Now that Halloween is over, and the kids have reseeded back to their electronic devices, there is still one thing left to do. It is time to decide what to do with those pumpkins lying around the house. Before you just go and throw them into the bin, read a few things that Reviews Coast Spas thinks you can do with them to upcycle them for a few more weeks. After all, pumpkins are just as much a part of fall as the leaves changing colour.
Cook It
If you did not carve your pumpkin, the good news is you can cook it. There are many things that you can make with both the inner and the outer parts of the pumpkin. For starters, you can crack open the top like you were going to carve it, but instead of throwing the seeds and the stringy portions, you can make food out of them too. Everyone knows that you can roast the pumpkin seeds for a nice healthy snack, but did you know that you can use the stringy bits to make a very delicious vegetable stock? It’s true, add them to your usual vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery. Just make sure you cook them a little bit in a pan with a little oil first to remove some of the moisture and add a nice sweetness to the stock.
The outside can now be used to make soup or other dishes. Essentially, you are going to use the pumpkin to flavour another dish that you put inside of it. We suggest a stew or a soup. You can also blend the flesh up into a puree that can be added to risotto or pie. We definitely like the pie idea.
Compost It
Clearly, composting it is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of your pumpkin. It sure beats just throwing it in your regular trash bin. An alternative to composting it, you can cut it into small pieces and throw it out into your yard. After the wildlife has finished munching on it, pick up the remaining pieces and add them to your compost bin/heap and use that to fertilize your yard next spring.
Plant It
If you do not like pumpkin seeds or know of someone that does, you can plant the seed for next year’s pumpkins. If you have a garden already, why not add these to it and grow your own vegetables next season? In addition to food, it will also produce next year’s pumpkin and you can repeat the process year after year. If you are wielding a carved pumpkin, line the inside with a decomposable material along with some potting soil and some flowers. Set it out in your yard or in your house to prolong the use a few more weeks. After that, simply place it in the flower garden and let it decompose naturally and help the flowers to grow.
Final Thoughts
We at Reviews Coast Spas hope we have inspired you to do something with your pumpkin other than chucking it in the bin. We also hope you had a safe and happy Halloween.