Best way to compost cooked foods

JuzaMum

I have been composting in dalek type composters for many years, just raw food waste like peelings, with lawn clippings, and brown paper/cardboard. I am considering investing in something to compost cooked food - bread, sandwiches etc (I collect food from shops just before it expires and redistribute, through Olio app, but sometimes have stuff left). It would be great if I could turn this into compost. I've seen hot Johanna composters and bokashi bins mentioned. I like the idea of the bokashi bin as it also produces liquid feed so could save me buying this for my veggies. Does anyone use any of these or anything else that they could recommend or not recommend. I don't know about the ongoing costs of bokashi bran, is it worth it? tia

Flyingkidney

I would look at Garden Organic - Master Composters..

Love what your trying to do

I used to run a Bokashi bin when I lived in London, you do need to by, or make' the bran feed. Also Bokashi bins generally aren't that big.
Worm bins might be an option as well.
If you're gonna consider adding cooked food, sandwiches etc. Is there likely to be a rat issue?
Obviously composting works faster if chopped up, shredded.

Some people swear by hot bins but they do seem expensive.

JuzaMum

@Flying Kidney - I agree, adding cooked food to a regular composter would certainly attract rats. My lovely girl cat brought me a live one recently so they are definitely nearby.

FlorayG

I've used bokashi bins. I gave up because I never had enough waste, all I ever had was chicken bones!

If you have waste food they are great, fill one, leave to ferment while you fill the other then put the fermented stuff on your compost orbury it in your garden. Note that it will not look like compost, it will look almost the same as it did when you put it in but the ferment means it breaks down very quickly once put in contact with soil and doesn't smell.

The waste liquid is VERY strong but a good fertiliser and also can be used neat to clean drains!

Suffolk_lass

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82130129#Comment_82130129

If you intend burying or "Trenching" waste, it needs to be buried 15cm minimum so as to reduce its attraction to flies, rats, mice and foxes.

Personally I would separate any meat waste and use the food collection service for this, and compost other cooked food in a covered bin or a tumbler. These both work well, although the covered "dalek" goes slimy and ours is (currently) covered in fruit flies. I never see the right sort of worms. And on the other hand, you need to be strong enough and committed enough to tumble regularly (ours broke) when it's quite full

redpete

My food waste goes into a home-made tumbler. added a couple of shovels of compost (with worms) to give it a head start and empty it into the main compost every few months. I add a sprinkle of leaf mould every time I add to it and turn it every couple of weeks (Since the photo was taken I've added some rebar through holes in the side to make this easier). It has a very healthy population of red worms.

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