The nutritious nuts of the pinon, often called pignoli or pine nuts, are one of the oldest and most valuable food sources for Indian tribes in the region. They are a rich source of both protein and fat, containing some 3,000 calories per pound. Among the Apache, pregnant women were not allowed to eat pinons because it was thought that the nuts would increase the size of the baby and cause a difficult birth. Infants and small children, however, were often fed a gruel made from ground pinons, honey and water. Seeds were sometimes obtained by robbing pack rat nests, where they would be cached in large quantities.
Jays eat quantities of the seeds and sheep and bears browse the plant.
The gum of the tree was used for chewing to ease sore throats, applied to burns and sores and used as a glue. The Hopis and Apaches used to repair and waterproof pots and baskets. The inner bark, though tough, saved many tribes from starvation during poor years. Today, foragers still visit the trees to harvest the nuts. Green cones may be roasted in an oven or over a grill for about an hour at 350 degrees to open them up.