Of the 1.8 million pumpkins bought this Halloween in Scotland, 1.1 million of them will be thrown away. That’s a scary statistic!

As with all food waste, it’s not just the food itself but also all the energy and resources that went into growing, transporting, processing, storing and cooking it that is wasted. Here are some of our tips on how to make the most of your pumpkins this Halloween.

Tip number 1:

Carving pumpkins can be eaten too! Though their flesh might not be as flavourful as other pumpkins and squashes you can still use it to make some tasty meals. When scooping out the flesh you can separate the stringier bits and seeds from the firmer flesh. We wouldn’t advise eating the stringier bits, this can be composted. The separated seeds can be boiled in salted water for 10 minutes and then tossed with any spices you enjoy and baked on a low heat (around 120 degrees) for up to 40 minutes or until they are your desired level of crispiness. The flesh can be cubed and used in curries, stews and soups. There’s a great recipe in the Eco Savvy recipe book here. One of our favourite ways to use the flesh is to turn it into a puree and to use this in pancakes.

Check out our recipe cards for pumpkin spiced pancakes. These are great to make with little ones!

Tip number 2:

Rather than carve your pumpkin this year why not decorate it instead? There’s some beautiful ways you can do this and by leaving the skin intact the pumpkin will stay fresher for longer and you’re able to eat more of it!

Tip number 3:

Once the guising is finished why not give your leftover pumpkin to local wildlife? Birds and squirrels will eat the remaining pumpkin flesh and the lanterns can be filled with feed too. These will usually last a couple of weeks before any remainders should be composted.

What are your favourite ways to eat and use up pumpkins? Share your ideas with us on our social media!

Visit Zero Waste Scotland for more

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