A popular Halloween item is being used to highlight the issues surrounding food waste.
Pumpkins are purchased by millions of consumers, who then proceed to carve the pumpkin into haunting faces. Each year 18,000 tons of the fruit end up in the bin. That’s enough waste to make a bowl of soup for everybody in the UK.
Pumpkin Rescue, run by the charity Hubbub, is back for a 5th year and it’s sprouting up across the UK. They organise events all over the country to talk about ways to avoid wasting edible food. Since its 2014 launch in Oxford, its popularity and support has blossomed. In 2018, a total of 31 groups ran 40 events across the UK. After the creation of the events and workshops started by the organisation, 17,500 pumpkins have been diverted from landfill.
The campaign has even transferred to social media with #PumpkinRescue being shared all around the world. Even getting other companies and organisations like Knorr, a German food and beverage brand involved.
Philippa Atkinson, Senior Brand Manager at Knorr, said: “The amount of delicious and healthy pumpkins going in the bin each year is a real horror story.
“We want to inspire people to turn the remaining pumpkin into delicious, rich tasting food products.”
Many people across the world barely give a second thought to using the left overs of a pumpkin. However, there are many recipes online showing you how to use the orange fruit for soups, pies, cakes and even curries. If you would prefer not to eat it, you could always compost it.
Click here to find a Pumpkin Rescue event near you.