Anyone know why I can't find canned pumpkin anywhere?

[llmart]

Is this the latest toilet paper/Lysol wipes/paper towels shortage? I've looked in all the stores around me and no one has it, not even Whole Foods which usually has their own brand. I was at a farm stand this weekend and there's pumpkins everywhere including pie pumpkins, so there is no shortage of pumpkin.

Every fall I make a pumpkin pecan breakfast bread recipe that I got from NPR's website several years ago and I had a hankering for some. I sure don't want to have to do the whole fresh pumpkin route. I did that years ago and it was pretty time consuming.

[elleng]

1. Dunno, think Dunkin' and Starbucks have used it all???

[llmart]

6. That was my first thought.

Have to get ready for the pumpkin spice season, better known as fall, which by the way starts Tuesday!

Don't we usually have a long thread/argument every year on DU about whether we like pumpkin spice anything or not?

[elleng]

9. MAYBE there's such a thread, but

I never touch the stuff!!!

[llmart]

11. There you go starting the annual fall discussion.

[dhol82]

2. Might still be a tad early?

although, there is usually canned pumpkin available year round.
Have you asked at your local market why they don’t have any?

[llmart]

7. I don't think it's too early.

As you said, there's usually canned pumpkin on the shelves year round. I asked one stockboy but he just made up an answer like "our trucks come in tomorrow and maybe we'll have it then". I try to get in and out of the grocery stores as quickly as I can these days.

[dhol82]

10. What can I say - we pumpkin bakers are fucked!

Hope reinforcements arrive soon.

[rzemanfl]

3. They're using it to make up Drumpf? n/t

[llmart]

4. LOL

Now you're just trying to ruin my appetite for it.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

5. My local grocery has it, so I don't know.

They have Libby's and the generic store brand in stock.

[llmart]

8. That's good to know.

Are you in Ohio?

[Buckeye_Democrat]

18. Yes, close to where I-70 and I-75 intersect. nt

[llmart]

22. I'm not willing to drive that far to get canned pumpkin.

I am, however, from NE Ohio originally and live in the Detroit area now. My siblings still all live there. I rarely go back any more.

[Laffy Kat]

12. Maybe there is a shortage of Dickinson pumpkins.

Dickinsons are the type they use for canned pumpkin. These squash look a lot different from the Jack-o-lantern pumpkins we see in the stores. Maybe it was a bad year? This is what I found on Snopes. If so, bummer.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/canned-pumpkin-isnt-actually-pumpkin/

[llmart]

13. Interesting.

The farmers I've been to have the pie pumpkins separated from the others. They label the crates as "Pie Pumpkins" and they are usually much smaller, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're not photogenic. They're just really small. I've never seen it labeled as Dickinsons. Learn something new every day. That must be the variety.

[Laffy Kat]

20. I've also read that a lot of different types of squash go into the pie filling.

Maybe not just Dickinson. Frankly, I think real pumpkin tastes bland and the color is not as appetizing either.

[llmart]

21. Your link to Snopes says that claim is false.

n/t

[TreasonousBastard]

14. Canned goods seem to be having shortages nationwide. Part of it is a can shortage and part...

is hoarding. Walmart even has signs up apologizing for the shortages.

(It seems that a lot of the cheap steel for cans comes from China.)

Yeah, pumpkin from scratch is messy, but at least you can choose your variety of squash that way. Not this year, but in the past I hit the farm stands and loaded up on Hubbard, delicata and acorn squashes. Freezing squash gives a lot for the rest of the year. Too bad there's bumper crops this year.

[StClone]

15. Yes I have NOTICED BUT!

I grow the world's best pie pumpkin! Galeux d'Eysines: Squash of the Maraichers.

One these warty beauties makes 6 pies! Bake the raw pumpkin in big chunks for an hour at 350 degrees, leave them in the oven to cool, pop them in the Fridge overnight to juice out the excess moisture then puree. I ate 1 and one-half 9" pies. OMG soooo good.

[llmart]

16. I don't believe I've ever seen something like that.

I live near a lot of farms and usually this time of year there is so much squash available. They keep forever also. Last year I had some butternut squashes for several months that were still good.

I'll have to ask at the farms if they've ever grown them.

[StClone]

17. If you lived near me I'd give one

I have heard the pumpkin crop should be very good and is just getting to stores.

Pumpkin is one of my favorite pies! Along with Rhubarb-Strawberry (with red hots cinnamon candy), raisin cream chiffon, peach, and coconut cream.

[Blue_playwright]

19. Trader Joe's has a bunch today...

... if there’s one near you.

[spinbaby]

23. If you can't find it

You can substitute with butternut squash. Split the squash, bake until done, scoop out the pulp, and put through the food processor. I used to do this a lot back when I grew vegetables and had prolific butternut squash.