Skip to content Skip to navigation

Halloween Food Ideas: Spooky Ways to Use Up Pumpkins & Root Veg

Spooky season is here, and it's the perfect time to get creative, not just with your decorations or fancy-dress choices but also with your next batch of sweet or savoury goods. Picture this: you’ve finished carving your pumpkin to an artistic standard and are surrounded with leftovers, what do you do? It’s time to turn these pumpkin pieces into delicious dishes. Keeping with the theme, let’s create Halloween food ideas to help you make the most of your pumpkins and other root vegetables. Autumn is the best time to turn scraps into warming meals and exciting treats for the whole family.

At Milk & More, we believe in celebrating the season while being mindful about food waste and thinking of creative ways to use leftovers. Follow our guide below to learn a few clever ways to reduce food waste this Halloween.

Creative Ways to Use Leftover Pumpkins

Whether you’ve picked one up at a nearby pumpkin patch or your local supermarket, what’s Halloween without a pumpkin? But once it’s carved and ready to go, you might be unsure of what to do with the leftovers. From sweet to savoury, we’ve picked the best recipes whilst keeping up the spooky spirit of Halloween.

Pumpkin Soup with a Spooky Twist

Nothing beats a hearty bowl of soup after a night of trick-or-treating. Roast your pumpkin with a mix of herbs and garlic, then simmer with onion and vegetable stock. Blend until smooth and sprinkle with a side of crunchy, homemade breadcrumbs (check out our guide to sourdough bread leftovers). For a Halloween twist, drizzle a dash of double cream on top in a spiderweb design. An easy and comforting lunch for all the family.

Roasted Pumpkin Fries with Garlic & Herbs

Stuck on finding the perfect dish for your Halloween party? Turn your leftover pumpkin chunks into garlic-y, crispy fries. Cover and toss them in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, a pinch of salt and pepper, and roast them until golden. Or put them in the air fryer for that extra crunch. The ultimate Halloween party food.

Pumpkin Muffins

Blend your pumpkin chunks and mix with flour, eggs, cinnamon and brown sugar for a delicious autumnal sweet treat. To make it extra spooky, ice your favourite Halloween characters on top of each muffin, from a ghost to a spider. Impress your guests and family with this tasty bake.

Pumpkin Puree Pancakes for Breakfast

Give your family a fun Halloween breakfast with pumpkin pancakes. Purée leftover pumpkin and blend it into your pancake batter for a naturally sweet mix. Add some extra chocolate chips for the ultimate indulgence. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar.

autumn root vegetables

Tasty Recipes to Use Up Root Veg 

Autumn is the perfect time to pick and mix the different root vegetables you might find in your garden or in the local supermarket. But sometimes, you’ve rinsed through your go-to recipes again and again, so let’s share something you might not have tried before.

Autumn Veg Traybake with Seasonal Flavours

Have you ever wanted to try and create a dish that is the colour of the autumnal leaves? With a veg traybake, you can transform your simple carrots, parsnips, onions, beetroot, potatoes and swede into an aesthetic, tasty creation. Chop up all of the veggies and mix with a drizzle of oils, herbs of choice, garlic and a seasoning of chilli flakes. Roast until caramelised and soft for an easy base which you can pair with your chosen protein.

Spiced Carrot and Parsnip Soup

The grey weather has arrived, but it’s not all gloom. Embrace the change in season by making your own spiced carrot and parsnip soup! Grab your leftover root veg and slowly cook with cumin and ginger, add the stock and finish with a swirl of cream. Serve with a warm slice of sourdough bread for the perfect, cosy lunchtime meal.

autumn root veg soup

Beetroot Brownies (A Ghoulish Treat!)

For a healthy alternative to a household classic, beetroot brownies are the ultimate Halloween food. When whipping up your brownie batter, stir in beetroot purée, which not only adds a deep, rich colour but can also count towards one of your 5 a day! A scary twist on a delicious sweet treat.

Zero-Waste Tips for a Greener Halloween

Are you looking to reduce food waste whilst creating different Halloween food ideas? Don’t let food waste stop you, as almost everything can be recycled into something else.

How to Store and Reuse Pumpkin Seeds

Don’t throw your pumpkin seeds away! Wash, dry and roast them with a sprinkle of salt. Keep them in a Tupperware to add to your next soup, salad or for that additional crunch to your next dish. They are also a high-protein snack, perfect to keep you going during a long day at work.

Composting Pumpkin Scraps

If you’ve chopped up and used the leftover pumpkin for your next soup or cake, then dispose of the rest in your compost bin. If you want to try something new, pumpkin skin can also be roasted with a drizzle of oil, with a dash of salt and pepper. It might even become your new favourite healthy crisps. Be sure to wash the pumpkin skin thoroughly first and follow a recipe for the perfect, crunchy crisp.

Try our Organic Veg Box

Once you’ve ordered our Organic Veg Box, and receive the very best fresh and in-season vegetables, you can plan your week out to ensure you don’t have any waste. We always let you know weekly what to expect, so there’s no excuse!

organic seasonal vegetables

Stock Up for Your Halloween Feast with Milk & More

With Halloween around the corner, get sorted and stock up for your party today. Enjoy the spooky fun of Halloween food, whilst staying sustainable. From seasonal veg, to our spellbinding Pistachio & White Chocolate Milkshake and ghoulish sweet treats, Milk & More delivers straight to your doorstep. So be inspired and turn your leftovers into something memorable this Halloween!