New research from environmental charity Hubbub has revealed a terrifying 22.2 million pumpkins are predicted to go to waste this year, despite food bills being at an all-time high and more pressure than ever on households to make food to go further.   

The survey of 2,000 UK residents, reveals that 56 per cent of pumpkins bought for carving last Hallowe’en were not eaten, meaning this year Brits are expected to throw away more than £32million worth of pumpkins! 

Hubbub and its network of community fridges aims to tackle the issue by running a series of pumpkin-themed events, where residents can learn how to cook with their pumpkins, whilst saving money and helping the planet.

Tenby Connects will be hosting Eat your Pumpkin tomorrow (Saturday) at 2.30pm in Augustus Place Community Hall. The free event will see Tenby come together to find out how to get the best from a pumpkin. There will be pumpkin crafts and a pumpkin cooking workshop followed by a chance to eat everything that has been cooked! You can bring your own pumpkin so you can either carve it there take it hme with you to carve, but there will be some pumpkins supplied.

Ellen Rutherford, Head of Food at Hubbub said: “Pumpkins are more than just a Hallowe’en decoration. They are a cheap, nutritious and versatile source of food, which can go a long way and are great for feeding a crowd. Even if a pumpkin is labelled a ‘carving pumpkin’, it is still perfectly edible. Every pumpkin eaten is a step towards tackling the 22 million pumpkins predicted to go to waste this Hallowe’en and Hubbub has plenty of resources to show you how.” 

“People might find it easier to throw away their pumpkin carvings, particularly if they’re juggling the pressures of costume making and entertaining too. However we’re really keen to spread the word that cooking this delicious vegetable can wait until after the madness of Hallowe’en is over. Only 8 per cent of those who celebrate Hallowe’en freeze the flesh from their pumpkins to use another time – a handy tip for those under time pressure.  

This year’s #EatYourPumpkin campaign is being supported by the Starbucks® pioneering 5p cup charge which is applied when a customer chooses to use a single-use cup. Introduced voluntarily in 2018, Starbucks has donated all funds to Hubbub to support sustainability efforts and waste reduction.  

For more information on Tenby Connects’s Eat your Pumpkin event, visit the Tenby Connects facebook page.

Hubbub’s Top tips for an environmentally friendly Halloween:  

• You can eat almost every part of the pumpkin. In fact, it’s only the stalk that isn’t edible. Head to the Eat Your Pumpkin page for tips on how to use the skin, seeds, guts and flesh of your pumpkins.   

• One pumpkin can make several meals so if you are worried about seven days of pumpkin, why not freeze the bits you don’t want to use straight away and save for a rainy day?   

• Don’t throw your carved pumpkins in the bin when you have finished with them – they make a great snack for birds or can otherwise be composted or put into your food waste collection.  

• If you’d rather not waste any of your pumpkin, then get creative with your decorating…Think of alternative ways to draw, paint of craft a spooky grimace without carving, meaning you can still eat the pumpkin when Halloween celebrations are over!  

• If you don’t like the taste of pumpkin, then why not make your own? From craft sets to window pens to making your own Halloween poster, there are plenty of ways you can decorate for Halloween without using a pumpkin.  

For recipes and tips, visit www.hubbub.org.uk/
eat-your-pumpkin .

#EatYourPumpkin