Thanksgiving Composting Guide: What to Compost, What to Avoid, and How to Reduce Holiday Food Waste
Thanksgiving generates more food waste than almost any other day of the year in the United States. Millions of pounds of turkey, vegetables, bread, desserts, and leftovers are thrown away after a single meal. Much of that material could be composted instead of sent to a landfill.
For composters, Thanksgiving is one of the best opportunities to divert food waste and get a head start on making spring compost for the garden. Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, cleaning up after the meal, or looking to reduce holiday food waste, understanding what can be composted, what should stay out of your compost pile, and how to prevent contamination can help you divert more waste from the landfill.
How Much Food Waste Does Thanksgiving Create?
Thanksgiving is built around large meals, multiple side dishes, and abundant portions. As a result, it consistently ranks among the highest food-waste-generating holidays in America. Food waste during Thanksgiving comes from several sources:
Vegetable scraps generated during meal preparation
Uneaten leftovers
Food discarded during cleanup
Disposable serving materials
Excess food purchased but never used
Packaging from ingredients and takeout items
Many households focus on recycling during the holidays but overlook food waste, even though food is one of the largest materials sent to landfills nationwide. When food decomposes in a landfill without oxygen, it generates methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting helps recover nutrients, improve soil health, and keep organic materials circulating within local ecosystems.
Why Compost Thanksgiving Food Waste?
Composting transforms food scraps and yard waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that supports gardens, landscapes, native plants, and food production. Every onion skin, carrot peel, pumpkin scrap, and celery end that enters a compost pile becomes part of a natural nutrient cycle rather than landfill waste. Benefits of composting Thanksgiving food waste include:
Reducing landfill waste
Preventing methane emissions
Improving soil structure
Increasing water retention
Supporting beneficial soil microorganisms
Returning nutrients to the soil
Reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers
What Thanksgiving Food Scraps Can Be Composted?
Many people are surprised to learn that most Thanksgiving food preparation waste is highly compostable.
Vegetables and Produce Scraps
Excellent compost materials include:
Onion skins
Garlic skins
Carrot peels
Celery ends
Potato peels
Sweet potato scraps
Herb stems
Lettuce
Green bean trimmings
Apple cores
Pear scraps
Cranberry leftovers
Citrus peels (in moderation)
These materials break down relatively quickly and provide nitrogen that supports microbial activity.
Pumpkin and Squash Waste
After Thanksgiving, leftover pumpkins and decorative gourds often end up in the trash.
Instead, compost:
Pumpkin flesh
Pumpkin skins
Pumpkin seeds
Squash scraps
Decorative gourds
Large pumpkins should be broken into smaller pieces to speed decomposition.
Bread, Grains, and Starches
Most plain starches can be composted in moderation, including:
Bread
Rolls
Stuffing
Rice
Pasta
Oats
Cornbread
Small amounts generally break down well, though excessive quantities can attract pests.
Coffee and Tea Waste
Holiday gatherings often generate:
Coffee grounds
Paper coffee filters
Loose tea leaves
Tea bags without plastic components
Coffee grounds are particularly valuable because they add nitrogen and improve compost structure.
Yard Waste From Holiday Cleanup
Fall yard materials pair well with Thanksgiving food scraps and help create a balanced compost pile. Examples include:
Fallen leaves
Small twigs
Dead annual plants
Garden trimmings
Untreated straw
Leaves are especially important because they provide carbon, helping offset the high nitrogen content of food scraps.
What Should Not Go Into a Basic Backyard Compost Bin?
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is assuming all food waste belongs in compost. Certain materials can create odor, attract pests, slow decomposition, or contaminate finished compost.
Meat and Turkey Scraps
Avoid adding:
Turkey meat
Chicken
Beef
Pork
Fish
These materials can attract rodents, raccoons, dogs, and other scavengers.
Bones
Turkey bones and other animal bones break down very slowly and can remain in compost for years.
Dairy Products
Avoid:
Butter
Cheese
Cream-based dishes
Sour cream
Milk
Dairy products often create odor issues and attract unwanted pests.
Oils, Grease, and Gravy
Avoid adding:
Cooking oils
Grease
Turkey drippings
Gravy
Heavy sauces
These materials interfere with airflow and can create anaerobic conditions inside compost piles.
Large Quantities of Desserts
Small amounts are generally manageable, but large quantities of sugary foods can attract pests and create imbalance. Examples include:
Pies
Cakes
Frostings
Cookies
Candies
The Biggest Thanksgiving Composting Problem: Contamination
Contamination is one of the primary reasons composting programs fail.
Many items marketed as eco-friendly or compostable are not suitable for home compost systems. Common contaminants include:
Plastic utensils
Plastic cups
Plastic lids
Plastic-lined paper plates
Wax-coated paper
Foil
Glossy packaging
Stickers on produce
Packaging labels
Even small pieces of contamination can remain in finished compost and reduce its quality. A single contaminated load can require significant sorting and cleanup later.
Are Compostable Plates and Utensils Really Compostable?
Many products labeled "compostable" require commercial composting facilities that operate at higher temperatures than backyard compost systems. Items that often require industrial composting include:
Compostable forks
Compostable knives
Compostable cups
Compostable takeout containers
Bioplastic products
Always check manufacturer instructions before placing these materials into a home compost pile. If you are unsure, leave them out.
How to Set Up a Thanksgiving Compost Station
The easiest way to reduce holiday food waste is to create a simple sorting station before guests arrive. Set up three clearly labeled containers:
Compost: For food scraps and compostable materials.
Recycling: For accepted bottles, cans, and paper products.
Trash: For contaminated materials and items that cannot be recovered.
Position all three containers together. People make better decisions when options are visible and easy to understand.
Reduce Food Waste Before Composting
Composting is important, but waste prevention creates the greatest environmental benefit. Strategies to reduce Thanksgiving food waste include:
Plan portions realistically
Use smaller serving platters
Store leftovers immediately
Freeze excess food
Send leftovers home with guests
Repurpose ingredients into future meals
Food that is eaten creates a greater impact than food that is composted. Composting should be viewed as the last solution for food that cannot be consumed.
What to Do With Thanksgiving Leftovers
Before composting leftovers, consider whether they can still be used. Options include:
Refrigerate for future meals
Freeze for later use
Donate where permitted
Share with friends and family
Repurpose into soups, casseroles, or sandwiches
About Let’s Go Compost
Let’s Go Compost is a national nonprofit making composting simple, affordable, and accessible. Our programs bring hands-on composting to communities, helping people turn food and plant waste into healthy soil that supports food systems, native plant ecosystems, and pollinators. Learn more at letsgocompost.org and support our work at letsgocompost.org/donate.
