You’ve probably spotted squirrels everywhere—they seem to follow any food you leave out or whatever’s growing in your yard. Squirrels really love nuts, seeds, and berries, especially acorns, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. If you know this, you can figure out their behavior and maybe protect your garden or feeders a bit better.
Their diet actually shifts with the seasons and depending on where they live. They stash food for winter—classic squirrel move—and some foods just aren’t safe to offer. Let’s get into how you can feed or deter them, and what their foraging habits mean for your yard.
The Favorite Foods of Squirrels
Squirrels go for high-calorie, easy-to-store foods that keep them energized for climbing and surviving winter. They love nuts, seeds, fruits, and even a few veggies you might have in your yard.
Why Nuts Are Squirrels’ Top Choice
Nuts are packed with fats and calories that help squirrels stay warm and active. Acorns, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and hickory nuts are their favorites—they last long and pack a punch. Watch them in fall; they’ll bury acorns and pecans everywhere to dig up later in winter.
You’ll see squirrels crack tough nuts with their sharp teeth and strong jaws. They’ll eat almonds and Brazil nuts when they find them, and chestnuts add some carbs to their menu. Beechnuts and pine nuts show up on their list too, if they’re around. Leave out whole nuts and most squirrels will haul them off to a safe spot instead of eating them right there.
Seeds Squirrels Love to Snack On
Seeds give squirrels a quick energy boost and are easy to stash. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds pull them right to bird feeders or gardens. You might catch a squirrel prying pine nuts out of cones—pretty impressive, honestly.
Corn and other grains show up more in rural spots or compost piles. Squirrels will nibble loose corn kernels and sometimes even raid cobs. If you feed birds, you’ll notice squirrels munching on spilled sunflower seeds and millet unless you’ve got a squirrel-proof feeder. They often hide seeds in shallow holes or under leaves, and sometimes those seeds sprout into new plants.
Best Fruits in a Squirrel’s Diet
Fruits offer sugar and water, so squirrels eat them when they’re ripe. Berries like blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are easy favorites—they’re small and quick to eat. Apples and grapes bring squirrels into orchards and yards, and they’ll chew right through the skin to get to the good stuff.
Cherries, plums, and figs are seasonal treats. Sometimes fruit seeds pass through a squirrel’s gut and help spread plants. Squirrels definitely prefer soft, ripe fruit over anything hard or underripe. If you’re hoping to attract them, leave out a few apple slices or a bunch of grapes, but keep them away from where predators might lurk.
Vegetables That Attract Squirrels
Squirrels eat plenty of vegetables, especially those with sugar or starch. Tomatoes and zucchini disappear from garden beds once they’re soft enough. Carrots and sweet potatoes give them starch and something to gnaw.
They’ll eat leafy greens and peas too, but not as often as fruits or nuts. If you compost veggie scraps, expect squirrels to dig through for tomatoes, corn, and squash bits. Want to keep your garden safe? Try cages or raised beds. Otherwise, you’ll probably see some nibbled tomatoes and carrot tops.
How Squirrels Eat: Foraging, Storage, and Special Diets
Squirrels use memory, smell, and some pretty wild climbing skills to find food. Their diet changes with the seasons, and they stash extra food for the colder months.
Squirrel Foraging Habits and Seasonal Changes
In spring and summer, tree squirrels—like gray, red, and fox squirrels—go after fresh stuff: buds, berries, fruit, and tender vegetation. You might catch them stripping bark, nibbling twigs, or digging up roots and bulbs. When they need more protein, they’ll even hunt insects like caterpillars, larvae, and beetles.
During fall, squirrels gather and bury nuts and seeds in lots of little hiding spots. This “scatter hoarding” helps them get through winter when food gets scarce. In winter, they dig up buried nuts, munch on dried truffles, and rely on whatever they stored. Ground squirrels do things differently; most hibernate and barely forage in the cold. Flying squirrels are more active at night and might eat fungi and nuts when it’s dark.
Eating in Urban and Backyard Environments
If you feed wild squirrels or put out a squirrel feeder, get ready for bold behavior. Urban and backyard squirrels quickly figure out bird feeder schedules and raid them for sunflower seeds, corn, or even bread. To keep bird food safe, try a squirrel-proof feeder or put it on a pole with a baffle.
You can offer them safe foods like unsalted nuts, fruit pieces, and raw veggies such as carrots. Skip the bread or salty snacks—bread fills them up but doesn’t really help them. Squirrels will also check out pet bowls and compost piles. Want less garden damage? Protect seedlings with wire mesh or use raised planters.
Animal Protein and Unusual Foods Squirrels Eat
Squirrels mostly stick to plants, but they’ll grab animal protein when they find it. Sometimes you’ll spot them eating bird eggs, nestlings, or even small insects like beetles and caterpillars.
Pregnant or nursing females, and growing babies, really need that extra protein. Some squirrels go for fungi and truffles—red squirrels, in particular, dry mushrooms so they can snack on them in winter.
When food gets scarce, they chew bark and cambium. Squirrels can handle small amounts of meat, but you shouldn’t feed them cooked meat or salty processed stuff.
Ever wonder, “do squirrels eat meat?” Well, yeah, they do—just not as a main course.
