‘Tis the season of pumpkins. For the next couple of months, we are all overloaded with pumpkins, pumpkin everything! From pumpkin pie to pumpkin spice lattes, and even pumpkin scented deodorant (yes, it exists). But did you know pumpkins are also a super food? They contain elevated levels of beta-carotene and potassium and are a good source of antioxidants and fiber. The best part is that they are easy to grow, especially in cooler climates. Like coconut oil, which has a million and one essential uses, pumpkin seed oil is just as good for you. The meat of the pumpkin is versatile and can be used in savory, sweet dishes and yeast bread. It is a starchy vegetable which can provide the needed calories in an emergency, making it an ideal food for preppers.

1. Picking the right pumpkin.
   Pie pumpkins are the best to use, as they have more meat and more seeds than the bigger ones which are mainly grown for decorations. Pie pumpkins are also more flavorful.
   
   
2. Prepping your pumpkin.
   Peel and cut your pumpkin in half to remove all the seeds and all the stringy bits.
   
   
3. Deciding on the cut.
   Depending on what you plan on making with your dehydrated pumpkin, you may like to cut it into small chunks for soups or stews or shred it into tiny bits for pumpkin flour. You can replace 1/4 cup of wheat flour with pumpkin flour in yeast bread. You can also reconstitute pumpkin flour with hot water to make pumpkin puree.
   
   
4. Dehydrating
   Set your dehydrator to your fruit / veg setting to 135 °F approximately for about 24 hours. The chunks take longer to dehydrate than the shreds so depending on how you cut up your pumpkin you might want to adjust the time.
   
   
5. Storing your dehydrated pumpkin.
   It is best to vacuum pack your dehydrated pumpkin using a Food Saver machine or similar, either in mason jars or in vacuum sealer bags ...and don’t forget to add in oxygen absorbers to maintain its freshness.
   
   

Side Note: As you may know butternut squash can be substituted for pumpkin and vice versa. They are very similar. Pumpkins do have more seeds though.