Picture this- Halloween festivities are over. The dust of disaster, chaos, apocalypse and fun has finally settled. This Halloween, all your witches came true. Cut to another mundane, horror-free day.
You wake up the next morning; sugar-flushed and licorice-wealthy, and the sight of those evil Jack-o-Lanterns make your head hurt. “I can’t store them for next year. I can’t dump them on the front door. How am I going to get rid of them?”
If you face the inevitable question “What to do with pumpkins after Halloween?” on every passing November the 1st, you’re in good company of millions of Americans who ask the same question. Also, that pumpkin is too cute for trash; we aren’t going to let that happen.
The person writing this (because horror stories sound better in third-person) has around 12 medium-sized pumpkins all over his place, and 3 humungous pumpkins that are enough to feed a family of 4 for a week. He needed to figure out what to do with pumpkins after Halloween, fast.
Okay, now coming back to first-person; I went all in to search for ways to do something productive with those pumpkins after Halloween. I hate wasting food, and there’s a lot of good stuff in those jack-o-lanterns outside my place.
So I found out 5 innovative ways I can make use of those yellow squish-bombs before they rot. Here’s what you can do with pumpkins after Halloween:
1. Good ol’ Pumpkin Spice Latte!
Fall without a large mug of Pumpkin Spice Latte is like KFC without chicken (no offence, vegans!). Leave the unnatural and unhealthy ingredients aside and mix some pumpkin puree with vanilla, milk, sugar and espresso for a lip-smacking PSL.
This PSL recipe from The Kitchn did not let us down and it turned out to be better than the coffee-house nearby. My wife is a PSL-junkie, so I know what to do with pumpkins after Halloween! Try it yourself!
2. Those Pumpkin Seeds…Roasted, mwah!
A fall-classic and full of healthy nutrients like zinc, magnesium, iron, fiber, and zinc; roasted pumpkin seeds are the best bed-time crunch snack while you’re binge-watching your favorite TV show.
It’s easy to make, crunchy, and you wouldn’t want to let that can of seeds go once you’re hooked to it! Here’s an easy recipe from Oh She Glows for the perfect pumpkin seeds. Beware; once you start, you can’t stop eating them!
3. Pamper yourself with the Pumpkin Spa treatment!
The pumpkin spa treatment is the root for all your DIY pumpkin ideas. Time to turn it into a tantalizing facial spa treatment!
When you put it on, it’s no less than a momentary getaway to another dimension of inner peace, all that from a pumpkin! This DIY pumpkin puree spa from beautylish will make that skin glow! Here’s the full recipe, give it a try.
4. Fall-themed Pot-Pourri
The best pot-pourri is the one made naturally; I still recall my mum drying up all the citrus fruits and filling ‘em up in a bag. What a heavenly, fruity, nostalgic smell. Show off your jack-o-lantern for a few more weeks!
It’s easy, natural, and that aroma would keep you in the fall spirit as long as the pumpkin starts to rot. In the inside of pumpkin, poke a few cloves and rub cinnamon on the flesh. Light a candle and smell the fall scent!
We learned this one from Martha Stewart and I wish you could smell our place.
5. Bury those Jack-o-Lamps for good luck (and good soil)
Time to give your soil some extra nourishment! All you gotta do is get your hands dirty by digging a hole in the garden and throwing pumpkins inside. After that, let nature do its job. Your pumpkins will do their job and fertilize your soil.
There won’t be any jack-leftovers when the spring arrives’. The best part is that if there are any seeds remaining in those pumpkins, you’ll have a bonus pumpkin haven for next Halloween!
Next time your neighbor asks you “What to do with pumpkins after Halloween?” Tell ‘em to dig a hole and shove it down their garden!
These are 5 things you can start with when you’re doing away with your Halloween jack-o-lanterns. As for me, I’ve already started making the pumpkin puree and the possibilities are limitless. Let your creativity run its full course and scare you!
Now that know what to do with pumpkins after Halloween, show us what you did! DM us or Tag us on Instagram and we’ll reply, Money-Promise! (@everybuckcounts)
This Halloween, follow our lead and forget about the money. Eat, drink and be Scary!
