Use it up · Vegetables

Butternut and other winter squash

Have extra butternut and other winter squash? Here’s how to choose, store and prep butternut and other winter squash, plus 6 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Choose squash that feels heavy, with a hard, dull rind and a dry stem.

Best season: Fall and winter. Timing varies by region.

🧊 Storing it

Pantry: Up to about 6 months whole in a cool, dry place; don't refrigerate whole squash
Freezer: 12 months cooked

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University System and Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Use a heavy knife on a cutting board that doesn't slip; microwaving the whole squash for 2 to 3 minutes softens the rind. Scoop the seeds and roast.

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: winter squash. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Butternut squash. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	45 kcal	2%
Protein	1.0 g	2%
Total fat	0.1 g	0%
Saturated fat	0.0 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	12 g	4%
Dietary fiber	2.0 g	7%
Total sugars	2.2 g
Sodium	4.0 mg	0%
Calcium	48 mg	4%
Iron	0.7 mg	4%
Potassium	352 mg	7%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 169295 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

6 recipes, the ones that use the most butternut and other winter squash first.

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.