Halloween just flew by! Now what are we to do with these spooky pumpkins left sitting on our door step? Don't just throw them away - that is so wasteful. Here at Bargainmoose we love to come up with ideas to upcycle or reuse items, so let's try these 6 ideas for leftover Halloween pumpkins. Pumpkins are a great way to make butter, heal your skin, make some air fresheners, and so much more. So think twice before tossing that Jack-O-Lantern in the garbage. Try to keep in mind that if you lit an actual candle inside your pumpkin, it is no longer edible for health reasons. The fake candles are fine though.
Here are the 6 ideas for leftover Halloween pumpkins:
Pumpkin Puree
If you are looking to make pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, or anything pumpkin flavoured then you're going to need to know how to make pumpkin puree. Make your own pumpkin puree to save you from buying the cans of pumpkin from the grocery store.
First you're going to need to cut the pumpkin down the middle and cut out the extra seeds and cuts. Set the extras aside. Then you can take your pumpkins with the cut-side facing down on a baking dish. Add a cup of water and bake them at 350 degrees for about 90 minutes. Check on your pumpkin puree regularly so you don't end up with a burnt paste. After baking the pumpkin the flesh will be very soft. You can scoop the flesh out and blend it up in a food processor. Now you can use it for baking, or if your infant likes it then it makes awesome baby food as well.
Pumpkin Butter
Seriously. Have you ever tried toast with pumpkin butter!? You need to try it. Now. Get 2 cups of pumpkin puree and get it into a sauce pan. Then add a cup of brown sugar as well as a cup of water or apple cider. Also throw in a pinch of salt and some pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Mix all of your ingredients together and bring it to a boil on your stove top. Once the mixture has reached a bowl, turn the temperature down and let it simmer for a whopping 25 minutes. Then once the butter has cooled you can put it in a glass jar and refrigerate it. Can you say awesome Christmas gift?!
Grow More Pumpkins!?
Take some of those pumpkin seeds and plant more! There are tons of tutorials online that will teach you how and when to plant pumpkin seeds. You can make a little garden in the back yard and teach your little ones about the responsibilities that are involved with growing and maintaining their own garden. It sounds like a fun family activity, doesn't it?
Feed Some Animals
Some animals just love eating pumpkins. Cows, deers, elephants are a few to name. You can probably donate your pumpkins to a local farm or zoo and the donation would be greatly appreciated. Maybe your children will get to pet some cows or pigs in exchange for bringing them a delicious treat!
Pumpkin Planter
Here's one that us moms will adore. You can use your leftover Jack-O-Lanterns or uncarved pumpkins as a pumpkin planter. Just cut out a hole in the top and plant some annuals inside the pumpkin. This will make for an adorable fall decoration (outdoor) for a week or so, and then you can plant the entire thing in your garden. The annuals will come back next year and the planted pumpkin will fertilize your garden. Be sure to remove all the pumpkin seeds unless you want to add some pumpkins to your garden next year.
Pumpkin DIY Face Mask
Pumpkins contain a lot of vitamins that are great for our skin. Pumpkin puree is a great way to boost your skin as it is rich in vitamins A, C, and E. Pumpkin puree is both healthy to eat and to apply to your skin, which is why you should try out a pumpkin puree face mask! Take 5 teaspoons of pumpkin puree, add three teaspoons of brown sugar and add a tiny bit of milk. The brown sugar will exfoliate your skin naturally when you apply it to your face in circular motion. Be sure to avoid your eyes of course. Let it sit for about 20 minutes while you relax. It will smell delicious too.
Moosers, what do you do with your pumpkins after Halloween?
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