20 Foods That Start With I

Do you know that game where you have to name as many words that start with a particular letter as you can?

Well, I just played it with a good friend, and it made me realize – there are very few foods that start with the letter I.

I started out great with ice cream and icing, but after that, I couldn’t come up with anything… and I lost. 

I’m a very competitive person, and I have every intention of challenging him for a rematch. But I also made sure I’m prepared for the next round.

That’s why I did a little research and looked up all these foods that begin with the letter I! I managed to find 20 of them!

So, without further ado, here are 20 foods that start with the letter I.

20 Foods That Start With the Letter ‘I’

1. Icaco

Also called the cocoplum, the icaco is a fruit from a shrub that grows near the sea.

It’s shaped like an oblong, has a thin black or red skin similar to a plum, and can grow up to 1 ½ inches long.

Its flesh has a subtle, sweet flavor that may be eaten as is or turned into jam. The seeds are also edible and taste like almonds when roasted.

2. Ice Cream

It’s everyone’s favorite sweet treat! We love it so much in the U.S. that we’re actually the country that consumes it the most. Australia comes second, and Norway third.

For the flavors, the most popular is vanilla, followed by chocolate. 

Oh, and here’s another interesting fact for you: it takes 50 licks on average to finish a scoop!

3. Ice Cream Soda

Also called an ice cream float, this dessert is made by adding a scoop of ice cream into a carbonated drink.

Apart from the interesting taste, it also has a fascinating origin.

The inventor of root beer, Mr. Robert McCay Green, ran out of ice to serve the beverage with, so he tried to use vanilla ice cream instead, giving birth to the delicious root beer float.

Apart from the root beer plus vanilla ice cream combo, other variations include the Coke float. Then there’s the Boston cooler, a combination of ginger ale and vanilla ice cream.

Last, there’s chocolate ice cream soda, a mixture of chocolate syrup, chocolate ice cream, carbonated water, whipped cream, and a cherry.

4. Ice Pops

Ice pops are frozen sweet treats made with milk on a stick.

Unlike ice cream, ice pops don’t have a thick and creamy consistency because the milk base isn’t whipped or churned.

Instead, it’s frozen as is, turning it into a block of flavored ice. It’s still yummy, though!

5. Iced Tea

Sometimes, it’s just too hot to drink regular tea! Iced tea is often served with ice cubes, making it a lot more refreshing and perfect for sweltering days.

It may also be served chilled, without ice. In addition, it may be sweetened with sugar, honey, or syrup. 

6. Iceberg Lettuce

It’s that crisp and leafy vegetable we add in burgers and salads. But while it’s packed with vitamins and nutrients, it doesn’t compare to other darker greens in terms of nutrition.

7. Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is exactly what its name implies: coffee with ice.

It’s a more refreshing take on the popular breakfast beverage and is fantastic for those hot summer days where you need a boost of energy.

Here’s a fun fact: did you know that in Hong Kong, they add tea to their iced coffee for a double dose of caffeine?

Meanwhile, in Brazil, they add chocolate and soda to iced coffee for a more flavorful drink.

8. Iced Gems

Oh, how I love these little meringue frosted biscuits. I grew up munching on these colorful beauties!

And even today, I still buy a pack whenever I see one. It’s just such a nostalgic snack that brings a lot of fun childhood memories. 

9. Icing

A cake is nothing without a sweet and creamy frosting. Did you know there are at least 10 different types of icing?

And here I thought there were only buttercream and fondant! There are many more, such as ganache, glaze, meringue, gum paste, Mexican paste, and marzipan.

10. Idaho Potatoes

Idaho potatoes are potatoes that are locally grown from… yes, you’ve figured it out: Idaho.

These potatoes are mostly russets, but Idaho also grows other kinds such as red, fingerling, and Yukon gold.

Idaho is an ideal spot for growing potatoes because there’s a combination of volcanic soil, the perfect climate, and adequate irrigation.

11. Idiyappam

This Indian snack is made from rice flour that’s turned into noodles and then woven into a flat disc.

It’s then steamed and eaten for breakfast or dinner with curry and coconut chutney.

Apart from India, variations of the snack are also popular in Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

12. Idli

Idli is another Indian food made with rice and black lentils. It’s a savory rice cake with a mild flavor, which is why it’s eaten with a stew, chutney, or curry.

13. Ilama

It’s a tropical fruit from Central America. There are two types – the green and the pink.

The green has a white sweet flesh, and the pink has a pinkish flesh with a tart flavor. They may be eaten as is, chilled, or with ice cream for more flavor.

14. Illawarra Plum

Also known as the brown pine, the Illawarra plum is a fruit indigenous to Australia. Its seed has a fleshy part that’s used as a condiment.

The fruit, on the other hand, resembles blueberries and has a sweet, juicy flavor with a texture similar to that of a grape.

15. Imarti

Here’s another Indian treat for you: an imarti is a sweet snack made by vigna mungo flour batter.

The batter is deep-fried and dunked in sugar syrup for flavor. Its circular shape that resembles a flower makes it so iconic.

16. Inca Berries

These exotic fruits are native to South America. The small, yellow-orange skinned berries are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, which is why they’re called “healthy sour Skittles.”

Much like the candy, they have a sweet and sour combination going on. 

17. Indian Black Salt

Also called the kala namak, the Indian Black salt is a volcanic rock salt made from Himalayan pink salt.

The pink salt is infused with Indian spices, including a sulfur-containing fruit called a harad.

The salt mixture is then cooked in super-high heat until it turns black. Apart from the interesting color, the Indian black salt also has a distinct, foul smell, which is also because of the sulfur.

18. Indian Mustard

It’s a species of the mustard tree whose leaves, seeds, and stems are used in Indian, Italian, Chinese, Korean, and African-American cooking.

The condiment made from Indian mustard is much spicier than regular yellow mustard.

19. Inga Edulis

Also called the ice cream bean, this South American fruit has a sweet pulpy flesh surrounding its seeds.

I’ve never tried it, but they say it tastes just like vanilla ice cream! The seeds are edible once cooked and are said to taste like chickpeas.

20. Irish Cream

Irish cream is a liqueur made with cream, sweetened condensed milk, coffee, chocolate syrup, vanilla and almond extracts, and Irish whiskey.

It may be consumed as is or used as an ingredient to dessert recipes.