Don’t Throw Out Your Halloween Pumpkin!
Want to hear something scary? In the US, the majority of Halloween pumpkins end up in landfills. According to the USDA, that's about 1.3 billion pounds of waste.
This Halloween we’re sharing our top tips to give your Halloween pumpkin a second life, because as much as we love a spooky theme… there is nothing scarier than food waste!
If you’re carving a jack-o-lantern, save the seeds. They are delicious roasted with almost any seasoning combinations. We recommend roasting them at 300° until golden brown. While they’re still hot, try tossing them with:
- Olive oil, sea salt, lemon zest, and a pinch of cayenne pepper
- Coconut oil, cinnamon, and sugar
- Coconut oil, curry powder, and dried currants
Speaking of Jack-O-Lanterns, if it’s been sitting outside and there are no further uses for it, keep it out of the landfills and put it in the compost bin. If you don’t compost at home, bring it to your local farmer’s market. If you plan on composting, make sure not to paint your pumpkin (unless it’s plant-based).
Indoor or uncarved pumpkins and gourds can be savored in so many ways!
- Make a puree and use in all sorts of recipes, from pies and muffins to pancakes. Be creative and feel free to swap that homemade puree into any recipes that call for the canned stuff. Extra puree can be frozen and enjoyed all winter long!
- Add the scraps to a veggie stock! We like to keep an assortment of vegetable scraps in the freezer until there is enough to simmer as a stock.
- Remove the skin, cut into pieces, and steam it - a great addition to soups, curries, and stir-fry!
🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃