Yes, you can. You can compost bread of all sorts, including that moldy bread that you forgot about until it was too late.
Can I Compost Moldy Bread
Yes! In fact, it’s actually a bit better to compost moldy bread. You want to avoid fresh bread, just go ahead and eat that. Stale bread is okay too. While we don’t want to eat it, the mold helps break down the bread more quickly and improves how your bread composts.
In general, you should avoid animal products like meat and dairy in your compost. Because of this, serious composters will check the ingredients on bread to ensure it doesn’t include any dairy or other animal products you should avoid.
Why Should You Compost Bread
About 20-40% of our waste in landfills is food. Landfills account for over 30% of methane emissions in the United States. This adds to greenhouse gases and climate change because of the low oxygen process that occurs as the landfill decomposes. Reducing food waste in landfills reduces greenhouse gases while also producing a very fertile addition to gardening or lawn care without the need for additional fertilizers.
How do I Compost Bread?
Composting bread is really easy. There are a few things you might want to do to keep the bugs away.
- Rip Up the Bread – This will help speed up the process and reduces bugs.
- Add it to the Middle of Your Compost – Don’t just drop it on top; add it to the middle.
- Cover the bread with Brown Compost Material – Bread is part of your green compost, which always needs to be mixed with brown compost like leaves, wood, sawdust, and other carbon-rich material. This helps the composting process.
- Aerate Your Compost – Mix things up to get oxygen throughout the compost pile. This helps the composting process.
If you’re vermicomposting (using worms) they’ll often help keep pests down to a minimum. They help to aerate the compost and break down the food.
Will Bread Attract Pests
Just like other kitchen waste, insects, mice, rats, and other pests love composting bread. Don’t worry, though; add it to the middle of your pile and make sure to aerate your pile and that will help keep the critters away.
Can You Put Bread in Compost
Bread is a great addition to your compost. It adds to the nitrogen-rich material and breaks down nicely, especially if it’s moldy. For once, moldy bread is a benefit. It can attract bugs, which like food just like we do. With a few simple steps, you can cut down on the pests but still benefit from adding bread to your compost.
Now you know the answer to “can I compost bread”. Have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions for Composting Bread
Can You Compost Tortillas?
Sure, no problem. They’re very similar to bread, so basically it’s the same. Tortillas tend to be dry and so will wick up any moisture around them. Consider soaking them in water or just adding some more water to your compost pile.
Also, like almost anything else, break them up and add them in small pieces. If you have a lot of them, you might want to add them over time.
Can You Compost Tortilla Chips?
Yes you can compost tortilla chips. Make sure that it doesn’t have things that you shouldn’t compost, like cheese and other dairy. Also, remember that tortilla chips will soak up moisture that is in your compost bin, so it might create dry conditions for your compost. Here are some things that you can do to make it easier to compost tortilla chips:
– Break up the chips. As with anything else that we compost, smaller pieces will compost faster.
– Soak them in water, or add water to them after adding them to your bin
– Add them to the middle of your pile. Animals may smell the grease or even the chips and try to get into your bin or compost pile.
Generally, there isn’t enough grease on them to harm your compost pile, but if there is a lot of grease, you might want to add them in smaller quantities. Also, if you have a lot of tortilla chips to compost, you might want to add them over a few weeks to avoid harming your compost with the grease.
Can You Compost Potato Chips?
Very similar to tortilla chips, you can compost potato chips. You want to do so in moderation or you risk the grease becoming a problem in your compost pile. Make sure to add some water as well. Overall, though, you should be fine to compost potato chips.