7 Kitchen Scraps That Belong in Compost—and 4 That Do Not

Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, suitable tea materials, crushed eggshells, plain bread, and small amounts of cooked grains can make useful compost additions, while meat, dairy, fats, oils, and bones generally belong outside a backyard compost pile – Shutterstock

The compost bin can turn a surprising amount of kitchen waste into useful organic matter for the garden. Apple cores, coffee grounds, vegetable trimmings, and even crushed eggshells can all find a second life in the pile, while certain leftovers can create more trouble than they are worth.

Knowing the difference keeps composting simpler and cleaner. The goal is not to create a miniature landfill behind the shed, but to give the right organic materials the conditions they need to break down while keeping pests, odors, and soggy compost at bay.