Composting
Composting is the process of recycling organic materials to create soil and reduce food waste. You can compost at home using food scraps and yard debris.
The following items can be used for composting:
Food
- Meat
- Cheese
- Seafood
- Bones
- Eggshells
- Bread
- Pasta
- Grains
- Nuts
- Beans
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Coffee grounds
- Spoiled food & plate scrapings
Yard debris
- Weeds
- Leaves
- Grass
- Flowers
- House plants
- Plant clippings
- Pumpkins
- Branches under 4” thick & 36” long
Other
- Food-soiled pizza delivery boxes
- paper towels
- Napkins
- Paper coffee filters
- Tea bags
NO pet waste, dirt, rocks, ashes, lumber, to-go containers
Learn how to construct a worm bin.
Learn how to make your own compost.
Food Waste
Did you know that the average family of four spends $2,900 each year on food that ends up uneaten or that one-third of the food produced in the United States is never eaten? Preventing food waste is one of the most influential actions you can take to save money and help the environment.
Follow these tips to reduce your food waste:
- Store food that will go bad soonest in visible part of fridge or pantry
- Keep track of what you have at home or what you need to use up before it goes bad
- Create meals from what you have on hand
- Finish all your leftovers
- Freeze for later use
- Monitor temperature in fridge to make sure it’s at the best setting to preserve your food
- Check fridge and pantry before you shop
- Meal plan and stick to your shopping list
Food storage tips (via Don’t Let Good Food Go Bad):
Freezer
- Freeze bread and put slices directly in the toaster.
- Most fruits and vegetables freeze well. Blanch and dry vegetables first. Spread fruits and veggies in a single layer on a pan, freeze, then store in air-tight containers for up to one year. Label and date.
- Freeze leftovers for a future meal.
- Freeze meat in single servings for easier prep.
Fridge
- Store produce that wilts, like lettuce, in the high-humidity drawer.
- Store produce that gets moldy, like fruit, in the low-humidity drawer.
- The door is the warmest spot in the fridge; ok to store condiments there but not milk or other perishable items.
- Donʼt wash berries until right before eating.
- Keep fresh herbs and asparagus stem-side down in a glass of water.
Cupboards
- Store dried herbs, spices, grains, beans and cooking oil in a cool, dark, dry cupboard.
- The same goes for potatoes, onions and garlic; store potatoes and onions separately to prevent sprouting.
Countertop
- Store produce like tomatoes, avocados and fruit on the counter until ripe, then store in the fridge.
- Store apples and bananas separately from other fruits to slow ripening (to ripen produce faster, put it in a paper bag with an apple).
Learn more about food waste at DontLetGoodFoodGoBad.org and EatSmartWasteLess.com