According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, close to 67,000 acres of pumpkin were harvested in the US in 2020. This resulted in over 1.5 billion pounds of usable pumpkin!
Clearly, people love pumpkins. Pumpkins don’t just make great Halloween decorations. They can also be incorporated into other dishes. Read on to learn the different ways to incorporate pumpkin into the menu!
Related: Why Athena Farms
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
Part of the reason you should incorporate pumpkin into your menu is because it’s so healthy. Pumpkin is rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s also low-calorie, making it a great weight-loss food.
Desserts
Pumpkin pie is perhaps the most famous pumpkin-related food. However, pumpkin tastes great in a variety of other desserts as well.
You add pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cupcakes, or pumpkin ice cream to your menu.
Entrees and Side Dishes
While we often associate pumpkin with sweet treats, the vegetable itself isn’t super sweet. For this reason, pumpkin makes a great addition to savory entrees and side dishes.
Some popular pumpkin dishes you may want to add to your menu include pumpkin risotto, pumpkin chili, pumpkin lasagna, or pumpkin curry. You can also add pumpkin hummus, pumpkin mashed potatoes, or toasted pumpkin seeds to your menu.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many great pumpkin recipes to add to your menu. If you’re looking to buy pumpkins from Athena Farms, click here to request a quote!