As the weather gets colder and the leaves begin to change colour, Halloween seems bigger than ever this spooky season, with an estimated 35 million pumpkins sold in the UK and 18 thousand tonnes of that pumpkin thrown away.
Once the celebrations are over, ever wondered what to do with leftover pumpkins to avoid food waste? Check out our wholesome ideas for tasty treats for both you and wildlife, brought to you by Kerry’s Fresh, an independent food home delivery family business.
Selling hundreds of its famous Nottinghamshire pumpkins every October, rather than binning the leftovers, managing director of Kerry’s Fresh Dean Kerry, is encouraging people to get creative this year.
“We love this time of year and seeing our customers spooky Pumpkin creations. The Pumpkin is such a versatile vegetable and both the outer body and the insides can be used if still fresh. Be it for baking, soups, syrups or stews, there are also many uses for the bits that would usually get thrown in the bin.”
Autumnal soup
There is nothing more autumnal than a steaming bowl of pumpkin soup? Once deseeded, you can roast the flesh of your pumpkin and then blend to make a delicious soup that is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. It also freezers well so can be warmed up on a chilly winter’s day.
Spiced syrup
If soup isn’t your thing, you can spice up your life and make a delicious syrup. Simply add sugar, vanilla extract and lots of autumnal spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg before blitzing it with your pumpkin to a puree and straining.
Not only will your kitchen smell heavenly, but the syrup can be used in a multitude of ways – why not add to a loaf cake, biscuits or recreate the iconic autumnal beverage made famous by Starbucks, the pumpkin spiced latte.
Pumpkin seeds
Containing key minerals and nutrients including protein, zinc magnesium and copper – pumpkin seeds are a nutrition powerhouse. Simply let them dry out, then season, roast and tuck in! You can store them in an air-tight container to enjoy at a later date.
Give back to nature
If your pumpkin is looking a little worse for wear after all of the fun at Halloween then fear not, it doesn’t need to be relegated to the bin just yet! You can repurpose your pumpkin to benefit the wildlife in your garden and leave it out as a tasty treat for animals such as birds, butterflies, squirrels and foxes – just ensure you’ve removed anything that wouldn’t be so tasty such as tealights inside.