🎃 Did you know that 14 million pumpkins go to waste each Halloween in the UK? Often chosen for looks rather than taste, traditional pumpkins lack flavour, nutrients, and rot quickly after carving. But there’s a better option! At Riverford, we’re all about sustainable choices, so this Halloween, we celebrated with a squash decorating competition! Unlike pumpkins, squash are packed with flavour, loaded with nutrients, and can be stored for months. Not only did we see some incredible creativity from our co-owners, but we also encouraged everyone to cook up a delicious meal with their decorated squash—grown for bellies, not bins! Check out our competition winner and runners-up below, and if you’re looking for a tasty way to reduce food waste, explore our recipes and tips for choosing squash over pumpkins: Choose Taste, Not Waste. - https://bit.ly/40FgYtG Let’s celebrate sustainability together! 🌱 #ChooseTasteNotWaste #Riverford
Chris Coggins
1mo
I think it's horrendous how many acres of land are taken up growing a vegetable that so few people know how to or have the inclination to cook Before you call foul, I know this is a generalisation, and in fact I've actually bought some just to cook with in the past and that there are those out there that both carve and cook with them. What appears even worse is seeing the number of fields still full of rotting pumpkins that were over produced 'just in case'. Sorry but it's not just because I'm one of the 'We never celebrated Halloween when I were a lad' age group, it's more of the waste of agricultural land and effort that could be directed elsewhere to feed those that are struggling, although I know it wouldn't be as profitable.
Love the creativity and sustainability focus, Riverford Organic Farmers! This squash decorating competition not only celebrates Halloween in a fresh way but also shines a light on reducing food waste. Choosing flavorful, nutrient-packed squash over traditional pumpkins is a delicious step towards more mindful choices. Let's all embrace #ChooseTasteNotWaste—because great food is too good to throw away!
Good In Bread
1mo
What a great idea!
Brian McGee
1mo
<[G]rown for bellies, not bins>: we love that! (Danielle U. you might like too?) We took a butternut squash to Scotland and never got round to cooking it in a three-week trip. Amazed at how long it lasted - the soup it became the other day, a couple of weeks after we got home, was delicious.
Chirrup.ai
1mo
Excellent idea! ☺️
Clare Burns
1mo
It makes me so sad seeing the soggy pumpkins going to waste every year - thanks for suggesting more sustainable (and wonderful) alternatives!
Anthony Dawe
1mo
Brilliant.
Editor, writer and media consultant at Natural Newsdesk
1moIt was neep carving for us growing up. A custom my mum brought south from Scotland (I did wonder at the time why we were the only family who single-mindedly chiselled away at turnips each Halloween).