Halloween Special: Jack O’Lanterns

Ghostly greetings, everyone!

Halloween is just around the corner and we most definitely had to talk about it. Speaking of which, one thing that always had me curious was - why the pumpkins?

 We did a little research and found out that this tradition was first started in Ireland to scare away evil spirits that were said to visit the physical plane of earth on the 31st of October. And what better way to do that than by cutting faces into vegetables? Brilliant.

 As the tradition emigrated and got trendy over the decades, the purchase and carving escalated quickly throughout society. Which is great, but like everything excessive, it comes at a cost. Nowadays, according to the Hubbub environmental charity, it is predicted that more than 22 million pumpkins go to waste each year, just in the UK. That’s around 30 million euros spent on food just for decorations. Imagine that.

Well, here’s where we jump into action! If you’re not doing it already, this is the year we’re starting to say no to Halloween's traditional food waste, by getting the most out of our carving leftovers! For that, we bring you some ideas and tasty recipes that we found, after you scooped those guts out:

• Compost: There’s no denying it, if you’re not fond of how it tastes, you can always invest it as a natural fertilizer to grow other vegetables!

• Simple Pumpkin Stock: The best occasion to put your cauldron to use, wouldn’t you say? Throw your leftovers in there with some other vegetables of your choosing, then add some bay leaves. Get the water boiling for about an hour and, most importantly, don’t forget the evil laugh while you stir it a few times. After that, it’s good to go!

• Pumpkin Spa Treatment: Following that delicious stock, it’ll be time to relax with a Pumpkin Face Mask and Body Scrub. Plus, the procedures are quite similar and easy! Starting with the body, all you need is to blend your leftovers with honey, coarse sugar, and almond/coconut oil! Whereas for the face, separate the seeds and blend the guts of your pumpkin with some honey until it’s consistent enough. Enjoy!

 As an extra treat, here are some recipes you’ll absolutely love:

• Classic Pumpkin Pie;

• Pumpkin Bread;

• Pumpkin Soup;

• Pumpkin Puree;

Hopefully, you’ll put these tips to good use, while having the most fun you can with your family and friends! Let’s keep the spirits away while protecting the planet!

Witching you a Happy Halloween! See you next week! 🎃