Halloween pumpkins: cheaper options, safer carving and reuse ideas

With Halloween approaching, households are turning to a growing array of pumpkin carving shortcuts, safety tips and reuse ideas to simplify the ritual of making jack-o-lanterns, cut costs and reduce seasonal waste. Social media creators and retailers are promoting techniques that minimize knife use, extend the life of carved pumpkins and offer inexpensive options for shoppers stocking up ahead of the holiday.

A range of simple tools can speed up carving and reduce the risk of cuts. One viral method uses an electric hand mixer to break up pulp and loosen seeds, making scooping easier. Another widely shared technique places sturdy metal cookie cutters against the pumpkin surface and taps them through with a mallet to stamp out shapes, limiting the amount of knife work required. Safety warnings from product and home-safety guides note that punching with cookie cutters requires care to avoid caving in the pumpkin wall, and recommend using a pairing knife only for fine work.

Retail checks this week found large price differences among supermarket chains, giving shoppers opportunities to save. Lidl offered single pumpkins for as little as 69 pence, while Sainsbury's stocked larger...