Can Bread Be Composted? (Here’s What You Need To Know)

Have you ever wondered if you can compost bread? With an average shelf life of 5-6 days, it is not uncommon to end up with out-of-date, stale, and moldy bread. Instead of throwing it in the bin, composting is the way to go.

But how is it done? And is it easy? Let us look into how you can best compost bread indoors and outdoors. 

Bread can be composted and mixed with other organic materials to create nutrient-rich soil for your garden or indoor plants. It is an excellent addition to composting. However, bread can attract rodents and other pests, so composting it correct makes a difference.

Can Bread Be Composted?

Yes, you can compost all kinds of bread. We love baking our own bread, but with a short shelf life, it is not always we manage to eat it before it goes bad. Instead of throwing the bread in the waste bin, we have set up an indoor compost (we’ll talk more about this further down in the article). 

Composting is a great way to contribute to reducing your carbon footprint because it allows you to recycle your bread and other food scraps. It helps reduce climate change by reducing methane gas emissions from landfills and other waste disposal sites. Even small actions have an impact!

What is even better is that by composting, you are creating nutrient-rich soil that you can use for planting new veggies and flowers!

But, how do you compost bread? Let’s find out.

How Do You Compost Bread?

Composting is easy, but there are a few things worth knowing before you throw your moldy and stale bread into a compost bin or garden compost. 

You can compost bread both indoors and outdoors. We are looking at the more simple method for each one.

Outdoor composting

If you have a garden or any other outdoor space you can do cold composting. This means that you simply place your bread and other food scraps in a pile in nature. Layer it with dry leaves and other organic materials.

This method is cheap and easy, but it takes time for the organic materials to break down. It can take anything from 4-6 months to years for your food scraps to decompose completely. The duration really depends on the conditions (rainfall and air temperature).

Composting Indoors

Composting is not only for those with a garden! You can easily do it indoors, by using a suitable-sized bin designed for composting. There are a few things to consider though before you throw your moldy bread and food scraps into compost:

• Be mindful of the smell! Don’t just use any container, as composting your food waste smells. Using one with a filter to create an odorless compost is key. Further, composting needs oxygen for decomposition to occur, so you want a container that can provide this. 
• Avoid unwanted pests! Composting attracts animals, and more commonly bugs and critters. What helps to keep these unwanted guests away is using a compost bin that is completely sealed.
• Get the right size! A suitable compost bin should be large enough to hold all your compost materials. 

Here are some great options for indoor composting bins:

• Finessy indoor compost – this is a budget version, with odor control, and a nice design. Slower process, but economical.
• Lomi Smart Waste Kitchen Composter – this is a luxurious option, automated to speed up the process, with odor control, and with a great design! Internal sensors simulate and accelerate the composting process and produce nutrient-rich output in as little as 4 hours.

Now that we have looked at different ways to compost, let us dig deeper into the topic of how to compost bread.

Regardless of your method for composting, to get the bread to quicker decompose there are a few things you can do:

• Firstly, always remember to remove any plastic wrapping before placing the bread in the compost container.
• Break the bread down into smaller pieces. It aid to speed up the process.
• Place the bread in the center of the compost. It creates more heat and speeds up the decomposition process. 
• Cover the bread. Once you have ripped your bread into smaller pieces and placed it in the center of the compost, cover it with other high-carbon materials. Examples are coffee grounds (for indoor composting), other materials such as leaves and twigs, and even worms (for outdoor composting). 

Can Moldy Bread Be Composted?

You can absolutely compost moldy bread. It is not harmful and can be used as a fertilizer, as it is an excellent source of organic material for composting. 

Moldy bread is actually an ideal candidate for composting because mold indicates that the decomposition process has already begun; thus, the faster the composting process will be. When you place your moldy bread in your compost, adding rotten fruits, veggies, and moldy bread, can help break down the material even faster.

Can White Bread Be Composted?

There is no difference in composting white bread or any other type of bread. Any bread can be composted, including white bread. The white flour found in white bread is an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein, which are both essential to composting. Like regular bread, white bread also has a lot of carbohydrates, which can be broken down into carbon dioxide and water by bacteria.

You can compost most foods containing starch, including other baked goods, pasta, and potatoes. Add these things directly to your compost pile if you want, but they will take a while to break down unless they are finely chopped or shredded first. Using bagged sawdust or shredded newspaper is also an alternative way to add starch to your compost pile.

Why Should You Not Compost Bread?

There is no reason for you to not compost bread, but you should be aware of some factors before you place your bread in the compost bin.

Bread takes time to compost. It takes approximately three to twelve months for a slice of bread to decompose fully. However, as we have shared there are ways to speed up the process. 

Bread can attract rodents and pests. Like most things you put in compost, bread can attract unwanted guests into your home or garden. So, if you compost indoors, ensure that your bin is completely sealed.

Summary

Bread is an excellent candidate for composting, especially if it’s already starting to mold. If you find yourself with out-of-date bread, don’t throw it in the waste bin, but turn it into high-nutrition soil. 

You can compost any bread, but you may find that plain white bread takes longer to compost. We recommend using a proper compost bin if you are doing it indoors. There are many excellent products to choose from, and they will make a difference in avoiding smell and unwanted pests.

We hope that you have gained valuable information and that we have answered any doubts you may have had in terms of composting bread.