70+ Foods That Start With G (All Bases Covered!)

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There are so many foods that start with G! From vegetables, to cheeses, to meats, to cakes, the list goes on. I have gathered together 74 foods beginning with the letter G. So whether you’re prepping for a quiz and want to boss the food round, or simply want to learn something new, you’ve come to the right place!

Before we get into it, I’ll explain how I categorised all the food, and what made the cut!

First of all, we have dishes that start with G. This category contains dishes that are prepared with more than one ingredient, which you would follow a recipe to make. For example, I’ve include gazpacho, grits and goulash!

Second off, we have processed foods that start with G. This category contains single ingredients that undergo some processing – for example, cheese, yogurt, pickles.

Then we have sweet treats and drinks, which are pretty self explanatory! As is the final category of fruits and vegetables!

We also have separate lists of fruits that start with g and vegetables that start with g. If you want to branch out you could also check out our fruits, vegetables and foods that start with E lists!

Dishes that start with G

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a Spanish soup, served cold instead of hot. It is usually made of tomatoes cucumbers peppers and garlic, but there is also such thing as white gazpacho which is made of garlic, almonds, olive oil, bread and grapes!

Gnocchi

Gnocchi is a potato based pasta from Italy. It is made with mashed potato, flour and egg. The dough is rolled into small pillows and boiled. It goes well with sage butter, pesto and various other sauces.

Grilled Cheese

You can’t beat a grilled cheese! This classic snack is made by frying/grilling a cheese sandwich. You can jazz up a grilled cheese by adding avocado, pickles or ham! We have a mean avocado grilled cheese sandwich, you should check it out.

Grits

Grits is a porridge originating in the US. It is made out of boiled cornmeal. A bowl of grits is often served with butter. There is debate as to whether it should be a sweet or savory dish, with some people eating it with sugar, others preferring it with cheese, sausage, bacon or gravy.

General Tso’s Chicken

General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American dish of sweet and spicy deep fried chicken. The usually seasoning includes soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chillis, garlic, sugar and cornstarch. General Tso was a Qing dynasty statesman and military leader, though there is no connection between him and the dish.

Giblets

Giblets is the word for the edible offal of an animal. This typically includes heart, liver and gizzards, among other organs.

Goulash

Goulash is a soup / stew that originated in Hungary but is now eaten across Central Europe. It is usually made out of beef, veal, pork or lamb and seasoned with paprika. The word ‘gulyas’ in Hungarian means cattle herder or shepherd, as this was originally a stew was made by herdsmen.

Gyro

Gyros is a greek dish made of kebab meat served in a pitta with tomato onion and tzatziki sauce ! The meat is typically shaved off in thin slices as it is cooked.

Garlic Bread

It’s all in the name with this one! A garlic and butter mixture spread on bread, then toasted. It is an Italian-American invention, and you wouldn’t actually find it in Italy, as bread at the table is usually eaten plain there.

Granola

Granola is a breakfast cereal made of rolled oats, nuts and syrup, toasted, sometimes with puffed rice and dried fruits as an addition. It can be sprinkled on top of yogurt or eaten like cereal with milk. It can also be used as a crumble topper! It is an all round great food!

Gumbo

This is a soup that comes from Louisiana. It is a heavily seasoned stew, thickened with okra or a roux, and filled with either meat or seafood. There are two main categories of gumbo: Creole gumbo and Cajun gumbo. Creole gumbo usually has tomatoes and seafood, while Cajun gumbo is usually topped with green onion and parsley.

Gravy

Gravy is a sauce traditionally made from the juice that runs off meat while they cook, then thickened with flour or cornstarch. It can also be made out of onions, for a vegetarian version. Gravy is usually drizzled over meat, potatoes, or, in the US, biscuits.

Guacamole

Guacamole is a dip / spread that originated in Mexico. The basic concept is smashed avocado and salt, but it is usually made with smashed avocado, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro and/or red onion as well. Non-traditional recipes often call for sour cream as well. Dip tortilla chips in guac for the perfect snack.

Gyoza

Gyoza are traditional Japanese dumplings made from a thin wheat flour pastry wrapped around a filling of minced pork / fish and vegetables. They are usually either steamed or fried. They are a very popular side dish / starter.

Processed foods that start with G

Gelatin

Gelatin is a substance derived from collagen taken from animal’s bodies. It is used to make foods like jelly, gummy bears, marshmallows and even ice cream. It is commonly made from pig skin and bones. Agar agar is a popular vegetarian alternative.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a blue veined cheese that comes from Italy. It is made from pasteurized cows milk. It has a crumbly, soft texture and a nutty smell. It is actually one of the world’s oldest blue cheeses!

Gammon

Gammon is a cured, salted or brined pork leg. In the UK and Ireland, it is a popular Christmas dish.

Ghee

Ghee is a kind of concentrated butter that originated in India. It is higher in fat than butter, due to the milk and water solids having been removed. It is the most common fat used for cooking in India.

Gouda Cheese

Gouda is one of the most popular cheeses in the world – it makes up 50-60% of the world’s cheese consumption. It is named after the Dutch town, Gouda, where it was first made. It is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, toffee-like flavor and a golden yellow colour.

Gruyere

Gruyere is a Swiss cheese with a mild but distinctive flavor. It is particularly popular as a cooking cheese, as its taste is not overpowering. It is frequently used in French onion soup and Croque monsieurs, as well as grated onto salads.

Gherkins

Gherkins are pickled baby cucumbers! The name gherkin comes from the Old Dutch word for just that. The cucumbers used are usually between 3 and 13 cm long and they are pickled in brine or vinegar.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a type of yogurt that is made by straining they whey and other liquids, resulting in a more concentrated yogurt. It takes more milk to make it, but the result is a thicker, tangier yogurt with more protein and fewer carbs.

Sweets that start with G

Griddle Cakes

Griddle cakes is another word for pancakes, referring more widely to round cakes that are fried in a griddle. While in the US, the two terms may be interchangeable, in the UK, pancakes may be associated with flat thin cakes more like crepes, while griddle cake would be associated with fluffier cakes, like scotch pancakes.

Ganache

Ganache is a luxurious mix of equal parts chocolate and cream. It is used to make truffles, to top cakes and muffins or even to fill tarts.

Gelato

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, used in English to refer to Italian style ice cream which is made with more milk and less cream than American style ice cream. It is also churned at a slower rate than ‘regular’ ice cream, which means that less air gets in the mix, giving it a more intense flavor.

Genoise

This is an Italian sponge cake named after the city of Genoa where it originated. It is associated with both Italian and French cuisine. The genoise batter is the base for madeleines and ladyfingers!

Gingerbread

Gingerbread refers to many baked goods that are seasoned with ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Gingerbread cookies are one of the most popular examples of gingerbread. They are typically associated with the Christmas season in Europe.

Graham Crackers

Graham crackers are a sweet biscuit from the USA, made from graham flour. They actually have a pretty interesting history for a biscuit!

They were invented as a suitable food for Grahamites, a religious group formed by preacher Sylvester Graham, who believed that a vegetarian diet based on bread made at home from coarsely ground meat was the diet God intended for people and which would keep them healthy! This is one of the earliest example of a Western vegetarian diet!

Graham crackers were named after Sylvester Graham and his followers.

Drinks that start with G

Gin

Gin is an alcoholic drink flavored with juniper berries. It can be made from any neutral spirit and its distinguishing factor is the juniper berry flavoring. Did you know gin was first used for medicinal purposes? This was because juniper berries were believed to protect against everything from the black plague to coughs and colds.

Gimlet

A gimlet is a cocktail composed of gin, lime juice and sugar. It is classified as a gin sour.

Ginger beer

Ginger beer is a (usually) non-alcoholic drink made from ginger. Historically it was made by brewing ginger, yeast and sugar, however nowadays it is more commonly manufactured from artificially carbonated water and ginger flavoring.

Glogg

Glogg is a Nordic mulled wine or spirit usually drunk around the festive season. Spices and fruit are added, the most common being cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, lemon and raisins.

Fruit and veg that start with G

Gala Apples

Gala apples are the highest selling apple variety in the USA! And no wonder – they are great eating apples, with a sweet flavor and crisp texture.

Their scientific name is Malus Domestica ‘Gala‘.

Grumichama fruit

These dark purple fruits with white flesh are native to Southern Brazil. They are said to taste like cherries or plums. The grumichama tree is an endangered species, due to the fact that it grows slowly and has a low rate of seed dispersal

Their scientific name is Eugenia Brasiliensis.

Galia Melon fruit

Not to be confused with its parent species, the cantaloupe and honeydew melon, this hybrid melon has the green skin of a cantaloupe and the yellow/green flesh of a honeydew. It is a delicious melon and healthy too – it packs a punch of vitamins A and C

Its scientific name is Cucumis melo var. Reticulatus.

Green Soybeans

Green soybeans are immature soybeans! They are what you probably know as edamame beans. The soybeans that are used for tofu, soy milk etc are left to harden, while green soybeans are still crunchy and fresh when picked.

The scientific name for soybeans is Glycine max.

Golden Apple Fruit

Golden Apples aren’t a type of apple, they are their own fruit! Other names include ambarella, june plum and cythere. They are eaten across the world in many different ways. In Indonesia they are eaten with shrimp pasta, while in Samoa they are pickled, and in Jamaica they are used to make a drink! How versatile!

The ripe fruit has a flavor much like pineapple and mango. The scientific name for golden apple fruit is ‘spondias dulcis‘.

Grapes

Grapes have been cultivated for around 8000 years, the first evidence of grape cultivation being in the Middle East. Today, the majority of the world’s grape harvest goes toward making wine.

The scientific name for grapes is vitis.

Ginger

The flavor of ginger is unmistakeably hot and spicy! This root vegetable is used as much for culinary purposes as it is for medicinal purposes. It belongs to the same family as turmeric, galangal and cardamom.

Its scientific name is Zingiber Officinale.

Gooseberry

Gooseberries are native to Europe and Western Asia, where these small sour berries are used to make pies, jams, flavored drinks and fruit wines. They are part of the same family as currants.

Its scientific name is Ribes Uva-Crispa.

Gem Squash

This type of squash has a very distinctive appearance. It is small and round, about the size of a tennis ball, with dark green skin. It was most likely bred from wild squash varieties in Mexico and the US South.

Their scientific name is Cucurbita Pepo. Var. Pepo.

Granadilla

Granadilla is part of the passion fruit family. They look like large passion fruit, but with yellow skin and transparent flesh. Did you know there are more than 200 types of passion fruit in the world?

It’s scientific name is Passiflora ligularis.

Green Apples

Varieties of green apples are more sour than most apples, therefore they are frequently used as cooking apples. They were first bred in Australia!

Their scientific name is simply ‘malus‘.

Greek Figs

Greece was one of the first places to cultivate figs, so many types of figs are classed as Greek Figs. These figs can vary in color from blue-purple to yellow-green.

The scientific name for greek figs is figus carica.

Golden Samphire

Golden samphire grows on sea cliffs and salt marshes in Western and Southern Europe. Its leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.

Its scientific name is Limbarda crithmoides.

Gac Fruit

Gac is a type of melon grown in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia – but you wouldn’t think it was a melon to look at it! They are spiny like a jack fruit, but bright red, and inside the seeds are coated in a red membrane. They are best enjoyed cooked in sweet and savory recipes.

It goes by the scientific name Momordica Cochinchinensis.

Gorham Pear

This hybrid pear was bred in New York, a mix between the Williams and Josephine de Malines variety. It can be distinguished by its round shape, lack of neck and russet skin.

Gorham pears have the scientific name ‘Pyrus Comunis ‘Gorham’.

Greengage fruit

Greengages are part of the plum family. They are smaller than regular plums and have green flesh. Their scientific name is Prunus Domesticus Subsp. Italica.

Goumi

Goumi berries grow in China, Korea and Japan. They look like cherries. They are unpleasant to eat when unripe, but they improve greatly as they ripen, until they have a citrussy sweet flavor.

Their scientific name is Elaeagnus Multiflora.

Guarana fruit

Guarana comes from the Brazilian rainforest. It is used to make the extremely popular soda ‘Guarana Antarctica’, among other thigns. It has a very high caffeine content (considerably higher than coffee!).

The scientific name of guarana is Paullinia Cupana.

Ground Cherry

Ground cherry is the common name for physalis. These small orange fruits are part of the same family as tomatoes, but they are sweeter than tomatoes, though their flavor is still tart.

Physalis is actually their scientific name.

Galangal

Galangal is related to ginger and turmeric. It is native to Southeast Asia and used widely in Indian, Thai, Malaysian and Chinese dishes. It has many reported health benefits, from protecting against cancer, to fighting infection.

Its scientific name is Alpinia Galanga.

Ground Plum

The ground plum grows in North America and was historically used by indigenous communities as food and medicine. The only edible part of the plant is the fruit – beware of the rest, it is poisonous!

The scientific name of the ground plum is Astragalus Crassicarpus.

Garden Peas

Garden peas are the common kind that you can buy frozen in the supermarket. They can be distinguished from other types of peas by the fact that you eat just the pea, not the pod, as you do with snow peas.

Their scientific name is Pisum Sativum.

Guava fruit

Guava fruit have green skin, pink flesh and a unique flavor. They are eaten widely across South and Central America. They can be eaten raw, blended to make drinks, or cooked into jams and jellies.

The scientific name for guava is Psidium guajava.

Green Bell Peppers

Green peppers are bell peppers picked at their least ripe. Red peppers are the ripest! Peppers contain many compounds that support your immune system and protect against cardiovascular disease.

The scientific name for bell peppers is Capsicum Annuum.

Garbanzo Beans

Famously used to make everyone’s favorite dip, hummus, garbanzo beans are one of the earliest cultivated legumes. They are a main ingredient in much Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.

Their scientific name is Cicer Arietinum.

Genip fruit

This fruit is also known as Spanish lime, mamon, limoncillo and many other names. It is eaten across South America, Central America and the Caribbean. It has green skin and a peach/orange flesh, with a pit in the middle.

Its scientific name is Melicoccus Bijugatus.

Garden Rocket

Garden rocket has a pepper flavor and goes really well in a salad. It is also easy to grow at home! Its scientific name is Eruca Sativa.

Grand Nain Bananas

These are the bananas you probably buy at the store! They are the most widely eaten bananas in the world, popularised by the banana brand Chiquita. Did you know around 50 billion of these bananas are consumed each year?

The scientific name of this banana is Musa Acuminata Grand Nain.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the most popular vegetables for seasoning. Its pungent flavor is a vital base ingredient for dishes the world over. It has been one of the staple food items in many cultures for thousands of year – even the Ancient Egyptians used it!

The scientific name for garlic is Allium sativum.

Governor’s Plum fruit

Governor’s plum fruit, or ramontchi, resemble cherries, being small berries with purple flesh. These fruit grow in Africa and Asia. They are used to make jam and wine, as well as being eaten raw.

It’s scientific name is Flacourtia Indica.

Guavaberry fruit

This is not a type of guava, nor is it related to guava! Guavaberries are tiny berries from South and Central America. They are rich in Vitamin C. In fact, the range of colors they come in is determined by the concentration of vitamin C in the berry: dark colored fruits contain more vitamin C than light coloured ones.

Its scientific name is Myrciaria Floribunda.

Garlic Chives

Garlic chives look like chives…and taste like garlic! What a sweet combo! Chinese and Japanese cuisine has been making use of these for the past 3000 years at least.

The scientific name for garlic chives is Allium Tuberosum.

Grapefruit

This sour fruit is widely enjoyed with crunchy sugar as a breakfast treat, or blended into juices. It comes from the West Indies, a hybrid of an Indonesian citrus fruit and a sweet orange.

The grapefruit’s scientific name is Citrus maxima.

Gongura

Gongura is a leafy vegetable grown in Fiji and India. It is a rich source of vitamins, iron, antioxidants and folic acid. There are red stemmed gongura plants and green stemmed gongura plants, with the red stemmed kind tasting more sour than the green stemmed kind.

Its scientific name is Hibiscus Sabdariffa.

Green Amaranth

Part of the amaranth family, the edible leaves of this plant are a good alternative to spinach! They are bitter when raw but mild and nutty once cooked.

Its scientific name is Amaranthus Viridis.

Guanabana fruit

Soursoup is a more popular anglicised name for this fruit. They are large and green with white flesh, and said to taste like something between strawberries and apples, with the texture of a banana.

Its scientific name is Annona Muricata.

Gamboge fruit

The gamboge fruit is round, yellow and has a sour but enjoyable flavor. Due to its sourness it is used similarly to tamarind, in Southeast Asia. It can also be made into a drink.

Its scientific name is Garcinia Mangostana.

Green Beans

Green beans are the long thin kind that you might also know as french beans or string beans. They are actually the unripe fruit of the common bean, and the main ingredient in a Green Bean Casserole

Their scientific name is that of the common bean: Phaseolus Vulgaris.

Guar

Guar is not commonly eaten as much as its gum is used for industrial purposes, such as making paper and textiles. It is even vital to the process of fracking, for better or for worse…

It’s leaves are edible, hence why we count it as a vegetable! Its scientific name is Cyanopsis Tetragonoloba.

Goji Berries

Goji berries are a certified superfood, chockablock with antioxidants and Vitamin A. They herald from Asia and have been used on the continent for thousands of years.

Their scientific name is Lycium Barbarum.

Green Onions

Green onions are a great addition to a stir fry or salad. Their sharp spicy flavor adds a real kick! Did you know that green onions are just normal onions harvested early?

They go by the scientific name Allium Cepa.

Green Anjou Pears

This is a popular type of pear, with an egg-like shape and a sweet flavor. They are thought to have originated in Belgium.

Pyrus communis ‘D’Anjou’ is their scientific name.

Good King Henry

Long thought of as a weed, Good King Henry used to be a popular food stuff! Its leaves are edible and can be eaten like spinach. It does contain some oxalic acid, so if you are prone to rheumatism, arthritis or gout, you should avoid it!

Its scientific name is Blitum bonus-henricus!

I hope you have enjoyed checking out this comprehensive list of foods that start with G! Have I missed any? Let me know in the comments – I am always updating our alphabet lists!