Kitchen Compost Container

A kitchen compost container can be any kind of waterproof container you can imagine. While some designer kitchens use designer containers (complete with lids) I have found several useful (and cheap) containers for my kitchen compost.

I picked up some earthenware containers at a local building store and this was quite nice (until I dropped it). They work quite nicely and tucked under the sink where you have quite access to them, they work well.

I have also used a small decorative metal flower pot but found it was too small and needed regularly emptying if I was doing a big meal or had company. One morning’s eggshells and coffee grounds and it is full.

I currently use an old yogurt container for my kitchen compost container. It is cheap, doesn’t break when I drop it, washes and cleans up quickly and easily and can be recycled if and when it cracks from overuse.

I find that the quart-sized yogurt container is about the right size. Any larger and I tend to let the compost material sit longer than 24 hours. Any smaller and I can’t get a full meal’s worth of salad trimmings into one bucket.

I do note that without a lid, you have to empty them frequently (almost every day in the summer) or they’ll begin to attract fruit flies. I usually empty mine and then wash it with soapy water to control any insect problems.

Go with the cheapest and most elegant bucket you can find in the one-quart range but do remember that your kitchen compost container shouldn’t have holes in the bottom. (you’ll only forget this once). :-)

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