Skip carving pumpkins this year and use your pantry to create cute — and spooky — characters instead. These festive decorations will bring Halloween-style curb appeal to your porch and scare away any squirrels thinking about turning your pumpkin into a snack. Plus, because there’s no carving involved, kids can get in on the action using everything from veggies to classic Halloween candy. Pick your favorite one to try tonight.

Ghosts (pictured above)

Casper has some competition. Turn pumpkins of different sizes into a cute ghost group and let them brighten up your front porch.

Cat and Mouse

Finally turn all those small pumpkins into tiny mice made of candy. Kids can make the mouse character while parents work on the black cat.

Nutty Professor

An assortment of classic salad ingredients make up the different parts of this silly pumpkin character.

Frankenstein’s Monster

Grab a big oval pumpkin from the patch to turn into this giant monster head. Complete the look with a combination of candy and veggies.

Scary Clown

For many people, there’s nothing more scary than a clown. This one is extra creepy with a wide licorice mouth and candy corn teeth.

Click here for even more ideas for pumpkin characters from Food Network Magazine.