THE Forest of Dean District Council has encouraged residents to find ways to use all of their pumpkins this Halloween, to help reduce waste.

With millions of pumpkins thrown away after Halloween each year, the council is asking residents to use as much of their pumpkin as possible, recycle any leftovers and explore sustainable alternatives to help reduce waste.

Councillor Andy Moore, Portfolio Holder for Waste and Recycling at Forest of Dean District Council, said: "Pumpkins are a fun part of Halloween, but it's important to remember they're food first and decorations second.

"If you're buying a pumpkin this year, try to make use of as much of it as possible. From soups and curries to cakes and roasted seeds, there are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy pumpkin while helping to prevent avoidable food waste.

"If you can't use all of it, ideally compost any leftovers at home. If that's not an option, please place them in your weekly food waste collection rather than your rubbish bin. Food waste collected in the Forest of Dean is recycled into renewable energy and fertiliser."

Millions of pumpkins are bought across the UK each year only to be thrown away after a few days.

However, they can be used in a wide range of sweet and savoury recipes, and smaller varieties bred for eating are often tasty and nutritious.

As carved pumpkins need to be used quickly, the council says an alternative is to decorate, rather than carve your pumpkin. Whole pumpkins can stay fresh for weeks or even months, allowing them to be enjoyed as food after Halloween.

If residents choose not to cook their pumpkins, they are encouraged to compost them at home or recycle them within their kerbside food waste collection.

Posting to its website, The Forest of Dean District Council said: “Food waste remains a significant issue both locally and nationally. By making simple changes such as eating more of the food we buy and recycling unavoidable food waste, residents can help reduce waste and lower their environmental impact.”

Whole pumpkins can be left next to food waste caddies or cut into smaller pieces and placed inside. The council said that any candles, decorations or other non-food items should be removed first though.

The Forest of Dean District Council added that residents should not leave pumpkins out where wildlife can get at it, even if it was well-intentioned. The council said pumpkins are not a natural food source for many animals, and can be harmful to some, such as hedgehogs.

You can find ideas for how to decorate your pumpkins, how to cook your pumpkins or how best to recycle them online.

Residents can order a food waste caddy by visiting the Forest of Dean District Council’s website.