If you are having trouble coming up with more than 1-2 foods or ingredients that start with the letter “I,” then you can read through our list of food that starts with I.
We have included some interesting facts, as well as foods from all parts of the globe, so hopefully, you will find this compilation exciting and useful.
Here is our list of foods which start with the letter “I.”
Icaco
The fruit known as the icaco, or cocoplum, is indigenous to the tropical regions of Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean. Icaco is also found in South Florida and the Bahamas.
The oblong-shaped fruit has crimson or black, plum-like skin and grows on plants in tropical regions close to the sea.
Its moderately sweet flesh is good for eating raw or in jams because of its taste.
When the icaco’s seeds are harvested and roasted, they have an almond-like flavor.
Ice Cream
Well, ice cream is probably one of the first foods starting with an “I,” which comes to mind.
This beloved dessert is hugely popular in the USA. In fact, we are the number one consumer of ice cream in the world. Statistics show that an average of 90% of the households in the USA currently has ice cream in their freezers!
Australia holds second place, and Norway takes the bronze when it comes to ice cream consumption.
Ice cream comes in a wide variety of flavors and types, some of the most popular being vanilla and chocolate.
Some of the stranger and rarer flavors we have found include garlic, Stilton cheese, bacon, and chili.
Ice Cream Soda
Ice cream soda, often called ice cream float, is another favorite beverage in the USA, which starts with an “I.”
It is incredibly easy to prepare. All you need to do is add a scoop of your preferred ice cream into a glass filled with a carbonated beverage of your choice. The most common beverages used for making this drink include root beer, Coke, carbonated water, and others.
What is interesting about ice cream soda is that it was first invented by the same man who invented root beer – Mr. Robert McCay Green. He accidentally developed it by replacing the ice for the beer with some vanilla ice cream when he ran out of ice.
Ice Pops
Ice pops are fun and delicious sweet desserts which are made of frozen milk on a stick.
Ice pops are not as creamy as ice cream but instead are mostly milk-flavored ice with different additional ingredients.
Still, they are a wonderful treat, especially on hot summer days.
Iced Tea
Iced tea is a cold or chilled tea that is served with ice. It is usually sweetened and mixed with different ingredients, such as syrup, sugar, honey, apple or lemon slices, and others.
This refreshing drink comes in all kinds of tastes and is readily available in stores as bottled iced tea.
Iceberg Lettuce
The iceberg lettuce is the crunchy leafy greens that you will find in many salads and burgers.
This leafy veggie consists of 96% water and has a cooling effect in the summer.
A 3.5-ounce serving of this leafy green contains only 14 calories, which is less than spinach, kale, and other darker green veggies.
While it will help you stay hydrated and fit, iceberg lettuce also has less of the healthy nutrients found in the other darker leafy greens.
Iced Coffee
As its name suggests, iced coffee is simply coffee with some ice. It is a perfect chilled beverage for the hot summer days if you feel like having some caffeine but don’t want to drink hot coffee.
Iced coffee is served with some added soda and chocolate in Brazil, and in Honk Kong, this chilled drink is fortified with some added tea for an even more significant energy boost.
Iced Gems
Iced gems are true gems for anyone with a sweet tooth and for those of you who like to go down memory lane. They are small-sized biscuits that are topped with icing.
These colorful little sweet treats were first introduced in Britain back in the 1850s and can be found in most stores today produced by different brands. Ice gems are especially popular in Britain, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia.
Icing
Icing is the frosting used to cover and decorate most cakes. There are more than 10 different types of icing, including fondant, buttercream, ganache, meringue, glaze, marzipan, gum paste, and Mexican paste.
Related: 9 Best Airbrushing Kits For Cake Decorating in 2022
Idaho Potatoes
The Idaho potatoes are mostly russets, but they include all other potato varieties which grow in Idaho. Interestingly, just like Champagne has been trademarked and legally protected in France, the Idaho potatoes are trademarked by the Idaho Potato Commission.
The Idaho potatoes can be russet, red, fingerling, or gold, and according to the proud producers, are the best ones in the country due to the perfect combination of weather, soil, and water in the Gem State.
Idiyappam
The rice noodle dish is a culinary specialty from South India and other Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
In its native Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the word Idiyappam means “beat pancake.” And it is what the snack looks like because the rice noodles are woven together to form a flat disk, which is steamed and served with coconut chutney, curry, or even for breakfast.
Idli
Idli is yet another Indian food that starts with an “I.”
It is a type of savory cake which is made from steamed fermented and dehusked black lentils and rice.
The Idli is commonly served with coconut-based chutneys, onion-based chutneys, and curries with spicy fish.
Ilama
The ilama is an exotic tropical fruit that grows in Central America and is large in size and covered with triangular lobules.
There is green and pink ilama, the green being sweet and with white flesh, and the pink having a rose-colored flesh and a tart taste.
It is a rather rare fruit because the trees give only 3 to 10 fruits per year, and the picking of the fruits needs to be in the precise moment when it is ripe and ready for consumption.
Illawarra Plum
The Illawarra plum is also called a plum pine, goongum, or daalgaal and is ingenuous to Australia.
They are purple-black berries that are flashy and can be eaten raw or are used for making sauces, marinades, as well as jams, cheesecakes, and compotes.
An interesting fact is that the Illawarra plum will give the food a bitter taste if you use aluminum utensils when cooking with it. This is why the use of stainless steel ones is recommended.
Imarti
This dessert comes from India and is not only beautiful but also very sweet.
The Imarti is made of deep-fried mungo (black gram) flour batter in a pretty flower shape and is then soaked in sugar syrup. Some saffron, camphor, cardamom, cloves, and kewra are added to the syrup, which makes these sweets even more unique.
Inca Berries
The Inca berries are native to the tropical areas of South America and have recently increased in popularity as superfoods.
These fruits are not only delicious with a sweet taste and a light sour finish but they are also loaded with healthy nutrients and antioxidants.
They are more commonly eaten as dried fruits, often served with salads or with muesli.
Indian Black Salt
Indian black salt is known as Kala Namak in Hindu. It is a rock salt that has been infused with spices and sulfuric herbs.
It is deep purple and almost black colored in the form of a rock, but when it is ground, it is pinkish brown. Once it is cooked, it turns almost black. It is often called Himalayan black salt and has been recognized for its medicinal qualities in Ayurveda.
The black salt has a distinctive smell of sulfur and a unique color.
Indian mustard
Indian mustard is also called oriental or Chinese mustard, as well as brown or vegetable mustard.
It is a condiment that is made of the Brassica juncea mustard plant, which is much spicier than the regular mustard.
It is used in India, China, Korea, as well as in Italian and in African-American cuisine.
Inga Edulis
The Inga Edulis is another exotic fruit that is native to South America. It is often referred to as the ice cream bean and has a sweet and smooth pulpy flesh which is similar in flavor and texture to vanilla-flavored ice cream.
The seeds, when cooked, can be consumed as well and taste similar to chickpeas.
Irish Cream
If you have had Baileys, Carolans, Kerrygold, or other similar liquors, then you know what Irish cream is.
It is a creamy liquor that is based on Irish whiskey with cream and added ingredients.
Irish cream is the basis of numerous mixed drinks, the most popular one being Irish coffee. It is also often used for making different desserts.