Pumpkin Carving 101

Experts share tips and tricks for carving jack-o’-lanterns with kids

Planning to carve a pumpkin with your kids for Halloween but not sure where to start? Follow these easy pumpkin-carving tips from the pros: Michael Natiello, master carver and creative director of The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Westchester County and Long Island, and Thomas Olton, from Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns on Long Island.

PICK THE PERFECT PUMPKIN

There are two ways to approach it. You either have a design in mind and find a pumpkin that suits the design, or you choose your favorite pumpkin and let it ‘speak’ to you. For example, if a pumpkin looks like Frankenstein’s monster, carve it into Frankenstein’s monster. • When choosing your pumpkin, look for one that is without bruises, is evenly colored, and isn’t moldy or rotten. Check the bottom for rot and tap gently to hear a firm, hollow sound. • The lighter the pumpkin’s skin, the softer the pumpkin will be, thus the easier to carve. However, lighter-skinned pumpkins may not last as long after carving. • Choose a pumpkin with a smooth, flat face, with shallow ridges and few of them. Never carry your pumpkin by the stem. • If it’s heavy, that’s a good sign. If it’s light, it probably has been sitting around a while, so it will be shriveled up or dried out.

It’s like picking an apple—you want the freshest fruit.

DESIGNING YOUR JACK-O’-LANTERN

A good rule of thumb is larger and simpler shapes are best for younger kids. As the shapes get smaller and more complicated, it’s going to take someone a little older with a little more skill.

With just a quick Internet search, you can find numerous stencils that will help bring your child’s favorite characters to life on a pumpkin. If you decide you want to create your own image, you’ll still want to draw it on paper first. You can then transfer your drawing onto the pumpkin and ensure it looks good before carving.

Most people will tape a picture onto the pumpkin and trace it out by making tiny holes in the skin of the pumpkin with a small pin along the outlines. When you peel the paper off, you will have dotted lines that make up your image.

Another method is to rub the back of the piece of paper with a piece of charcoal to make it completely black. Tape the paper on the pumpkin, charcoal-side down, and then trace the image with a ballpoint pen. That will leave a pencil copy of your image.

PUMPKIN CARVING TOOLS

Exacto knives are great for carving pumpkins. People think it’s too dangerous to use very sharp knives, but a sharp knife used carefully is a lot safer than a dull knife you must force through the pumpkin.

You can also use commercially available pumpkin saws, which are found in pumpkin carving tool kits in stores this time of year. If small children are going to take part in the carving, you’ll want to find these tools.

Want to get a little more creative? Go through your junk drawer.

Anything that can make a dent or a divot in the pumpkin is fair game. Think: screwdrivers, old keys, melon ballers, anything metal.

CARVING PUMPKINS WITH KIDS

Once you’ve picked out the perfect pumpkin, you’ll want to: • Wash the pumpkin with soapy water, then dry it. • Cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin. This helps to keep it stable. If you prefer the more traditional look of a hole in the top, cut it with a slanted edge, which will keep the top from falling inside. • Give your child a spoon and let them go to town ripping the guts out of it. That’s the messy and the fun part! • Scrape the inside flesh clean and smooth until it’s approximately 1-inch thick. • Transfer or draw your pattern onto the chosen side of the pumpkin. • Make cutouts. » Think about your cut before you make it. » Start in the middle and work your way out (this helps keep the pumpkin structurally sound). » Leave large areas to cut out for last and cut them into smaller pieces for easier removal. As you begin removing pieces, the pumpkin will get increasingly delicate. You will find it much easier to cut out the small details first, when the pumpkin is most stable. » Hold the cutting tool perpendicular to the surface.

» Cut with gentle, steady sawing motions. » Point the cutting tool toward the pumpkin’s center. » Resist the urge to poke the cut out into the pumpkin. Instead, push it out toward you from the inside. » On corners or if changing directions, remove the carving tool then reinsert it in the new direction. • Cut a vent or chimney in the back top. • Once complete, wash under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. • Once your pumpkin is completely dry, add a candle or electric tea light inside!

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PRESERVING CARVED PUMPKINS

How long your pumpkin lasts outdoors will depend on weather and the elements. But here are a few tips to lengthen your jack-o’-lantern’s lifespan: • Make sure it’s wrapped in plastic and stored in a cool environment when not in use. Some people put it in their fridge or a cool, dark place. You don’t want it baking in the sun because it rots and turns into mush. • After carving, clean your jack-o’-lantern with soapy water or disinfect it with a mild bleach solution (a little bleach and water or any bleach-based bathroom cleanser). That’ll kill all the bacteria and help your pumpkin survive a few days longer. • You also can coat any openings with petroleum jelly or commercially available pumpkin preservatives.

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An Allergy-Friendly Halloween

Tricks and treats for keeping kids safe while celebrating the candy-filled holiday

BY ELIZABETH WINCHESTER

For the 1 in 13 U.S. kids with food allergies, Halloween can be the worst day of the year. Running from house to house for treats you can’t eat, and that can even make you really sick, is not exactly fun. It can be nerve-racking for parents, too.

Most Halloween candies contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, or wheat, which are all among the nine most common food allergens. (Fish, shellfish, and sesame account for the remaining three.) While kids with food allergies and their parents are accustomed to reading ingredient labels, Halloween-sized treats usually don’t have them. What are kids with food allergies and their parents to do, and how can friends without this challenge help?

Here are our tricks and treats to make Halloween less scary for kids with food allergies and their parents.

BE THE GIVER » After a

few years of trick-or-treating with friends, or not wanting to try it at all, some children with food allergies may prefer to be the designated person to hand out the treats from home. Handing out the treats can be fun, and it also teaches children to appreciate the value of giving. Plus, kids will be able to see friends when they come to the door. It may not be as tasty of an experience, but for some kids, it’s a heck of a lot safer and even more enjoyable. If you have a child with food allergies who prefers this route, be sure to have safe treats that your child can enjoy.

PARENT UP! » If you have a child with food allergies, purchase candies that your child is allowed to eat. EnjoyLife sells chocolate Halloween-sized treats free of the top allergens. Some gummy or hard candies may be fair game, too.

TRICK-OR-TREAT SELECTIVELY » Some of your friends

may offer to provide safe treats. Carefully discuss with trusted friends what treats your child can eat. If homemade baked goods, make sure to discuss ingredients and steps, including what is used to grease a pan. (For people with certain allergies, this is super important.) You could even supply the treats to friends and make a map for your child to follow, like a scavenger hunt. If it’s your friends who have children with food allergies, offer to do this for their children—it’s something the parents and kids will always remember.

PLAN A SPOOKY SUPPER » Make your

Halloween meal the main event! From Spooky Chicken Poppers and Mummy Dogs to Pizza Dough Bones and Ghostly Cookies, there are many recipes online. Check out enjoylifefoods.com and weelicious.com for some great options.

Many kids’ cookbooks also have ideas, and creative young chefs might come up with their own creepy creations. Be sure to review ingredients and adapt as necessary.

TAKE PART IN THE TEAL PUMPKIN

PROJECT » Paint a pumpkin teal, which is the color for food-allergy awareness, and support this initiative that has taken off thanks to Food Allergy Research & Education and mom Becky Basalone, who came up with the idea in 2012. A teal pumpkin displayed at a home signifies that on Halloween, kids can trick-or-treat for non-food items there. Find teal pumpkin posters and other information at foodallergy.org.

Elizabeth Winchester is a content director for Davler Parents. Her oldest son has a life-threatening dairy allergy. Share your food allergy experiences with her at lwinchester@davlermedia.com.