How to stop your Halloween pumpkin going to waste – with 16 million set to go in the bin after being carved
- As the UK leaves spooky season behind, here’s how you can enjoy your pumpkin
- READ MORE: Pumpkins are larger than usual this year thanks to the wet summer
Environmental campaigners are calling for Halloween reverllers to stop buying pumpkins to carve for festive displays, only for them to go in the bin a day later.
Research from the environmental charity Hubbub states that of the 30 million pumpkins that will be bought for carving this Halloween in the UK, 16 million won’t be eaten – that’s the equivalent of 95 million meals that will go to waste, at an estimated cost of around £26.7 million.
However, from freshly baked pie to fertiliser – and even a surprisingly tasty treat for your pets – there are plenty of ways to make the scraps go round.
You can make the most of the vegetable to feed yourself, your pooch, or even the surrounding wildlife.
Here, FEMAIL looks at all the ways to give your pumpkin a second life.
But as costumes go back in the attic and the Jack-O-Lanterns get put out, you can still make the most of your pumpkin. Stock image used
EAT IT
You can enjoy pumpkins in almost anything – from baked goods to salads and stews. Freezing your cut up pumpkin meat is always a good idea for use in future recipes – but there are also ways you can use he remnants straight away.
PUMPKIN JAM
Pumpkin jam offers a lovely seasonal breakfast dish which is not just tasty and sweet, but is a stunning golden hue of orange.
British food blogger Helen Best-Shaw says it’s a perfect ‘waste not, want not’ recipe, sharing a method which combines the vegetable with orange zest, lemon, cinnamon and sugar.
‘This lightly spiced preserve actually behaves rather more like a chutney or fruit butter, so you don’t need to worry about setting point,’ she added.
‘A huge bonus for many jam makers.’
PUMPKIN PICKLE
Bristol Waste Company has advised how you can make your pumpkin last all the way into Christmas with a pickle.
‘Follow the basic guidelines for the quantities of veg to sugar to vinegar,’ they advised in a post.
This not only gives the veg a tangy spice, but makes for a fun seasonal addition to the Yuletide dinner.
PUMPKIN PIE
You can whip up your very own autumnal pie with your pumpkin leftovers and some very simple baking ingredients.
One BBC Good Food recipe instructs how you can boil the cut up chunks and then push them through a sieve to achieve a mushy paste that will be incorporated into the filling.
Just mix the puree with sugar, salt, eggs, butter, milk and festive spices before baking it in pastry sheet.
You can whip up your very own autumnal pie with your pumpkin leftovers and some very simple baking ingredients. Stock image used
PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds make for the perfect deceptively easy snack, which is incredibly quick to whip up.
All you need to to is clean and dry the seeds of the pumpkin, spread them over a baking tray and season with spices before covering with oil.
Then, bake them for around 10 minutes, on 180C, as suggested by a Jamie Oliver recipe.
‘Believe it or not, the seeds you exhume and discard from your soon-to-be Jack O’ Lanterns are just a quick roast away from becoming a delicious snack,’ the chef’s website says.
‘Crunchy, flavoursome, and hellishly moreish.’
PLANT IT
If you’re not a fan of pumpkin-flavoured foods, there are still ways to put your leftovers to use. Gardening experts at Myjobquote.co.uk have shared the unique and creative ways which use everything from the seeds to the mulch.
FERTILISER
Orange pumpkin flesh is quick to degrade and rich in nitrogen, making it perfect for your compost pile, as it adds nutrients to your soil.
However, make sure you remove any seeds so that plants don’t start to sprout in your bin.
If you don’t have a compost you can also just dig holes for your pumpkin flesh and cover them well with soil. As winter goes on, these will degrade naturally.
They also offer a natural resistance to certain pests and diseases for some natural protection.
WILDLIFE FOOD
It’s not advised to scatter leftover Halloween pumpkin remnants over your garden, unless you want to attract squirrels, birds and other autumn wildlife.
What’s more, it could be dangerous to digest for a hungry, curious hedgehog.
However, farms will often take unwanted pumpkins as animal feed donations – just make sure to remove any candle wax before putting it out if you’ve used it as a lantern.
MULCH
Pumpkins can keep soil warm to prevent roots from freezing as the cold snap starts to affect our gardens.
Just leave smashed pieces of the veg around the base of your plants or in between rows and this will help to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds and release nutrients into the soil as they decompose.
BIRD FEEDER
A hollowed out pumpkin is the perfect size and shape for a DIY bird feeder. Just attach it to some twine and put it up on a fence or tree.
You can also use seeds from the pumpkin as part of the feed!
Orange pumpkin flesh is quick to degrade and rich in nitrogen, making it perfect for your compost pile, as it adds nutrients to your soil. Stock image used
REGROW PUMPKINS WITH SEEDS
You could use the pumpkin seeds as snack for yourself or animals – or, if you’ve got a green thumb, plant them to grow a pumpkin for next year!
Make sure they’re thoroughly cleaned of any flesh and left out to try. Then, store them in a cool, dry place in airtight container. Around April or May, they’ll be ready to plant.
PET IT
Pumpkins aren’t just a hit with the humans in your household – they’re also a tasty superfood treat for your pooch. Dog-friendly letting specialists, Canine Cottages has collaborated with Peter Wright, Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Vet and veterinarian for natural dog food brand Harringtons to share how Halloween leftovers can help your pup.
It can support the immune system and aid overall digestion – but Peter warns that the vegetable must be fed in ‘moderate doses’.
‘Pumpkin should be seen as a dietary supplement fed in very small doses, rather than as a treat,’ he said.
‘As a stodgy vegetable, it is also high in calories. You can feed it from a ready-to-eat can or use a fresh pumpkin. Remove the seeds and bake it in the oven until soft.’
The expert added that pumpkins – and particularly the seeds – offer ‘exceptional benefits’ to dogs.
‘Pumpkins are rich in vitamins A, C and E,’ he explained.
‘This dog superfood also contains potassium and iron. It is also high in fibre and can boost gut efficiency and bulk out a dog’s stool, which can help reduce diarrhoea.’
It’s also known for its soluble fibre, which slows down the digestive process and aids in water absorption—a valuable remedy for mild cases of diarrhoea.
On the other hand, it can also address mild constipation ‘by helping regulate bowel movements’.
Here are the easy and tasty ways to make a pumpkin-based snack for your pooch…
A crunchy treat can be added to your dog’s diet with roasted pumpkin seeds. Stock image used
FRESHLY BAKED PUMPKIN
To prepare this, remove the seeds and bake the pumpkin in your oven at 180 degrees until it becomes soft and palatable. You can then add a small amount to your pup’s meals.
CRUNCHY ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
A crunchy treat can be added to your dog’s diet with roasted pumpkin seeds. Clean and roast the fresh seeds at 180 degrees for about an hour. After cooling, grind them and mix them into your dog’s food.
PUMPKIN PUREE
For a homemade pumpkin puree, peel a whole pumpkin, remove the seeds, and slice it into chunks. Simmer the pumpkin in boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes until it’s soft and tender. Drain and mash it into a smooth paste. You can store it in the fridge for three to four days or freeze it for up to six months.
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