Can I put donuts in my compost bin?

NO ✋🏼

You can't put donuts into your composting bin!

Can You Compost Donuts? A Comprehensive Guide

The Challenges of Composting Donuts

As much as we love indulging in a sweet, doughy donut, we must think twice before tossing any leftovers into our compost bin. Donuts, with their high sugar and fat content, can pose several challenges when it comes to composting:

Attracting pests: The sweet aroma of donuts can be irresistible to pests like rats, raccoons, flies, and yellow jackets. When these critters find their way into your compost bin, they not only feast on the sugary treats but also find shelter, leading to an unwanted infestation.
Producing unpleasant odors: As the sugars and fats in donuts start to break down, they can produce rancid, unpleasant smells. This occurs when the composting process slows down, allowing anaerobic bacteria to take over and generate foul-smelling compounds.
Slowing down decomposition: Composting relies on a balanced mix of carbon-rich "browns" and nitrogen-rich "greens." Donuts, being high in carbon, require more nitrogen-rich materials to break down efficiently. Without enough nitrogen, the decomposition of donuts can take months or even years. Learn more about mastering the green-brown mix in our eBook.

Due to these potential issues, many municipal compost facilities advise residents to keep donuts, along with other sugary baked goods like cookies and cakes, out of their city compost bins. Home composters face similar challenges when attempting to compost donuts.

Alternative Approaches for Composting Donuts

While composting whole donuts is generally not recommended, there are a couple of specialty approaches that could potentially work:

Burying Donuts in Large, Hot Compost Piles

One method is to bury a small number of donuts deep within a very large, hot compost pile. The key to success is maintaining aerobic conditions, which requires high temperatures, adequate moisture, and regular turning of the pile. This approach can break down the donuts without causing odor or pest problems. However, for most home composters, maintaining a pile of at least one cubic yard with meticulous care is not practical.

Mixing Donuts with Browns and Frequent Turning

Another option is to mix a small amount of donuts with a generous portion of high-carbon "browns," such as dry leaves, wood chips, sawdust, or shredded paper. The browns provide additional surface area for microbes to break down the donuts effectively. To keep the conditions aerobic, frequent turning of the pile is necessary. While this method can work, it requires significant effort and is only suitable for composting a limited number of donuts. It also comes with the risk of attracting pests if the donuts are not buried properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we compost just the dough or fried coating of donuts?

No, both the doughy interior and the fried exterior of donuts contain sugars, starches, and fats that are not ideal for composting.

Do vegan or gluten-free donuts compost better?

The primary challenges in composting donuts stem from their high sugar and oil content, which are present in both vegan and gluten-free varieties. As a result, these types of donuts face the same composting difficulties as traditional donuts.

Is it okay to compost donut glaze or filling?

No, sugary glazes and cream fillings should not be added to your compost bin. These components should be disposed of in the trash. Some glazes may also contain additional oils or shortening, further complicating the composting process.

Can donuts be decomposed in a worm bin?

While worm composting bins can handle small amounts of sugars and fats, adding too many donuts can overwhelm the worms and lead to the growth of molds or the development of unpleasant odors. It is best to avoid placing donuts in worm bins altogether.

In conclusion, while we may be tempted to compost our leftover donuts, it is generally not recommended for both home and municipal composting systems. The high sugar and fat content of donuts can attract pests, cause odors, and slow down the composting process. If you find yourself with extra donuts, it is best to enjoy them as a treat and dispose of any remaining pieces in the trash. Remember, there are plenty of other food scraps, such as vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and yard waste, that are much better suited for composting and will help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.