Reduce Your Waste Without Reducing Your Fun At Halloween!

Image of children sat in a garden with pumpkin lanterns on Halloween

If you are participating in Halloween this year then think about ways you can reduce your waste (and maybe save money at the same time!)

#1 Have a go at making a costume

Raid your wardrobe to see what you can fashion out of clothes you already have or explore the charity shops. Easy ideas include black cats, zombies, witches, crazy professors and ghosts. Or do a costume swap with friends/family.

#2 Make DIY decorations

Create hanging ghosts out of white bed sheets, write scary signs such as ‘Enter at your own Risk’ with red paint, old dollies can be put to good use too! Think about other ways to make your home spooky – use music, lighting, candles (but keep candles out of reach of children and remember to blow them out!).

#3 Get crafty with the kids

Get the kids creating some Halloween crafts to display. There’s loads of ideas on the internet and here’s a few we like.

#4 Pick your own pumpkin locally

Support your local farmers by picking your own pumpkin. Then use the insides of the pumpkin to make all sorts of food – pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie etc. and remember to compost your Jack O’Lantern when done.

Image of a hand selecting a pumpkin at a pumpkin farm

#5 Party food and drink options

Think about alternative food and drinks. Draw pumpkin faces using a black sharpie on satsumas, make a big bowl or jug of cranberry juice drink to make a berry bloody punch.

Image of a satsuma with a Halloween face drawn on

#6 Dressing the table

Use biodegradable or reusable tableware. Check out these biodegradable plates here.

#7 Reusable decorations

If you do want shop bought Halloween decorations, buy reusable ones and look into paper options. Store all your decorations carefully so they can be used year after year. Check out these paper pom poms here.

#8 Got time to bake?

If you have time, make your own sweets and cakes. Check out Annabel Karmel for great spooky recipes. Instead of individually wrapped sweets, fill containers with pick and mix style sweets allow kids to help themselves. Give them a recyclable and biodegradable paper bag each to full up on their favourites.

Check out these biodegradable paper bags.

Image of a slice of pumpkin pie on a plate next to a pumpkin

#9 Old favourites are still the best

The kids will love old school games like bobbing for apples, eating donuts on string or pin the broom on the witch.

#10 Recycle, recycle, recycle

Finally, if you only do one thing, then recycle whatever you can- this may mean taking things to your local supermarket if they can’t be recycled at the kerbside.