Composting For Christmas - The Best Way To Utilise Your Leftovers

With Christmas right around the corner, many Brits look forward to a festive feast on the big day—and a hearty leftover sandwich on Boxing Day.

Whilst leftover turkey may be one of the post-Christmas treats people love, many other Christmas dinner staples end up in the bin, once dinner is over.

To help reduce food waste this Christmas, why not compost your festive scraps? It’s easy and rewarding, and your garden will thank you for it!

Richard King, Director at Dino Decking has offered advice on making the most of your meal and tips on which foods are best for Christmas compost.

Do’s

Fruit and Vegetable scraps

From potato and carrot peelings to leftover sprouts and parsnips, these green materials are a perfect base for composting.

Fruit and veg break down quickly and add essential nutrients like nitrogen to your compost, providing the energy microbes need to transform waste into rich, garden-ready compost.

Breads and pastries

Plain bread, cracker crumbs, and even stale mince pies (minus the foil…obviously) can be composted as long as they aren’t covered in butter or dairy.

Baked goods are carbon-rich “browns” that balance out the “greens” from fruit and veg scraps, helping to maintain a healthy, diverse compost mix.

Other Plant-Based Items

Walnut shells, coffee grounds, and plastic-free tea bags are excellent for adding texture and variety to your compost.

Nutshells break down slowly, improving aeration, while coffee grounds and tea add nutrients like potassium and magnesium, which plants love.

Don'ts

Wrapping paper

Whilst small pieces of paper can be added to your compost providing a variety of textures, many wrapping papers can’t be composted because they contain non-biodegradable materials like plastic, glitter, metallic coatings, or dyes that can contaminate your compost.

To check if your wrapping paper is compostable, Richard suggests the scrunch test.

Scrunch the paper into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it’s likely plain paper and safe for composting. However, If it springs back or has a shiny, glittery surface, it’s not suitable for compost.

Meat and Gravy

Avoid composting meat, dairy, gravy, or oily foods, as they can attract pests and slow down the composting process. Stick to plant-based scraps for a happy and healthy compost heap!