Many Canadians reaching for canned pumpkin during baking season might be surprised to learn what actually fills those orange-labeled tins. Despite packaging that often reads "100% pumpkin," the contents frequently include varieties that many would classify as squash rather than traditional jack-o'-lantern pumpkins.
The Botanical Truth About Pumpkins
The confusion stems from a fundamental botanical fact: all pumpkins are technically squash. Both belong to the Cucurbita family, which includes approximately 975 species of plants. Since the term "pumpkin" lacks specific botanical meaning, it's generally considered a type of squash.
This classification explains why food regulations permit significant flexibility in labeling. Back in 1957, the United States Department of Agriculture established a lenient definition that still influences today's products. Their description allowed "canned pumpkin and canned squash" to be prepared from "golden fleshed, firm shelled, sweet varieties of either pumpkins or squashes."
What's Really in the Can?
Most commercial canned pumpkin, including popular brands like Libby's and Nestle, primarily uses the Dickinson pumpkin. This variety features a beige exterior and oblong shape rather than the bright orange, round appearance of carving pumpkins. The Dickinson pumpkin—sometimes called Dickinson squash—offers a creamier texture and sweeter flavor that works better for cooking and baking.
Eduardo Vivas, senior manager of brand marketing for Libby's, confirms that "All pumpkins, including the Dickinson pumpkin Libby's uses, are a variety of squash belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family or gourd family."
The Food and Drug Administration reinforced this labeling practice in 1988, stating they wouldn't take action against companies using "pumpkin" on labels for products made from "golden-fleshed, sweet squash" unless evidence showed consumers were being misled.
Why Not Jack-O'-Lantern Pumpkins?
Those classic Halloween pumpkins many Canadians visit pumpkin patches to find actually make poor candidates for canned puree. They tend to be watery, stringy, and less flavorful than their Dickinson counterparts. The firmer flesh and richer taste of Dickinson pumpkins and similar squash varieties create the consistent texture and flavor that cooks expect from canned pumpkin.
Some manufacturers may blend Dickinson pumpkin with other winter squash varieties like butternut or hubbard to achieve their desired product consistency and taste profile.
So when your recipe calls for canned pumpkin and you open that can of Libby's or other brand, you are indeed getting pumpkin—just not the type you might carve for Halloween. The distinction between pumpkin and squash ultimately comes down to terminology rather than botanical reality.
