Spooky season is officially upon us and it’s time to start thinking about picking out the perfect pumpkin. However, shocking figures show that out of 17 million pumpkins bought in the UK, nearly 8 million of those go to waste. 

Instead of throwing your pumpkins away this year, why not get creative and try some of our favourite recipes to help make your pumpkins go further?  

We’ve pulled together a list of scrumptious recipes that not only taste delicious, but also encourage food sustainability and reduce food wastage. 

This vegan recipe is not only a great way to reduce waste, but it’s also a perfect autumn/winter warmer. Bake your pumpkin with a gorgeous stuffing of rice, fennel, apple, pomegranate seeds and pecan to conjure up a scrumptious Halloween delicacy.  

This impressive prawn and pumpkin curry may look complicated, but once you have all the ingredients prepped it’s quite quick to make. Serve with steamed basmati rice and top the curry with crisp fried shallots and fried curry leaves or fresh coriander to spice up the festivities. 

This easy to make recipe can be used as a base ingredient for cakes, pancakes and glorious pies! Pumpkin can be steamed over a pan of boiling water or simply cooked in the microwave – a great way of making your one ingredient go even further. 

Sometimes you just need to treat yourself and indulge in a big stack of pancakes. Be it for a weekend brunch or dessert, this quick and easy recipe is a great way to try something new and tasty. The kids will love them too, and it’s a brilliant way to sneak some Vitamin C into treats for your fussy eaters! 

For those with a sweet tooth, why not try your hand at making a traditional American pumpkin pie?  This dish is a real autumn classic and can be served as an after-dinner treat or maybe for afternoon tea with family and friends. The sweet shortcrust pastry case filled with lightly spiced pumpkin and topped with a dollop of cream is bound to win you some brownie points! 

Which of these recipes will you be indulging in after Halloween?