Dressing up as a witch or a ghost and gathering a bucket full of sweets is what modern-day Halloween is all about. But so too is the annual pumpkin carving.

Supermarkets tempt you to get involved in the spooky season with pumpkins for sale for a few pounds. Most of these pumpkins have been bred to have thinner flesh and a more spacious interior so they’re ideal for carving. But this makes them less useful for eating.

With an estimated 18,000 tonnes of uneaten pumpkin thrown away in the UK each year (according to waste management company Waste Managed), should you be looking at more sustainable Halloween pumpkins?

Cook up your carvings

Growing your own pumpkin is a sure-fire way to cut down on costs and wastage - but leftovers can also be used for a myriad of recipes. While carving pumpkins tend to be tougher and less tasty than pumpkins grown primarily for edible purposes, you can still blitz them into soups, cakes and breads, or chop into cubes for stews and curries.

Or use the flesh to make natural and homemade skincare products, which are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. Putting pumpkin on your face can leave you with a healthy autumnal glow! Try out these quick and easy pumpkin skincare ideas from our friends at Conscious Skincare.

Pumpkin seeds shouldn’t be wasted either as they’re a superfood, rich in antioxidants, healthy fats and high in fibre as well as essential nutrients like magnesium and zinc. Clean off the fibrous flesh using cold water, then simmer in boiling, salted water for five minutes. Dry and roast in the oven with your choice of seasoning. I like to use rock salt and smoked paprika.

You could also help birds and wildlife by putting handfuls of cut-up pumpkin and seeds on your bird table. Freeze it in small portions to use throughout the winter months. Chickens and pigs will also be happy with a pumpkin to scavenge on. But be careful not to leave old pumpkins on the ground in your garden as they can cause digestive issues for hedgehogs, and attract rats.

Composting your pumpkins

Inevitably when you’ve exhausted these suggestions, there may be some leftover pumpkin parts to dispose of. Composting your pumpkin scraps can utilise the nutrients locked up inside the pumpkin and return them to the soil. Once broken down into compost, pumpkins benefit your garden providing future plants with the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus that are essential for plant growth.

Here are my top tips:

Ensure you remove any candles, wax and labels or decorative additions.
Cut up your pumpkin. It’s easier for compost creatures to access smaller pieces so this will help break them down more quickly and will ensure the pumpkin pieces mix well with other compost ingredients.
Although not actually green in colour, pumpkins are high in nitrogen and therefore a ‘green’ compost ingredient. Mix your pumpkin scraps with plenty of carbon rich ‘brown’ material like dead/woody plant material, autumn leaves or cardboard/paper. This mixture of green and brown material provides the perfect balance for optimal composting.
Giving your compost pile a regular stir or even turning it occasionally will speed up the composting process and introduce more air to help the materials break down more quickly.
Pumpkins can also be buried in the ground (trench-composted), fermented with other food waste in a Bokashi bin, or added to a wormery in small quantities. If you’re not able to compost at home, have a look for a community composting facility in your local area or organise a ‘pumpkin smash’ event with your local allotment group.

Frankie is project coordinator for Cumbria Master Composters (Westmorland and Furness). Find out more about the group, or how you can volunteer here.