Tips To Reduce Pumpkin Waste This Halloween

Pumpkins are synonymous with the upcoming Halloween season, with searches beginning to rise in September and, as expected, peaking in October. Last October, over 40,000 people searched for pumpkins in Ireland, and ‘pumpkin patch’ searches increased by 513%, the highest in the past four years.

However, with increasingly more people enjoying pumpkins this season, comes a greater amount of waste, with all the unwanted bits often thrown in the bin and forgotten about when carving them for decoration.

John Girvan, from Alliance Online Ireland, has shared five ways to use your leftover pumpkin waste to encourage environmental consciousness when celebrating the spooky holiday.

We tend to take a disposable approach to pumpkins each year, but a pumpkin doesn’t have to just be for Halloween. With one million tonnes of food waste being thrown away in Ireland each year, now is the perfect time to be more mindful of the environment and take control of where your leftover pumpkin ends.

1. Embrace ‘Pumpkin Spice Latte’ season

Pumpkin spice lattes are always a big trend in Autumn, so why not try and save some money and make them at home? Simply roast the leftover pumpkin seeds, skin, and pulp until soft and blend into a smooth puree. Add this to your latte for an authentic, sustainable pumpkin flavour.

2. Cook your pumpkin flesh and roast the seeds
Once you’ve finished with your pumpkin decoration, why not use the leftovers as ingredients in your next meal? Pumpkin can be used in a number of delicious dishes, such as soups, cakes, muffins, stews, and pies. This will not only help reduce food waste, but cut down on household costs as well.

It’s not just the outside of the pumpkin that can go to waste. Before you go ahead and chuck out your pumpkin seeds, consider roasting them instead. These make for a healthier snack before you go out trick or treating and taste great when paired with seasonings, such as salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, or cinnamon.

3. Puree

The pumpkin pulp is undoubtedly what is wasted the most, but by blending the roasted pulp into a puree, you can use it in soups, sauces, or smoothies. This reduces the need to buy additional pumpkin ingredients, cutting down on food costs.

4. Compost

Composting is a great practice to incorporate into your daily routine and there’s no better place to start than with your leftover pumpkin waste.

Pumpkin scraps make brilliant compost as they help to enrich the soil and reduce the need to use chemical fertilisers when tending to your garden. Allowing your leftovers to decompose naturally also helps to reduce the amount of waste being directed into landfills by recycling organic materials back into the environment.

5. Crisps

Pumpkin crisps are a delicious, vegan alternative to what you would usually buy at the supermarket. Simply shave the pumpkin skins into bite-size pieces, toss them in olive oil, salt, and spices, and then bake until crispy. Doing this ensures you’re maximising your food leftovers and trying a new, nutritious snack.

Information supplied by Alliance Online