Helping to carve a scary face out of a pumpkin is a big part of the Halloween fun for kids. But most of them, and their parents, don’t give a thought about how much pumpkin flesh they’re wasting, and what could be done with it instead of just throwing it in the bin.

Every Halloween more than 18,000 tonnes of edible pumpkin is thrown away in the UK alone. But there are many ways of using the fruit (and yes, it is a fruit because it contains seeds, although it’s nutritionally more similar to a vegetable) and not just by eating it, despite its impressive nutritional credentials.

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a rotting scary face jack o lantern pumpkin.
a rotting scary face jack o lantern pumpkin.

Childcare expert Deena Billings, head of quality at Busy Bees Childcare, which last year ensured more than 1,000 pumpkins were put to good use after Halloween, says: “Children love Halloween and pumpkins are always part of the fun, but it’s such a shame that so many go to waste each year.

“There are lots of ways to reduce how many we throw away and it doesn’t just have to be cooking with them.  Showing children different ways to use their pumpkins after Halloween teaches them a really valuable lesson about reducing waste and how they can do their bit to help the environment.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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How to use a pumpkin after Halloween

Here, Billings uses her imagination and creativity to suggest 8 ways children can use pumpkins after Halloween:

1. Cook up a soupy Halloween treat

Home made pumpkin soup

Pumpkins are often seen as just a Halloween decoration, but their flesh is rich in vitamins – particularly vitamin A – and minerals that can support children’s development. But make sure you buy a pumpkin suitable for cooking.

Pumpkins are versatile and can be used in lots of ways from a nutritious savoury soup to a deliciously sweet pumpkin pie. Try this quick and easy soup to make with your child to feed a family of six:

Home made pumpkin soup
Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 19mg1%
Potassium 1098mg31%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 17925IU359%
Vitamin C 28mg34%
Calcium 104mg10%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pumpkin soup

A quick and easy soup
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: British
Servings: 6
Calories: 274kcal
Author: Deena Billings

Equipment

  • Heavy-based, medium saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg diced pumpkin
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 400 g tinned, cooked chickpeas
  • 1 medium potato diced
  • 1.5 lt water
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • handful fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped (leaves only)
  • 125 ml double cream
  • sunflower oil

Method

  • Heat oil in a heavy-based, medium saucepan on a medium heat.
  • Add the onion, potato and pumpkin, cook until the onion is soft but not coloured.
  • Add the spices, chickpeas and garlic and stir well before adding the water. 
  • Simmer until the pumpkin and potato are fully cooked, then take off the heat, leave for a few minutes, and blend before stirring through the cream (optional), black pepper and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 17925IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 4mg

2. Fill a sensory bag

The fun doesn’t have to stop once you’ve finished carving, as pumpkins offer a great sensory experience for children. Sensory play supports their language development and enhances their ability to problem solve, as well as building their fine and gross motor skills.

To make a sensory bag for children under three, scoop out the insides of a pumpkin and place it into a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag. Children can feel and squish the bag with their hands and even feet.

To develop this further for over-twos, add some small world figures of spiders, frogs, cats and even laminated images of apples, cauldrons or other Halloween-themed objects. You can talk about what they can see, introducing new words to their vocabulary.

Children must be supervised throughout as these items can pose a risk if they are left unattended.

3. Bright bird feeder

Why not give back to the environment once Halloween is over by making a pumpkin bird feeder? Simply add holes in the pumpkin for the string and place some bird feed into the bottom before hanging it in the garden. This activity isn’t suitable for children under three and the pumpkin should be hung somewhere they don’t have access to.

4. Pumpkin necklace

Parents can help over-threes make a necklace out of the pumpkin’s seeds. Dry them out before letting children paint the seeds in their favourite colours. Help them with the tricky part and use a needle to make holes in the centre of the seeds so they can thread them on to some string. Remember the seeds should only be used under adult supervision.

5. Learn through seeds

Use the coloured seeds to do some learn through play activities, like practising colour recognition or counting with them.

6. Pumpkin stamps

Budding artists can use the firm part of the pumpkin to make stamps to dip into paint and create their own masterpieces. This is great for learning about different shapes and an ideal fine motor exercise for little hands.

7. Brighten up the garden

Autumn bouquet in orange pumpkin.

Leftover pumpkins make great planters for an autumnal garden feature. Just cut a drainage hole in the bottom and place plants or flowers inside before surrounding them with soil.

This is a great activity to teach children about the environment and gives them a sense of responsibility. Talk to them about the things plants need to grow well and what happens if they don’t get the right nutrients.

8. Back to earth

Instead of pumpkin planters,  you could make compost out of them to keep the garden thriving. It’s easy to do, will keep them out of landfill and the compost can be used to help grow next year’s pumpkin.

Best-selling pumpkin carving kits

Stuck for inspiration? Check out our list of best-selling Amazon products!

Bestseller No. 1
CARVEKING Stencil & Carve Pumpkin Carving Kit
  • New Stronger Saws: Improved durability
  • Five tools included: Two saws, a scooper, poker wheel and drill
  • New Designs: Kit includes 10 stencils ranging from easy to very hard
Bestseller No. 2
TOGOU2S Pumpkin Carving Kit with Stencils and 2 LED Candle Lights, Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tools,...
  • Heavy Duty Stainless Pumpkin Carving Kit: The pumpkin carving tool is reinforced with rivets at the handle joint, so that it will not come loose, which perfect for carving pumpkins.
  • 15pcs Stainless Steel Pumpkin Carving Tools with 2 LED candles: Suitable for adults and children, Durable stainless steel material of pumpkin carving kit a long-term use. These pumpkin carving tools...
  • Carving Stencils: Cute pattern printed on the handle, which make your pumpkin carving kit even more special. we also provide 5 additional templates that can be used to carve more special grimaces into...
Bestseller No. 3
Taspire 7 Packs Pumpkin Carving Kit with Stencils, (Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tools Set), Pumpkin...
  • 【7 PCS Pumpkin Carving Kits】 It comes with 1* Pumpkin Drills, 1* Scraper, 1* Fine-toothed Saw, 1* Double-sided Coarse tooth saw, 1* Pumpkin Scooper, 1* Etching tool, 1* V-shaped carving tool, 12...
  • 【Sturdy And Durable Material】 It features heavy duty thickened stainless steel and non-slip ABS handles, not easy to break and slip during use. No rust, stains or pitting. Rest assured that our...
  • 【Family fun】 A must-have accessory for Halloween parties. Everyone can work on their own pumpkins and express their creativity, create unique and cool art. Both your friends and love ones can...
Bestseller No. 4
Hoshin Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit, Professional Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Tools with Carrying...
  • 【PERFECT 7-IN-1 Pumpkin Carving Kits】: 7 PCS useful pumpkin carving kit includes ( 1 × Big Digging Scooper, 1 × Fine Saw, 1 × Rough Saw, 1 × Drilling Nail, 1 × Small Carving Knife, 1 × Arc...
  • 【Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Kit】: This pumpkin carving kit use one-piece molding process to make the heavy duty thickened stainless steel tools with solid ABS material handles. Rest assured that...
  • 【12 Pumpkin Carving Stencils】: 12 Pumpkin carving stencils help to inspire creativity and make carving easier to operate. No more no idea of what you want to create. You can freely match the...
Bestseller No. 5
Les-Theresa 13Pcs Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit, Pumpkin Carving Tools Stainless Steel Pumpkin...
  • 【Convenient Pumpkin Carving Tool Set】Carve like a pro with our 13-piece halloween pumpkin carving kit for kids or adults! They are designed to be beautifully put together for your convenience and...
  • 【Fine Workmanship】Our halloween pumpkin carving kits are made of high-quality carbon steel and PP, sharp, corrosion-resistant, and durable. The ergonomic handle is comfortable to grip. Even if you...
  • 【Easy To Use】The halloween pumpkin carving tools are complete and convenient, it is designed with a storage bag for you to store or carry. The carving tool set is suitable for most people and can...

Last update on 2024-02-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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