1. Make something to eat. From pumpkin bread to pumpkin cheesecake, you can use your pumpkin to make tasty treats. In most recipes, pumpkins can even be used as a suitable replacement for winter squash. Smaller pumpkins (3 to 5 pounders) can be used to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin seeds can be toasted and salted to make a great crunchy treat. Click here for some seasonal pumpkin recipes.
2. Use your pumpkin as fertilizer for your flowers. Cut up your pumpkins into small pieces and place them in the soil. As they breakdown, they will feed your garden. Pumpkins are also a great addition to a compost pile. Their moisture will help break down the dried out leaves that are in the fall pile.
3. Feed the animals. If you have a wooded area behind your home, consider breaking up your pumpkin and leaving it out for the wild animals to eat. Squirrels and birds may also eat pumpkin left out near backyard feeders.
4. Create an art project. If your pumpkin isn’t carved, consider creating a Thanksgiving center piece. Have the kids paint their pumpkins or add festive embellishments like leaves or straw to it. You can also hollow out your pumpkin and use it as a vase for seasonal flowers.
Read more creative ways to reuse and recycle your pumpkin here.