Carving pumpkins vs eating pumpkins
Updated October 2026
Not all pumpkins are equal in the kitchen.
Carving pumpkins
The big orange pumpkins sold for Halloween are bred for size, shape and a thin wall that’s easy to carve. You can eat them, but the flesh tends to be watery and bland. It’s best used in soups or curries where other flavours do the work.
Eating pumpkins and squash
Smaller pumpkins and winter squashes have denser, sweeter flesh. Look out for:
- Small “sugar” or pie pumpkins: good for roasting, pies and soups.
- Crown Prince and other blue-grey squashes: dense, sweet and nutty.
- Butternut and onion squash: very easy to cook with.
Many patches grow a mix of varieties. Ask the farm which are best for cooking.
Don’t waste the insides
- Seeds: rinse, dry, toss in oil and salt, and roast until crisp.
- Flesh from carving: use it in soup, curry or bread the same day.