Pumpkin carving has also become established as a ritual in Germany for a few years now. However, it is important to know what to do with the pumpkin after Halloween. Ultimately, sustainability and waste prevention are more important than ever. There are also many practical ways to use up pumpkin leftovers! Here you can find some of them!
What to do with the pumpkin after Halloween – Make a pot out of it
If your pumpkin is still in good shape, why not turn it into a seasonal planter? Simply fill the pumpkin with soil, plant the desired flowers or succulents and water them to create a trendy and sustainable fall decoration for 2023.
If you want to keep the project really simple, simply use the carved pumpkin as a temporary decorative pot where you place the already planted plants in another smaller pot. If the pumpkin begins to fade, simply remove the plants.
Roast pumpkin seeds...
If you enjoy snacking on roasted pumpkin seeds, especially around Halloween, you can make them fresh after saving the leftovers of your carved pumpkin.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- On a baking sheet, drizzle the pumpkin seeds with olive oil (using the pumpkin's excess pulp) and toss them with a handful of seasonings like salt, pepper, or others you like to bring out their nutty, earthy flavor.
- Roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven for up to 45 minutes.
Tipp: Fresh lime juice provides a slightly tangy finish.
...or turn it into butter
In autumn there is nothing better than a slice of warm bread spread with fresh pumpkin seed butter. Luckily, you can also make pumpkin seed butter at home if you save the harvest you harvested while carving your pumpkin for Halloween. It's that easy to make:
First wash the kernels well and then grind them in a blender (there should be a special nut attachment) until smooth. Add olive oil and salt to taste. If you want your pumpkin butter to have a stronger, seasonal flavor, add some more honey and cinnamon!
Make a pumpkin pulp face mask...
Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A and C, antioxidants, minerals and exfoliating enzymes. So if you're wondering what to do with the pumpkin after Halloween, the answer is a face mask. You can use the pumpkin flesh for this (hopefully you didn't throw it away because it has many benefits), including making your facial skin soft and glowing. How to make the mask:
Puree enough pumpkin flesh in the blender to make about 1/4 cup pulp. Then add a tablespoon of nourishing organic facial oil and a tablespoon of honey. Spread a small amount of the mixture on your face and wait 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
Compost pumpkin scraps
Waste-free Halloween – doesn’t that sound wonderful? Pumpkin is easy to compost, especially when chopped. In fact, that's all you need to do - cut it into small pieces so it breaks down faster. This is highly recommended if you have a compost pile in your garden.
This nutrient-rich compost is ideal for all plants in your garden and will provide them with an extra dose of vitamins.
What to do with the pumpkin after Halloween – bake bread
This pumpkin bread recipe is a delightful way to turn your leftover pumpkin into a tasty treat. The other ingredients are all from the pantry, so you can easily make this recipe without having to go shopping. Please note that for this recipe you can only use pumpkins that are in good condition, not moldy and not painted.
Ingredients:
- 200g pumpkin
- 80 g Butter
- 100g sugar
- 1 No
- 125 g flour (as desired)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and flour a bread baking tin.
- Cut the pumpkin into equal pieces and steam for 10-15 minutes until tender. Puree the squash until smooth, then drain in a colander for 20-30 minutes, or until no more water runs through the colander.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg and continue stirring until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the drained, cooled pumpkin.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined - don't worry if there are a few lumps.
- Pour the batter smoothly into the greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Enjoy warm. You can store it in an airtight pot.
Also read:How to freeze pumpkin – raw and cooked? With these methods you can do it!
