To think what a waste of pumpkins

[LeGavrOrf]

Loads of pumpkins for sale in supermarkets.

I don't want to come across as a miserable piece of shit but I think it's an incredible waste. All these pumpkins are grown to make lanterns with, and the flesh is thrown away (not that it would be worth eating as apparently Halloween pumpkins are vile). I bet the vast majority of people would just throw the flesh away anyway, even if it did taste nice.

Just seems mad to have all the resources dedicated to grow and distribute pumpkins in this day and age where people are skint and hungry and have to use food banks. Just to make lanterns for one day.

Get a rooted tree this Christmas, they're not much more expensve than cut ones and are easy to look after.

We passed a field of pumpkins last week in Lincolnshire.

I had a rooted one last year, in a pot. Bloody thing was dead by may. Sticking with my artificial ones!

Google is fab, found this website and I bet it's not the only one! I hope not anyway, it's at the opposite end of the country to me...
www.forever-green-christmas.co.uk

after several pumpkin related injuries when my boys were young enough to want one I bought a terracota pot one to put a candle in, no hassle, no waste, no vile smell as it hangs around for days and no injuries. still got it in the loft and bring it down every year.

The pumpkin we had last year, I tried to do something with it but it was grown beyond the point of edibility except by pigs or goats. Mind you, I don't like pumpkin at the best of times. Butternut squash now, there's an idea - might do one of those as a lantern this year instead :)

There are smaller pumpkins which are far tastier but they sadly don't give you the lovely big orange lantern effect (we had a dark green one called kabocha, for example) I did manage to make soup last year from a big orange one though and it was actually quite nice.

It is 'waste' in the same way that buying flowers is wasteful
The greenhouses and fields used to grow them could be growing tomatoes instead
You've said yourself they don't taste very nice, so they are about as edible as a bunch of flowers - technically you could digest them but you wouldn't enjoy it

Thanks Dobbiesmum :)

I eat them. Are you not supposed to eat them? What do I know, traditionally it's turnips, and try carving one of those buggers!

legavorf - youa re sounding like an old gimmer

I know perv, I am a miserable awld git.

Change your bloody name

I make a pumpkin jam type thing from carving pumpkin flesh. Throw in a bit of cardamom and then make shortcrust pastry and make little tarts from the jam. It's delicious.

A local curry house makes the most delicious lamb and pumpkin curry

What about the smallish pumpkins? Not the giant carving ones. I was going to try a pumpkin pie.

to what?

I am getting a fucking massive real tree for xmas though so not sure why I'm arsed about recycling pumpkin flesh

I was going to use the flesh to make some or pie say that every year as we like lots are struggling. Won't bother now, if it tastes vile!

I do take your point op but feeling squeezed as it is..let people enjoy.

The insides of Halloween pumpkins STINK.

I have often thought the same (in passing anyway) about pumpkins, I still get one for the children though.

I did chop it up and put it in the compost bin last year so not entirely wasted I supposed.

Someone's going to come and tell be I have poisoned the entire compost pile now, aren't they?

Tangent alert if you leave your Christmas tree out on bin day here the City come and get it and they chip them all up and use them in the city parks.

Recycling, eh?

Aha! I can offset my profligate pumpkin waste against the fact I have only ever had an artificial Christmas tree.

Environmental crisis averted, and MN eternal judgement netted out.

pumpkin barf

Butternut squash works better for pumpkin pie, btw. Denser and sweeter.

Pumpkin flesh works well for soup, though - just make sure you flavour it well and don't add too much extra liquid.

Pumpkin and cinnamon muffins with the roasted seeds on top. Lovely!

Even ds who is autistic and mega-fussy will eat them (although he picks the seeds off the top ).