Say BOO! to Pumpkin Food Waste – Don’t Waste the Flesh!
Here’s pumpkin to think about! Pumpkin food waste is a sad but true fact when it comes to Halloween in the UK. An estimated 12.8 million pumpkins* are bought each year for carving and display in time for Halloween and 22.2 million seasonal pumpkins** overall end up destined as food waste.
The Problem is Getting Bigger
Smaller pumpkins are often the tastiest however as the passion for more elaborate carvings grows, so do the pumpkins and so does the waste. The Farmers Guardian reports that the average supermarket pumpkin weighs around 2-3kg (approx. 15 – 25cm in diameter) with a medium size (approx 60 – 80cm in diameter) weighing as much as 9kg! With 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin food waste generated every year, just a 1% increase in pumpkin size could create a frighteningly 180 extra tonnes of food waste!
Don’t Bin It! Eat it or Compost it!
There are a number of websites offering a variety of tasty recipes for pumpkins and if you aren’t ready to cook it, there are also methods of freezing for later. Check out The Full Freezer for some great ideas on freezing pumpkins for later or head over to Good Food for some great pumpkin recipes.
How to Compost Pumpkins
If the option to eat your pumpkin has passed, then remember you can still compost everything from the flesh to the rind and stalk. Just be sure to chop or slice it up) into smaller pieces and add into your HOTBIN mixed with some paper or cardboard to absorb excess moisture and woody/twiggy material to maintain airflow.
Don’t Forget! Help Protect Our Spiky Friends
Finally, if you are really lucky to have hedgehogs where you live, be aware that they may decide to eat discarded pumpkins and although not toxic, the high fibre in pumpkins can cause dehydration and diarrhoea. So, try to raise up your pumpkins out of their reach where at all possible and remember to compost any pumpkin remains.
Eat it or Compost It! Say Boo to Pumpkin Waste this Halloween