It’s the season for pumpkins, but they can be used for much more than just carving for Halloween. From body care to air fresheners, there are all sorts of ways to use pumpkin to spice up your fall!
Here are five surprising ways to use pumpkins this season:
1. Potpourri
Love the scent of pumpkin? You can use pumpkins themselves to create a wonderful scent that’s free of the toxins that are typical in commercial plug-in air fresheners.
To help make this idea even more festive, you can drill designs through the pumpkin to add even more flair and showcase a beautiful, glowing design:
2. Body Care
According to the International Dermal Institute, pumpkin has a variety of properties that make it great for skincare, including being packed with fruit enzymes and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) that encourage cell turnover to brighten and smooth skin.
A simple online search will bring you endless skincare recipes, but a few of our favorites are listed on the site One Green Planet, which includes recipes for an exfoliating scrub and a facial mask.
3. Pumpkin Seeds Snack
The seeds of a pumpkin make a healthy snack and seasoned as sweet or savory. These seeds have a variety of health benefits, including heart-healthy magnesium, plant-based omega-3 fats, and are a great source of zinc.
Easy Pumpkin Seed Recipe
Here’s how to make easy roasted pumpkin seeds:
- Thoroughly rinse the seeds with water.
- Soak in salt water for about an hour (optional, not recommended for sweet flavor recipes).
- Spread the seeds on an oiled cookie sheet.
- Add your seasoning of choice (try cinnamon, garlic powder, or paprika!)
- Roast at 300° for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. French Fries
Love pumpkins and french fries? You can have the best of both worlds with this fantastic oven-baked pumpkin french fry recipe! Not only do you have the crunchy and delicious texture of french fries, but you get all the health benefits of pumpkin.
To kick this recipe up a notch, add a variety of different spice combinations to the fries as they’re baking. Try adding parmesan and garlic, or cinnamon sugar, or Italian seasoning. The options are endless!
5. Table Settings
Everyone knows you can use pumpkins for beautiful fall decor, but there are so many ways to use them for decor that you might not expect. For example, use tiny pumpkins to hold place setting cards, or create a beautiful fall arrangement by using a pumpkin itself as a vase.
For the pumpkin vase, cut a hole at the top. Make sure you put enough water in the bottom of the pumpkin to cover the stems of your flowers. This makes a beautiful, all-natural, and biodegradable option for fall decor!
Find Pumpkins at Ward’s Supermarket
If these ideas have inspired you to use pumpkins in new ways, check out our selection at Ward’s Supermarket! We have all shapes and sizes of pumpkins, perfect for all your fall projects. Stop by Ward’s and pick out your pumpkin today!
