5 Tips for Carving A Pumpkin

According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Halloween often results in serious hand injuries—requiring three to four months for rehabilitation. To help avoid a trip to the ER, take these precautions when carving pumpkins.

• Don’t rush.
• Use small, controlled motions.
• Choose a location that is well lit and a work surface that’s sturdy.
• Keep your hands and carving tools dry.
• For added safety, leave the pumpkin top on so you don’t put your hand inside the pumpkin and risk cutting it.  Cut the pumpkin from the bottom and leave the top of the pumpkin intact.
• Using an ice cream scoop or large, sturdy spoon will greatly increase your seed removal speed. For lingering stringy bits, finish it off with a fork. The goal certainly is to get rid of as much gunk from inside the pumpkinas possible.   If you want to use power tools to get the job really DONE, there is a link to which power tools to use and the easier your carving will be.

Never let a young child carve a pumpkin. If you allow your older child to create a jack-o’-lantern, supply them with an age-appropriate pumpkin carving tool kit and supervise them closely.

Pumpkin carving is fun, but it’s also messy—especially when kids are involved. Slippery pumpkin flesh or seeds may end up on the floor and cause a fall. To help minimize this risk, lay down newspaper or a disposable drop cloth under your work area, and pick it up as soon as you’re done carving.

What do you do with all those pumpkin seeds?

Regardless of the size or number of your seeds, bake them at 300-400°F. Watch them carefully — they’re done when they begin to lightly brown. Small pumpkin seeds may toast in around 5 minutes or so, while large pumpkin seeds may take up to 20 minutes.  On the other hand, you might want to roast them with honey and butter or spices.  If you think pizza flavored pumpkin seeds or ranch flavored sound better, here are six recipes to try  along with more information about roasting pumpkin seeds!