruit that is used in a savory dish, such as guacamole or in a salad.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Looking at the figure above, you can see there are multiple parts of a plant. There is the flower, leaf, fruit, stem, root, and seed. Fruit grows from the flower of a plant and contains seeds, while vegetables consist of roots, stems, and leaves. When you break down what fruits and vegetables are botanically you might be surprised, here are some examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Flowers<\/strong><\/th>\nLeaves<\/strong><\/th>\nFruit<\/strong><\/th>\nStems<\/strong><\/th>\nRoots<\/strong><\/th>\nSeeds<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Broccoli
\nCauliflower<\/td>\n		Beet Greens
\nCabbage
\nKale
\nLeek
\nLettuce
\nSpinach
\nSwiss Chard<\/td>\n		Acorn Squash
\nApples
\nBell Pepper
\nBerries
\nCucumber
\nMelons
\nPears
\nSquash
\nSweet Corn
\nTomato
\nZucchini<\/td>\n		Asparagus
\nCelery
\nPotatoes
\nRhubarb<\/td>\n		Beets
\nCarrots
\nParsnips
\nRadishes
\nRutabaga
\nTurnip<\/td>\n		Corn
\nPeanuts
\nPeas
\nSunflower Seeds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Overall, if it\u2019s served with a meal, it\u2019s typically considered a vegetable. If it\u2019s sweet or tart and eaten as a dessert, it\u2019s typically considered fruit according to USDA\u2019s guidelines (USDA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For some great recipes using tomatoes and avocados check out the Mainely Dish videos and Cooperative Extensions publication below.<\/p>\n