5 Creative Ways to Utilize Your Pumpkins: Reduce Waste & Reap Health Benefits

October is the ultimate month for pumpkin everything! With Halloween around the corner, pumpkin spice lattes and baked goods are being enjoyed by many, and of course those fun decorations and pumpkin craft activities are in full swing. So, we want to make sure you know all the ways to utilize your pumpkins to reduce waste, and maybe find some wellness benefits in the process.

This weekend, go have some festive fun by hitting a pumpkin patch or even grabbing a few at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, and make sure you don’t throw out your decorative pumpkins right after Halloween because we have 5 tips for you to try. Let’s get to the crafty, healthy, delicious, and festive fun that this amazing fall fruit has to offer!

1. Pumpkin Greetings

It’s hard to believe that after Halloween, Thanksgiving will be right around the corner next. So, what better way to greet your guests than with some decorative pumpkins? Carve a few welcome messages on them, or even paint or write on them with markers, and set these festive pumpkins by your front door to greet guests. 

2. Jack-o’-Lanterns

It’s almost Halloween, after all, and carving a spooky Jack-o’-lantern is just the way to get into the spirit. Make sure you purchase the proper tools to carve a pumpkin safely and, most importantly, be careful! Don’t know what to carve? If you’re not going the scary route with your creation this year, try carving a ‘Q’ for Quality of Life and share it with us on our social media pages!

3. Make a Homemade Soup or Baked Goods

Warm up on a chilly fall night with some pumpkin soup. Whether you’re putting your decorative pumpkin to good use and using it for a recipe or getting one fresh from the patch or market, pumpkin soup is packed with nutrients and a delicious way to savor the flavors of fall. Try making other recipes that incorporate pumpkin, too, like pumpkin bread, muffins, pie, or even pumpkin ravioli—just in time for Thanksgiving preparations.

4. Toast Some Pumpkin Seeds

If you’re carving pumpkins or whipping up pumpkin recipes, don’t forget to use the “guts.” Pumpkin seeds can be a delicious snack when toasted, and they’re also quite nutritious. You can make each batch a different flavor by using whatever seasoning you’d like, whether that’s chili powder, cinnamon sugar, salt and pepper, or beyond.

5. Make a Pumpkin Face Mask

There’s nothing better after a long autumn day than taking a warm bath and applying a face mask. Once you’re done carving pumpkins or baking, use the “guts” to make yourself a homemade pumpkin mask. Just remove the seeds from the guts, add honey and olive oil (or another ingredient you like to incorporate in your masks), and put the mixture in the blender. This mixture not only smells and feels great on the skin, but it’s the perfect seasonal mask full of nourishing vitamins like A and C.

We hope you have a safe and healthy Halloween and have found a few ways to reap all the benefits of pumpkins this season!