Four Ways to Use Pumpkins Around Your Home This Fall
Sep 22, 2025
Pumpkins can be used for lots more than just autumn décor. These hardy gourds are versatile, nutritious, and surprisingly useful around the house.
If you have an abundance of pumpkins this fall, here are some fun and practical ways to put them to good use that don’t require a pie plate.
Foods
Pumpkin flesh adds a velvety texture and mild sweetness to savory dishes. Cube it for rustic stews or puree it into a creamy soup with garlic and herbs. Roasting the pumpkin first deepens its flavor and makes peeling easier.
Another way to use pumpkins is for homemade pumpkin butter. Slow-cook pumpkin puree with apple cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg until it thickens into a rich, spiced spread. You can spread the delicious mixture on biscuits or cornbread for a cozy autumn treat.
Pumpkin seeds are also a protein-packed snack. Toss them with salt or spices and roast until crunchy. They store well and make great lunchbox add-ins.
Animal Treats
Chickens, goats, and pigs all love pumpkin. The seeds are even a natural dewormer for poultry. Just break open a pumpkin and let your animals enjoy the feast. It’s a healthy, seasonal snack.
Pumpkin is also a great flavor to add to homemade dog treats.
Outside Use
If you can’t eat them all, pumpkins make excellent compost. Their high water content breaks down quickly, enriching your compost pile with nutrients for next year’s garden.
Home Decor
In addition to carving jack-o-lanterns and placing pumpkins on the front porch, many people place hay bales, pumpkins, and dried cornstalks at their home’s outside entrance. Pumpkins can also be placed inside the home at the center of a fall display, along with fall leaves and other seasonal trinkets to usher in the new season.
If you have an abundance of pumpkins this fall, here are some fun and practical ways to put them to good use that don’t require a pie plate.
Foods
Pumpkin flesh adds a velvety texture and mild sweetness to savory dishes. Cube it for rustic stews or puree it into a creamy soup with garlic and herbs. Roasting the pumpkin first deepens its flavor and makes peeling easier.
Another way to use pumpkins is for homemade pumpkin butter. Slow-cook pumpkin puree with apple cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg until it thickens into a rich, spiced spread. You can spread the delicious mixture on biscuits or cornbread for a cozy autumn treat.
Pumpkin seeds are also a protein-packed snack. Toss them with salt or spices and roast until crunchy. They store well and make great lunchbox add-ins.
Animal Treats
Chickens, goats, and pigs all love pumpkin. The seeds are even a natural dewormer for poultry. Just break open a pumpkin and let your animals enjoy the feast. It’s a healthy, seasonal snack.
Pumpkin is also a great flavor to add to homemade dog treats.
Outside Use
If you can’t eat them all, pumpkins make excellent compost. Their high water content breaks down quickly, enriching your compost pile with nutrients for next year’s garden.
Home Decor
In addition to carving jack-o-lanterns and placing pumpkins on the front porch, many people place hay bales, pumpkins, and dried cornstalks at their home’s outside entrance. Pumpkins can also be placed inside the home at the center of a fall display, along with fall leaves and other seasonal trinkets to usher in the new season.