Bankies buying pumpkins for Hallowe’en are being urged to turn them into a meal or snack rather than throwing them away once the guisers have gone.

The campaign group Love Food Hate Waste has published recipes on its website showing how pumpkins can be used.

Pumpkin seed brownies, pumpkin, blue cheese and apple risotto, and lentil and pumpkin lasagne are among the recipes suggested.

Ylva Haglund, food waste campaigns manager with Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Everybody loves to make the most of Hallowe’en, but this also means an ever-larger mountain of food waste each year.

“This is especially worrying given those in woeful want of food, so we aim to inspire people to turn their pumpkins into a delicious meal or snack.

“If pumpkin treats aren’t your style, then simply check with your local recycling service or turn your food waste into compost.

“Food waste contributes more to Scotland’s waste carbon than other type of waste. It’s so important to avoid just chucking away perfectly edible food.”