Can you compost eggshells?

Wondering what to do with all of those leftover Easter eggs that were so lovingly dyed and decorated? Consider adding the eggshells to your compost pile for extra nutrients. Learn about composting eggshells. 

Wondering what to do with all of those leftover Easter eggs that were so lovingly dyed and decorated? Consider adding the eggshells to your compost pile for extra nutrients. Learn about composting eggshells. 

It’s the week after Easter and if you’re like us, your family is probably enjoying a steady diet of hardboiled eggs and egg salad sandwiches. Rather than toss the eggshells in the trash, we wondered — can you compost eggshells?

For a basic compost pile it’s typically best to stick with composting plant-based kitchen scraps like vegetable peels, coffee grinds, or even grains. Meat and dairy products in general should be avoided because they quickly become rancid and can attract unwanted pests and animals. But what about composting eggshells?

While eggshells do have the potential to attract critters to the compost bin, they are a source of valuable nutrients and calcium. Eggshells can be added to the compost pile with just a few extra steps for added precaution.

If your family went to town decorating Easter eggs, it might be a good idea to stay away from eggshells that have glitter, stickers, or other decorative embellishments that generally should be avoided in compost piles.

Eggs can harbor Salmonella so it’s best to wash the eggshell in warm water before adding it to the pile. You definitely don’t want Salmonella bacteria spreading in your garden! Others take an extra step and bake the eggshells in the oven for about 20 minutes to make sure the Salmonella is destroyed. The heat doesn’t destroy the calcium in the eggs.

Grind or crush the eggshells into small pieces before adding it to the compost bin. This will help the eggshell break down quicker and will be easier to mix in with the rest of the kitchen scraps.

Lastly, while it’s OK to compost eggshells, it’s still a good idea to leave out the rest of the egg. In addition to attracting animals, the other egg parts can give the compost pile a funky smell that would be best to avoid.

Check out other kitchen scraps you can compost.