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Pomegranate Seed Basket
Nature Basket

Pomegranate Seed Basket

One pomegranate, a bowl of water, an ice cube tray and tweezers — an autumn morning of quiet, ruby-red picking that ends in a glass of fresh juice.

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Ages 2-65 min prepSave to Pinterest

Every autumn we buy far too many pomegranates, and every autumn I remember that seeding them is the most calming activity in our house. My kids go completely quiet.

It is repetitive in the very best way: press, loosen, drop, repeat. The seeds are shiny and heavy and they make a lovely sound falling into a bowl.

By the end we always have more seeds than anyone wants to eat plain, which is how the ice cube tray and the juice press joined the basket.

A bowl of water, an ice cube tray and tweezers — the whole mess-free setup.
A bowl of water, an ice cube tray and tweezers — the whole mess-free setup.
Tweezers plus an ice cube tray turns a snack into twenty minutes of focus.
Tweezers plus an ice cube tray turns a snack into twenty minutes of focus.
Half the seeds always end up as juice.
Half the seeds always end up as juice.

What you'll need

  • 1-2 ripe pomegranates
  • A large bowl of cool water (seeding under water stops the juice from spraying)
  • A shallow white bowl for the finished seeds
  • Child-safe tweezers
  • An ice cube tray or muffin tin for sorting and counting
  • An old apron or a dark t-shirt — the juice stains
  • Optional: a small manual citrus press for juice at the end

How to make it

  1. 1

    Cut the pomegranate in half yourself and hand the halves over — the cut side is where all the fun is.

  2. 2

    Sit your child in front of the big bowl of water. Show them how to hold the half under the water and push the seeds out with a thumb; the seeds sink and the white pith floats.

  3. 3

    Skim the floating pith off the top with a spoon together — a satisfying job of its own.

  4. 4

    Lift the seeds out into the white bowl and admire them. They look like jewels against white.

  5. 5

    Bring out the tweezers and the ice cube tray: five seeds per compartment, or one colour shade per compartment, or simply as many as fit.

  6. 6

    Press half the seeds into juice with a small manual press. The other half goes on yoghurt, salad, or straight into mouths.

  7. 7

    Freeze a few compartments of seeds in water and use them as jewel ice cubes in a drink the next day.

Tip

Doing this under water is the single trick that makes it mess-free — no spraying, no red walls. Still, put everyone in dark clothes. If your child is under three, skip the tweezers and let fingers do the work.

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