U.S.LOCAL NEWS DESK
It’s the Great (Roasted) Pumpkin (Seeds)
Food Network and Utah State Extension give different oven settings for roasting pumpkin seeds, and the same method works on butternut and other hard-skinned squash; the squirrels already know.
Watch it as it aired: Chip Darnell and Vera Bullock on this story, from The BBN Weekend Matinee at 4:38 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The New York Times's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance
- First reported by The New York Times: “It’s the Great (Roasted) Pumpkin (Seeds)”, with reporting from Utah State University Extension, Food Network and Walmart.
- Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 4:38 PM ET on The BBN Weekend Matinee, by Chip Darnell and Vera Bullock.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- The New York TimesIt’s the Great (Roasted) Pumpkin (Seeds)
- Utah State University ExtensionJanuary 27, 2023 January 27, 2023 · facts used on air
- Food NetworkRoasted Pumpkin Seeds facts used on air
- Walmartwww.walmart.com facts used on air
What BBN said about it

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorTeam coverage this afternoon: the New York Times has a guide to roasting the seeds from your pumpkin, and it works on any hard-skinned squash.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt's seeds, Chip. You put them in the oven.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAt what temperature, Vera?

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorFood Network says three hundred degrees for an hour and a half, and Utah State Extension says three fifty for thirty-five to forty minutes.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFifty degrees and fifty minutes apart. Same seed. One kitchen has it done before the other one's preheated.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorWe have footage from the archive. Not the actual pumpkin, but look at this.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHe's got a squirrel on the pumpkin, and the seeds are already on the ground. That's an open investigation.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorWalmart lists a five-ounce bag of roasted salted seeds at two dollars and thirty-four cents.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRated: a crunchy eight, and I think it's the best snack in America.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorTwo dollars and thirty-four cents. The squirrel did all that work for free.

Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRex, take us home, buddy!
More Shorts
All videos →From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 31, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months


Photo: Brett Hodnett · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Unknown author · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: The Institute of Heraldry · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: United States District Court for the · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Rgoogin at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0

