We love composting, but it has definitely taken some trial and error to figure it out. One of the biggest challenges was learning what to compost.
You would be surprised how many non food related items can and should be composted. Check out our master list of composting items below.
Produce Products
Food scraps are what most people think of when the topic of composting comes up. Food scraps are referred to as the greens which are nitrogen-rich materials. They decompose quicker when cut up into small pieces.
- Rinds of fruit
- Pits and seeds (small)
- Produce scraps
- Peals
- Green clippings (example tops of carrots)
Animal Products
- Egg shells
Food Products
- Ground coffee
- Tea bags
- Nuts
Household Products
- Coffee filters
- Paper
Yard Waste
The browns are carbon-rich materials that consist mainly of dried yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings. In general there should be a ratio of 25-30 browns to 1 of the greens.
- Grass clippings
- Dried leaves
- Dried weeds
- Sawdust
- Excess dirt
- Dried pine needles
- Natural fibers
- Dried flowers
Things to Avoid
- Dairy products
- Meat and bones
- Fruit stickers
- Hard pits (avocado pits, for example)
- Personal hygiene products
- Animal excrement
- Oils
I hope that helps with what to compost in your bin! Let me know how your composting adventures go or if you have any questions.
Check out my post on how to make the most of composting.
I’ve never composted before so this was very informative! Thank you
We compost and do all this but avoid putting in egg shells. I understand you have to wash them so they don’t have any of the membrane on it, and TBH, I just don’t put in that effort. I do love keeping all this waste out of the landfill though!
Thank You!
We were surprised at all the things we could compost. We thought it was food too, but it is a lot more and saves room in the regular trash which saves us from having to pay for a bigger trash can from the city.
I need to start composting again for my garden area! This inspires me to get started.
Never tried. Thanks for this post it was very useful x
That’s so helpful! Thank you so much for sharing this list
Thank you for this insight, I am new to learning compost.
Thanks for all this info. I’ve always wondered!!
Thank You
Great information! I’ve tried composting before, but I was just winging it. After reading this I see that I was doing it all wrong. Can’t wait to give it another try!
Thank You, good luck with your new compost bin!
My mom used to have a compost bin when I was a kid but I haven’t thought about it in years and never set up one of my own. Great informative post!
Thank You!
This is so informative! It’s so important we start making a strong shift towards sustainability. The first step is knowledge.
Thank you!