What can you put in a bokashi bin? The complete list of accepted and off-limits waste

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“Can I put this in my bokashi?” It's the question everyone asks standing in front of their bucket, holding a bit of leftover chicken or an orange peel. And it's often the very reason people choose bokashi in the first place: it accepts far more than a regular composter or a worm composter.

It still has its limits, though. Here is the complete list, with the reason for each item: once you understand what disrupts fermentation, you won't need to memorize the list.

The basic rule: all solid food scraps

Bokashi is a lactic acid fermentation that happens without air. It's carried out by bacteria that need sugars, a little moisture, and a well-packed environment. Almost anything edible suits them, raw or cooked, fresh or slightly past its prime.

Three things cause problems: excess liquid, which drowns the fermentation and turns it into putrefaction; anything that doesn't break down, or only very slowly; and anything that isn't food. Remember these three groups, and you'll be able to make the call in almost every case.

Yes, no question

• Fruits and vegetables, raw or cooked: peels, cores, tops, seeds, bruised fruit, wilted lettuce.
• Leftovers: pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, casseroles, pizza, cooked vegetables, well drained.
• Bread, cakes, cookies, crackers, cereal. Stale bread even has the advantage of soaking up a little moisture.
• Coffee grounds, paper filter included, and loose tea leaves.
• Eggs and eggshells, preferably crushed: the shells don't ferment, but they will eventually break down in the soil.
• Walnuts, hazelnuts, seeds, and their thin shells.
• Wilted cut flowers and small houseplant trimmings, cut into pieces.

Just cut everything into pieces no bigger than 1.2–1.6 in (3–4 cm), as we explain in our guide Starting your first bokashi bucket.

Did you know?

Many tea bags contain a small amount of plastic, used to seal the paper or make it stronger, and it breaks down neither in the bucket nor in the soil. Tear the bag open, empty the leaves into the bokashi, and throw the bag away, unless the packaging clearly states that it's plastic-free.

Meat, fish, cheese, small bones: yes, with a few precautions

This is where bokashi really shines. In an airtight bucket, these scraps ferment just like vegetables, safe from flies and rodents. Raw or cooked meat scraps, fish skin and bones, cheese rinds and pieces, slightly thick yogurt, chicken or rabbit bones: all of these can go in.

A few precautions make all the difference:

• Sprinkle more bran over these protein-rich scraps, which spoil more easily. Our guide Bokashi bran explains how to adjust the amount.
• Cut them small and spread them between layers of plant scraps rather than adding everything at once.
• Drain saucy dishes, and leave out milk and very runny cheeses.
• Shrimp shells: let them dry a little and sprinkle them generously.
• When burying, dig deep and cover completely: fermentation doesn't make these scraps any less appealing to animals in your yard.

If you're just starting out, there's nothing wrong with beginning with one or two buckets of plant scraps to get the hang of it, then gradually adding meat and fish leftovers.

Citrus, onions, garlic: why they're fine here

In a worm bin, citrus, onion, garlic, and shallots are kept to a minimum because worms don't tolerate them well, as we explain in our guide What to feed your worms. Bokashi doesn't rely on worms but on lactic acid bacteria, which actually thrive in an acidic environment. The acidity of citrus doesn't bother them, and experience shows that onion and garlic ferment without any trouble.

Orange, lemon, and grapefruit peels, onions, garlic, leeks: all of these go in the bucket. The only precaution, if you have a lot at once after a day of making jam or juicing: alternate them with other scraps rather than adding one thick layer.

If you plan to feed your bokashi to worms later, keep in mind that it will contain these scraps: go gradually, as explained in our guide Bokashi and worm composters.

Avoid or limit

• Liquids: soup, milk, juice, vinegar, broth, leftover sauce, cooking water. They drown the fermentation. Drain leftovers before putting them in the bucket.
• Oil and grease in large amounts: a little dressing on a salad is no problem at all; the oil from a deep fryer or a jar of grease is.
• Large bones (beef, pork, leg of lamb): they take years to disappear in the soil. Put them in the trash can, or break them up if you really want to keep them.
• Mussel, oyster, and other seashells: they practically never break down.
• Large pits (avocado, peach, mango): they can go in, but they'll stay visible in the soil for a very long time.
• Food that is already rotten or very moldy: it brings in huge numbers of putrefying microbes that can spoil the whole bucket. A small spot of mold on a slice of bread is no big deal; a container of mushy strawberries is.
• Paper and cardboard in large amounts: they belong in the recycling or the composter. A little paper towel, a paper napkin, torn newspaper, or a piece of egg carton to soak up excess moisture is fine, though. Avoid glossy paper and color print.

Emy's tip

Keep a few stale bread crusts or a piece of egg carton near the bucket. On days when you add very juicy scraps, slip a little underneath: they soak up excess moisture without disrupting the fermentation.

Never in the bucket

• Plastic, glass, metal, produce stickers, rubber bands, string.
• So-called “compostable” packaging and bags: they need industrial composting at high temperatures to break down. They would come out of the bucket and the soil intact.
• Pet waste and litter: especially from cats and dogs, for health reasons.
• Ashes from wood or charcoal.
• Diseased plants: fermentation offers no guarantee that diseases will be eliminated, and you could end up spreading them back into your garden.
• Weeds that have gone to seed: there's no proof that two weeks of fermentation kills all the seeds, so you could end up replanting them when you bury your bokashi.
• Medications and chemicals, including leftover household cleaning products.
• Yard waste in bulk, such as grass clippings, fallen leaves, and branches: these go in the composter. Our guide What to put in your composter will help you manage them there.

What about very salty leftovers?

Cooked dishes, cured meats, aged cheeses, chips, or leftover brine are saltier than peels. They ferment without any problem, but some of the salt ends up in the juice. Analyses of bokashi juice have shown that juice from leftovers contained significantly more sodium and chlorine than juice from peels.

If you use the juice on your plants, especially in pots and window boxes where salt builds up, it's best to limit very salty leftovers. Likewise, in the garden, avoid burying the contents of buckets full of cooked dishes in the same spot every time: pick a new location each time. Remember that the juice must always be diluted, at least 1 part to 100 parts water, and applied at the base of the plant, never on the leaves. If your bucket gives off an unusual smell after additions like these, our guide Bad smells, too much liquid, fruit flies will help you get things back on track.

Key takeaways

With bokashi, everything edible goes in the bucket, raw or cooked, meat and citrus included. Leave out anything liquid, anything that doesn't break down, and anything that isn't food.

In summary

Bokashi accepts almost all solid food scraps: fruits and vegetables, leftovers, bread, coffee grounds, meat, fish, cheese, small bones, citrus, onion, and garlic. For best results, cut scraps small, drain them, and sprinkle a little extra activator, such as our Bokashi EM compost activator, over protein-rich scraps. Leave out liquids, large amounts of oil, large bones, seashells, and food that is already rotten. And never add plastic, “compostable” packaging, pet waste, ashes, or diseased plants. If you use the juice in your garden, simply limit very salty leftovers.

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Other topics in the guide

Vermicomposting30 fact sheets →Composting25 fact sheets →EM microorganisms26 fact sheets →