Around Halloween, it seems that everyone has at least one jack-o-lantern on their front porch. If they aren’t on your porch, you probably already threw yours away, and honestly, that’s a travesty.
Why, you ask? Well, because you can use those pumpkins for so much after Halloween, and just throwing them out isn’t exactly the best for the environment.
1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the U.S. every year end up in a landfill, and in a landfill, they release methane, contributing to global warming.
The most commonly decorated pumpkin for Halloween is called the Howden pumpkin, and though it has a ton of fiber in the fruit and protein from the seeds, it’s by far the least tasty variety.
That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything with it though! There are a wide variety of things you can use this pumpkin for besides carving.
Before you do any of these things, make sure the pumpkins are clean and there are no chemicals or mold spots on them. We don’t want you or anyone else getting sick!
Feed It To Wildlife
As long as you don’t alt or season them, pieces of the flesh and seeds make a great snack for the critters living in your back yard!
Roast The Seeds For A Snack
Pumpkin seeds were one of my favorite snacks growing up. We would clean them from all the pumpkin guts, cover them in olive oil and salt, then roast them!
There are a ton of flavors you can go with for this too, so do whatever your heart desires.
Compost It
Compost is great for the environment and an awesome way to get rid of food scraps. If you don’t have your own compost at home, go to a farmer’s market to find one. It’s a great way to feed the soil!
Bake A Pie With It
With a little love, the Howden pumpkin can work for a great pie. Just look up some recipes online and work your magic!
Cook Up A Great Pumpkin Soup
Pureeing the meat of the pumpkin for a soup is a great way to use it (as long as there were no bugs in your jack-o-lantern).
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What do you do with your pumpkin when you’re done?
For more out-of-the-box pumpkin ideas, check out 5 leftover pumpkin recipes by clicking here!