As Halloween fast approaches, I’ve been thinking about what to carve on the pumpkin with the kids? It’s one of those yearly traditions that the kids love to take part in. Although in my day it was more of a battle with a turnip!
For years I was guilty of throwing away the flesh of the pumpkin, not taking into consideration the waste involved. According to Love Food Hate Waste, 12.8 million pumpkins bought for Halloween are left uneaten. That’s equal to 67% of UK families throwing away one pumpkin each! Which, to me, is just a ridiculous amount of waste and left me with a huge feeling of guilt for contributing to these figures for so many years.
As Halloween is going to be different for us all this year with no guising to keep the kiddies busy. I have been trying to plan a night of fun activities in the house, I have found some fantastic treats to make with the kids, using up that pumpkin waste and teaching the kids how to do their bit to save the planet! There are some amazing recipes including pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pancake rolls and mini pumpkin cheesecakes which I found on hello wonderful website. I’m sure you could find lots more ideas or do you already make some yummy pumpkin treats?
Even if you don’t have children at home, there are some lovely heart-warming recipes perfect for this cold dreich weather such as pumpkin and bacon soup or pumpkin biryani which I found on the BBC good food website.
The kids have asked to carve a pumpkin each this year so we have decided to make a family of pumpkins, using squash for the children sized ones. If you fancy trying this idea out too then the Community Garden has lots of squash available. Message PLANT Facebook page or email Ali on volunteer@tayportgarden.org to find out how to get your hands on one.
What are you going to make with your pumpkin innards? I would love for you to share your creations with us all!
PLANT is running a Ghostly Goodies competition and your photo/drawing and recipe can win a 3L pouch of the yummy Tayport Apple Juice. Entries close 9th of November and you can send them in to Kaska on blog@tayportgarden.org (we will set up an entry box at the Community Garden as soon as it’s open again).
To my delight, I discovered that there are also a couple of other spooky family activities in Tayport. The Larick has the colouring in competition at the cafe until Friday 30th of October. They are also collecting milk cartons for Haloween lanterns to decorate the Centre – you will be able to book a slot to make your own on 31st of October. And the Dolphin Centre is running a pumpkin carving competition with free pumpkin giveaway starting this Friday and Saturday. It should be a fun week!
Have a Happy, Spooky, Planet-Friendly Halloween!!!!!!
