Composting kitchen scraps is one of the easiest ways to reduce household waste and improve your garden soil.

Kitchen Compost Container with Lid – Stores scraps neatly and controls odors indoors

Blue Ginkgo Kitchen Compost Bin

$23.99

This countertop compost bin for kitchen waste makes composting food scraps easier and more convenient. Sturdy, easy to clean, and lightweight, they feature a tight-sealing lid that helps keep odors in and bugs out. Available in four colors.

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06/05/2026 01:49 pm GMT

However, not everything from your kitchen belongs in the compost bin.

Knowing what to compost and what to avoid helps prevent odors, pests, and slow decomposition.

Kitchen Scraps You Can Compost Safely

Many everyday food scraps break down easily and add valuable nutrients to compost.

Fruit and vegetable peels, cores, and trimmings are staples for composting.

Coffee grounds and paper coffee filters are also compost-friendly and add nitrogen to the pile.

Eggshells can be composted as well, especially when crushed to help them break down faster.

Bread, rice, and plain grains can be composted in small amounts, though they should be buried well in the pile to avoid attracting pests.

Tea leaves and most paper tea bags are compostable, though it’s best to check that bags are plastic-free.

These materials decompose quickly and support healthy microbial activity.

Kitchen Scraps You Should Compost With Caution

Some scraps are compostable but require moderation.

Citrus peels, onions, and garlic can be added in small quantities, but too much may slow decomposition or discourage beneficial organisms.

Cooked foods without oils or sauces can be composted cautiously, but they should always be buried deep in the pile.

Chopping scraps into smaller pieces also helps them break down more efficiently.

Kitchen Scraps You Should Not Compost

Certain foods are best avoided in backyard compost bins.

Meat, fish, dairy products, greasy foods, and oils decompose slowly and often cause strong odors.

These items are more likely to attract rodents and insects, especially in open or low-heat compost systems.

Heavily processed foods, salty snacks, and foods with preservatives should also be avoided, as they don’t support healthy compost biology.

How to Store and Manage Kitchen Scraps

Proper storage makes composting easier and cleaner.

Collecting scraps in a sealed kitchen container prevents odors and fruit flies.

Regularly emptying and rinsing the container keeps things fresh.

Burying kitchen scraps in the center of the compost pile helps retain heat and speeds decomposition.

Balancing food scraps with dry “brown” materials like shredded paper or leaves is key to a healthy compost system.

Three Helpful Amazon Products for Kitchen Scrap Composting

Here are three Amazon product types that gardeners commonly use for managing kitchen scraps:

Outdoor Compost Bin – Holds kitchen waste while allowing airflow for decomposition

Miracle-Gro Compost Tumbler Single Chamber Easy-Turn

$69.87

Achieve all of your garden goals with Miracle-Gro’s large 18.5-gallon (70 L) single-chamber rolling compost tumbler!

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06/04/2026 10:03 pm GMT

Compost Turning Tool – Helps mix scraps evenly and reduce smells.

EJWOX Stainless Steel Compost Aerator Tool - Manual Turner & Mixer

$72.99

This compost turner is crafted from sturdy steel with a free-spinning hardwood handle, allowing the user to aerate compost with ease and efficiency, and without strain.

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06/04/2026 10:03 pm GMT

Composting Kitchen Scraps the Right Way

When done correctly, composting kitchen scraps is simple and rewarding.

By composting the right materials, avoiding problem foods, and using a few helpful tools, you can turn everyday food waste into nutrient-rich compost.

Over time, this habit not only reduces trash but also builds healthier soil and a more sustainable garden.

The post Kitchen Scraps You Can Compost and Ones You Can’t appeared first on Best Garden Composters.

In fact, as someone living in an apartment or condominium, your houseplants and patio plant containers will appreciate compost. You will also be able to reduce kitchen scraps and save yourself a trip to the building dumpster.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, kitchen scraps are essential items in our trash. When used as compost ingredients, they don’t end up in landfills.

When these scraps end up in landfills, the organic matter generates methane gas. This does not happen when you add them to a composter.

As you know, methane gas is harmful to the environment and increases the rate of climate change worldwide. Many cities have already encouraged people to use their collection and composting programs to eliminate food scraps in landfills.

If you want to do your part in slowing down climate change, then apartment composting is the way to go.

I bet you didn’t know that there are many different ways that you can compost in an apartment.

Worm Composter – Solution Number One

Also referred to as vermicomposters, worm composters are very versatile and are small and portable. They can also compost kitchen scraps and other household waste that will produce rich “worm tea” that you can use to water your houseplants and outside planter boxes.

These worm composters are easy to use since the material doesn’t need to be turned. Indeed, organic waste won’t decompose well without being turned, but the worms are turning. You have to feed them regularly.

Several Worm Composters on the market will work just fine for apartment dwellers.

Is a Worm Composter the Right Choice for You?

A worm composter is a good choice if you are interested in composting in an apartment and only have a small balcony or deck. The temperature must be between forty and eighty degrees Fahrenheit.

Worms will not survive in freezing temperatures. So if that is the temperature you experience in the winter, they will need to be brought indoors.

Also, they won’t survive in direct sunlight or even rain.

The worms will need to be fed regularly. You can use items such as shredded newspapers along with kitchen scraps. The paper helps to balance the nitrogen levels that organic material gives off.

For people in an apartment, worm composting offers a more small-scale composting.

Composter Tumblers – Solution Number Two

If you have a larger-sized balcony or are lucky enough to have a ground-floor unit with a large patio area, then a composter tumbler is a good solution.

Also, if your building has a rooftop garden or communal area, this would be another great option to use a compost tumbler. Of course, you will need permission from the condo board or building management.

Although compost tumblers tend to be larger than worm composters, several smaller sizes are perfect so that you can compost in an apartment.

These composters are sealed to generate heat to decompose materials. They also have a handle for turning the composter to mix the materials.

The other benefit of these composters is that the seal means there isn’t any smell, making them an attractive addition to your gardening if you have a small area for the composter.

Miracle-Gro Small Composter

The Miracle-Gro Small Composter is the perfect-sized composter for anyone with a small space.

Apartment and condominium dwellers will find this a good solution.

It will fit very well on your balcony, porch, patio, or rooftop garden. You will be able to compost year-round with it.

This excellent weather-resistant composter has a sturdy side-locking mechanism that makes it easy to load and unload material.

It is made of durable UV-protected plastic, meaning it won’t be leaching harmful toxins into the compost.

This particular model comes with a pair of gardening gloves that are water-resistant with a no-slip grip.

Is a Compost Tumbler the Right Choice for You?

A compost tumbler generally takes up a little more room than worm composters. You will also have to take into consideration the room for turning the composter.

With a compost tumbler, there may come a time when you can’t add more material. The reason is that you need to wait between two and three weeks for the composter to do its job and make compost.

You can always buy a tumbler with dual compartments if that is a problem. This way, you can keep adding scraps to one side while the other is making compost.

Kitchen Composters

There are several different types of kitchen composters. They come in various materials, from stainless steel to plastic.

One of the more popular types of kitchen composters is made of stainless steel. The reason this is popular is that it won’t absorb any of the food smells. They are also easy to clean.

Some stainless steel kitchen composters are powder-coated and come in various colors and patterns.

Third Rock Compost Bin for the Kitchen

With the Third Rock Kitchen Compost Bin, recycling is good for the environment and your house. The composter has built-in odor control, and the lid has a changeable charcoal filter to keep everything smelling good.

Due to its high powder coating, the composter will never rust, scratch, or chip. It is also made using sturdy carbon steel, while the handles and lid ring are made of stainless steel.

Composting Makes a Difference in the Environment

Composting is an excellent way to care for the environment or at least do your part. It doesn’t matter which composter you decide is suitable for your needs; it is essential to ensure you know what to put in them.

A composter needs a balance of high-nitrogen organic material and carbon to help speed up the decomposition and prevent any annoying odors.

To be able to compost in an apartment doesn’t have to be a lot of work, and it is something that can be done in the smallest of places.

As you can see, living in a small space doesn’t mean you can’t compost. It is a great way to care for your indoor and outdoor plants. They will love the nutrients compost provides, and you will be proud of your green thumb!

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