5 Tips for Carving the Perfect Pumpkin

Jack-o-lanterns are one of the most common decorations associated with Halloween. They are a ton of fun to carve because you can make them as silly or scary as you want — and you can get the whole family involved!

If you haven’t carved a pumpkin before or need a refresher, making a jack-o-lantern is a challenging task. Knowing the right pumpkin carving tips and tricks can make your carving easier and much less frustrating.

Here are 5 key tips for carving the perfect pumpkin this Halloween:

1. Pick the right pumpkin.

When you choose your pumpkin, think about how you want to carve it. Pumpkins come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so it is important to choose accordingly! Considerations include where the pumpkin will be displayed, what you want to carve into it (ie: a full face or words), and who will be carving the pumpkin.

2. Make a stencil of your design.

Draw your design onto the pumpkin using a pencil before you begin to carve. It will be a lot easier to carve along a line than to just start carving on a whim, regardless of your pumpkin carving technique. Also, if you don’t like the design of your jack-o-lantern, you can easily erase the pencil marks and draw a new one.

3. Make it kid friendly.

To keep your small children involved in the pumpkin carving process, you can have them help with scooping out the seeds or drawing the face onto the pumpkin. Another option is to buy a small pumpkin for them to paint and decorate on their own while you carve away!

4. Save the pumpkin seeds.

Instead of throwing out all of the pumpkin seeds after you are done carving, stick them in the oven to be baked. They are a healthy, nutritious snack and are quite delicious! One fourth of a cup of pumpkin seeds has nine grams of protein. Get a recipe for how to bake pumpkin seeds.

5. Use flashlights not candles.

Once you are done carving, it’s time to put your jack-o-lantern on display. Place glow sticks or small flashlights inside of it instead of candles to avoid fire hazards. You will have peace of mind just in case someone happens to knock it over on their way to get more candy!

The bottom line is that there are all kinds of pumpkin carving techniques and tools. You can successfully carve a pumpkin with just a few spoons (to scoop the seeds), a couple kinds of kitchen knives (see what works best), and some paper bags or trash bags (under the pumpkin to catch the mess). The important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process!