Plastic-free costumes and pumpkin smoothies: Fun ways to have a green Halloween

Making sustainable changes at Halloween is easy and doesn't mean you'll have any less fun with the family

Make sure you use every bit of that pumpkin for both food and fun.

Plastic masks, single-use costumes and a massive carbon footprint: these are the Halloween traditions many are trying to avoid this year.

As we all become more conscious of our impact on the planet, many of us are trying to 'greenify' our Samhain celebrations - and luckily, there are plenty of ways to do that.

Pumpkins 

Thousands of pumpkins are bought for Halloween to be carved up and, unfortunately, many are left to rot and thrown away. Ollwyn Moran, child development expert and founder of Cognikids, says every part of a pumpkin can be used for both food and fun.

“Food can be fun too, from trying new foods to making crafts and creating sensory experiences,’ he says.

“My immune-boosting smoothie is perfect for the whole family to enjoy, while the leftover pumpkin shell can be cut into shapes to provide a fine motor skills exercise in pumpkin paint stamping.” Scroll down for the immune-boosting smoothie recipe.

Plastic 

It is estimated that costumes will use about 500 tonnes of plastic this year in Ireland alone. They are often made using non-biodegradable, oil-based plastics, it is expected thye will all end up in landfills and oceans.

Another thing to be mindful of is where those plastics come from: getting these cheap outfits from far-off countries that mass produce plastic goods may be cheap, but the carbon emissions aren’t worth the bargain.

This year, online charity shop Thriftify.ie are urging people to have a ‘Green Halloween’ and shop for a preloved outfit to upcycle. Not only will you be doing good for the environment, it will also be a fun activity for you and your pals or your family.

“We want to encourage folks to have fun with costumes but make it a sustainable holiday, by opting for a preloved garment and getting creative with it., says CEO Of Thriftify and climate activist Rónán ó’Dálaigh.

“There are thousands of items on Thriftify.ie from white shirts to black dresses to things with sequins and vintage pieces so if you think outside the box, you are sure to find something that will work for what you have in mind and you can wear consciously!” 

 Tips from Thriftify on using old clothing as a costume 

• Repurpose an old white gown or old wedding dress (there are lots on Thriftify) and go as a corpse bride.
• A black dress always works as a spooky witch or a member of the Adams Family.
• An old shirt with fake blood on it can work as a clever zombie outfit or a pirate.
• A black and white striped top can be worked into a pirate costume or a possessed prisoner.
• Go girly with a fancy dress with sequins sewed on to make a fairy or princess dress.
• Add fangs and a cape from an old vampire costume to an old princess dress and you have a Bride of Dracula.
• Get crafty and get out the paints-use cardboard boxes lying around to make a robot or transformer.
• A red and white striped top with blue jeans can make a “Where’s Wally?”.
• Get a black jumpsuit and stitch on some bone patterns to make a skeleton.

Immune Boost Smoothie

This smoothie has all the immune boosting properties of a natural antibiotic and helps aid digestion too. This sweet and zingy little mixture will be a hit with the whole family. It can also be used as a topping for yogurt and porridge.

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 4 carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)

• 4 apples (washed, core removed & roughly chopped)

• 50g or a handful of cubed pumpkin (optional)

• 1 orange (juiced) or 75ml of fresh orange juice (not from concentrate)

• 1 inch of ginger (grated)

• Half a teaspoon of turmeric

Method

1. Place 100mls of water in the base of a steamer saucepan.

2. Place carrots, pumpkin (optional) and then apples into the steamer part of the saucepan

3. Place the lid on the saucepan and bring to the boil and then reduce slightly to a low boil or simmer. Steam for 12-15mins

4. Transfer steamed carrots & apples to a blender. Retain the steamer water in case you need to add later to help with consistency.

5. Add orange juice, ginger & turmeric to the blender and then blitz until contents are a smooth purée consistency. Add some of the water from the steamer to the blender to create a smoother consistency.

6. Allow to cool before serving.
   
   BABIES: Serve on its own to a baby as a warm or cool purée with a Cognikids Dip spoon. Teething babies like when you coat the head of a Dip spoon with the purée and freeze to make soothing lollipops.
   BABY & TODDLER: Serve in a Cognikids Sip cup with straw as a smoothie for little ones.
   OLDER CHILDREN: Blend with ice for a delicious immune boost smoothie.
   STORAGE: in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 5-months
   Recipe by Ollwyn Moran, Child Development Expert and Founder of Cognikids