How to use every single part of your Halloween pumpkin

 October 22, 2023

What to do with every bit of your Halloween pumpkin so nothing goes to waste

  • Here is how you can cut out waste this Halloween by using all of your pumpkin 

Buying a pumpkin to carve or decorate is the highlight of Halloween for many people across the globe. 

As October 31 approaches, the competition is on around streets everywhere to see who can get hold of the biggest, best or carve the most beautiful pumpkin. 

Aside from all the fun that comes with that, there are also ways you can reduce waste by using every part of your purchase to make something different to classics like pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie. 

A video posted on TikTok by sustainable food retailer Oddbox has shared how there is no need to throw a single piece of your pumpkin away: read on below for advice on how to use the whole vegetable. 

Roast the pumpkin chunks in the oven 

For the pieces of pumpkin that remain after you have carved a spooky creation into the vegetable, Oddbox suggests cutting them up and roasting them in the oven. 

Similarly to how you might use a butternut squash, you can leave the skin on or off the pumpkin chunks depending on your preference and how long you want to roast the chunks for.  

Another leftovers tip from us, this time it’s about using your whole pumpkin in three different dishes. Perfect for those Halloween pumpkins #Halloween #ZeroWaste #Tips #FoodHacks #OddIsGood #Pumpkin #EasyRecipes

If you add the innards of the pumpkin to a blender with a healthy amount of butter, olive oil and rosemary and lightly blitz the mixture, you are left with a delicious autumnal alternative to avocado on toast

Oddbox also suggests blending the insides of the pumpkin with warm water until a paste is formed, which you can then add to your preferred muffin mixture of choice

Use the pumpkin innards to spread on toast 

You might be put off using the innards of the pumpkin, as they have a slimy texture and are difficult to successfully extract. 

However, if you add them to a blender with a healthy amount of butter, olive oil and rosemary and lightly blitz the mixture, you are left with a delicious autumnal alternative to avocado on toast. 

Make a spooky addition to your muffin mixture  

Oddbox’s next tip suggests blending the insides of the pumpkin with warm water until a paste is formed, which you can then add to your preferred muffin mixture of choice. 

Use the classic method of roasting pumpkin seeds 

Lastly, you can finish with a classic of roasted pumpkin seeds, simply by drizzling them with olive oil and toasting them in the oven. 

To keep your pumpkin fresh, food waste expert Phillip Quantrell advises people to leave their pumpkin in a cool room and out of direct sunlight. 

Mr Quantrell also said that while many people cut the top of their pumpkin, you should in fact cut the bottom.

Cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin will not only make carving easier but it will also last longer as moisture will not be able to collect at the bottom of the pumpkin, which is what usually causes it to rot.

You will also avoid getting burnt when putting a candle inside. Rather than having to reach into the pumpkin to light it, you can place the candle where you want and put the pumpkin straight over it.

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