Hey earth muffins! Halloween is just around the corner, which means it is almost time to start carving those jack-o-lanterns! Once the spooky faces are carved, one question remains: what should I do with the pumpkin guts?? Never fear, this post shares all the best ways to stay zero waste and utilize your whole pumpkin!
1. Make pumpkin seeds!
This is a no-brainer in my house. Once there is a big bowl of pumpkin guts on the table, we sift through and take out all the seeds. This can be time consuming but listening to some spooky songs definitely helps! After all the seeds have been set aside, rinse them off and roast in the oven. If you don’t have a favorite recipe for this, there are plenty on Pinterest that turn out great! Some even include seasonings to make your seeds even tastier.
2. Leave as a treat for local birds & animals
If you aren’t against attracting birds and animals into your backyard, feel free to leave out your pumpkin guts for them! I suggest putting the pumpkin far away from your actual carved jack-o-lanterns, as the animals might take liberties and eat those too. 😅
3. Give to a local farmer
Just like the birds and animals in your backyard, farm animals would love a tasty pumpkin treat during the Halloween season! If you live in a rural area, reach out to your favorite farmer(s) and see if they will take the guts off your hands. They can feed them to their animals or even use the seeds to plant more pumpkins next year.
4. Bake with it?
While most pumpkins are edible, this doesn’t mean you should go around eating your jack-o-lantern. Most of the pumpkins sold for carving are not very tasty, as pumpkins specifically meant for consuming (ex. pie pumpkins) are better for baking. If you really want to get creative, try making pumpkin puree with your pumpkin guts… Or in any other recipe that calls for pumpkin. Note: before doing this, please double check that the type of pumpkin you purchased is edible!!
5. COMPOST IT
If all else fails, make sure you compost the remains of your jack-o-lantern. This prevents it from sitting in a landfill for years to come, as the lack of oxygen makes it difficult to break down naturally. Composting is a great way to create fertile soil for your garden – a win-win for Mother Earth!
There you have it, 5 easy ways to be zero waste when carving pumpkins! You shouldn’t have to throw your pumpkin guts in the trash this year… There are multiple things to do with them instead. My personal favorite is to make a huge batch of pumpkin seeds (and then compost the remaining pumpkin). What do you do with your pumpkins after carving? Comment below and share how you keep your pumpkin insides out of the trash!
Love,
Jenna ♥
These are wonderful suggestions! I’m not getting a pumpkin this year, but I’ll definitely keep these in mind for future years!
Great ideas!