There’s nothing environmentally friendly or economical about wasted food! So no throwing out your Halloween pumpkin after the celebrations on October 31. Learn how to decorate your pumpkin without ruining its flesh and discover yummy recipes featuring this fall favourite that are sure to get your mouth watering!

3 ways to decorate your Halloween pumpkin

Everyone loves the moment when you get to decorate your Halloween pumpkin. Here are a few easy tips and tricks for decorations that you can do on your own, with someone’s help, or as a family.

1. Carveless Halloween pumpkin

Looking for an easy way to decorate a few small pumpkins? To keep them fresh longer, consider gluing various items to the outside of the pumpkins instead of cutting into them. Here are a few ideas you can try: wrap the pumpkin in strips of cloth, papier mâché, or fabric dressings and stick on two eyes so they look like mummies; cut shapes out of coloured tissue paper to create a hand-painted fabric effect; wrap them with string so they look like they’re covered with spider webs (or you can apply actual fake spider webs); attach a mask to your pumpkin so it looks like it’s going to a fancy masquerade, or dress it up in a costume, like Mr. Potato Head, for example! Prepare for your decorating session, making sure you have chopsticks and skewers, sticky googly eyes, and similar items on hand. Create pumpkins with interesting faces to decorate your kitchen, living room, and entryway a few days before Halloween!

2. A character-themed pumpkin for Halloween

Remember: to decorate a pumpkin so you can use the flesh later instead of wasting it, avoid cutting into the skin or removing the seeds from the centre. This year, to please every member of the family, why not paint each pumpkin to represent a different character? Are your kids big fans of Minions or particular superheroes? If so, they can personalize their own pumpkin by turning it into their favourite character! Or maybe you’re more of a flower-person, in which case you can turn your pumpkin into a wonderful decoration for your living room by covering it with colourful flowers. Let your imagination run wild! There are many tutorials with great ideas online. Get out those paintbrushes!

3. Using a pumpkin as a centrepiece

Why not enjoy your pumpkin as a decoration for as long as possible? In addition to Halloween, pumpkins are emblematic of the fall season. Extend your pumpkin season celebrations by using it as a table centrepiece. It should remain fresh for around a week and a half. Simply paint a pumpkin white or a particular accent colour to add some punch to your dining room. You could also consider grouping a number of different sized pumpkins together, which you can paint in a monochrome palette or a riot of different colours.

3 recipes for cooking your pumpkin

Here are three unusual ways to cook pumpkin! And remember that pumpkins are good even once Halloween has come and gone!

1. PUMPKIN CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Here’s an idea that kills two birds with one stone: pumpkins that serve as decorations as well as dessert! You’ll need 6 small pumpkins that have already been hollowed out and cleaned. The goal is to use your favourite crème brûlée recipe while adding a special Halloween touch! First, take a look at this delicious recipe for making Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée. Once your pumpkins have been chilled, be sure to put their “hats” back on with their original stems in order to give them back their original look. Then you can sit down with the kids and decorate them with candies.

What can you do with the pumpkin flesh that’s left over? We suggest this amazing pumpkin jam recipe!

2. PUMPKIN, MAPLE, AND PECAN CHEESECAKE

Pumpkin is often made into pies or more traditional cakes. But why not try this Pumpkin, Maple, and Pecan Cheesecake instead—it’s sure to be a hit! Pumpkin purée is what lends this cake its divine velvety texture. Plus, the pecans give this dessert a definite boost. Get out the cake sparkles and cookies to create a “monster” of a cake as a family. It will be the perfect finishing touch for your dinner on October 31^st!

3. PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

Do you impatiently wait for the return of the pumpkin spice latte every year? Several large coffee chains offer their own versions of this fall favourite, but it’s pretty easy to make your own at home, which you can enjoy on Halloween night or any time this fall or winter! It’s easy: simply mix ¾ cup milk (animal or plant-based), 1 teaspoon of pumpkin purée, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, ¾ cup of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla into a cup, using a fork. Heat on the stove or in the microwave for around 1 minute or until the milk is hot, but not boiling. Whisk halfway through. Next, add 1 long double espresso. Top with whipped cream to taste and serve. Repeat as often as you want!

What else can you do with your pumpkin after Halloween?

There are many ways to cook pumpkin flesh (purée, soup, cake, etc.), but you can also reuse the seeds inside, which, in addition to making for a tasty snack, offer a good amount of minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants that are rarely found in other foods. They have a sweet taste, similar to nuts. You can enjoy them raw, shelled, roasted, or as part of a recipe, such as this one for dark chocolate cake with pumpkin seeds and dried fruit.

How to hollow out a pumpkin in two minutes, tops!

To avoid making too much of a mess when hollowing out your pumpkin, try this foolproof technique involving a hand mixer and a drill. Yes, you read that right! To begin, remove the pumpkin top, which you have already cut using a knife. Next, remove the excess seeds attached to the “hat.” Place one of the beaters from the electric mixer into your drill, in the spot where you would normally attach a drill bit. Make sure the pumpkin is stabilized—if necessary, you could ask someone to hold onto it with two hands. Using a low drill speed, move the beater all around the inside of the pumpkin to detach the seeds. Voilà—you’re done! And you didn’t even have to get your hands dirty!