Can you flush cereal down the toilet? This is a question most environmental purists ask themselves. And come to think of it – there’s a reason why we have toilets and trash cans around. Each one of them is to be used correctly; otherwise, the world blows a fuse.
This post will walk you through some of the best ways to dispose of old cereals. Even more, I’ll tell you the dangers of flushing food down the toilet. Just keep in mind that flushing anything that’s not produced by the digestive system will consume a lot of water, as well as clog up the drainage pipes.
With that being said, let’s dive deep into it:
Is It Safe to Flush Cereals Down the Toilet?
No. It’s never safe to flush cereal (rice, pasta, oatmeal) down the toilet as grains tend to expand in water, leading to a clog. Furthermore, food may get trapped if they miss out on the main drain. So try as much as possible to dispose of food correctly to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Can You Put Cereals Down the Garbage Disposal?
Yes, you can, but you need to go slow on the process and use lots of water as cereals tend to expand once they take on water. A good rule of thumb is running water to push the cereal down the garbage disposal effectively. More importantly, you should avoid filling it up the drain to prevent clogging.
You should also remember that when foods such as bread, rice, pasta, and potato skin come into contact with water, they release starch, forming a glue-like clog inside the drainage. Save yourself such embarrassments by disposing of all your kitchen scraps in the compost pile.
Can You Put Cereal in the Compost?
Yes, you can place cereal in the compost. If you plan to use cereal in the compost heap, make sure that it is well covered. Rats, among other rodents, are mostly attracted by cereals.
You can use any type of corrugated cardboard in compost as long as it is broken into small pieces. Flat cardboard is mostly used for drink boxes, cereal boxes, or even shoe boxes, which can be challenging to compost.
Besides the above, what can go into compost? You could compost items such as prunings, veggie peelings, fruit wastes, among other things. These are fast to break down and provide essential nitrogen as well as moisture. It’s also good to include cardboard egg boxes, scrunched-up paper, and fallen leaves.
So, what should not go into compost?
- Dog and cat defecation. Meanwhile, you can put horse, cow, chicken, and rabbit droppings as they’re a great addition to your compost pile
- Tea and coffee bags
- Citrus peels and onions
- Fish and meat scraps
- Glossy or coated paper
- Sticky labels on fruits and vegetables
- Coal fire ash
- Sawdust from treated wood
Can You Put Cereal in the Freezer?
Yes, you can freeze breakfast cereal for up to an hour before adding milk to make it super crunchy. Just make sure to add milk once you’re ready to eat it to retain the crunchiness. Also, freezing allows you to take your breakfast experience to another level. Keep on reading to learn more about freezing cereal and the importance of doing so.
Frozen Cereal – Is It a Good Idea?
Freezing cereal may seem like a weird idea, but the results are worthwhile. However, unlike other foods, the freezing process has little to do with enhancing its shelf life. Instead, it helps to improve your breakfast experience.
Freezing is by far the best way to improve upon the most important meal of the day. Once you’re done with your regular exercise session, a refreshing bowl of icy-cold cereal will help you kickstart your day with a bang. You can serve your frozen cereal with a side of smoothie for a healthful breakfast.
And since the cereal has been frozen, it will undoubtedly make the milk colder. They are used as ice cubes in a cold drink as the frozen cereals help the milk remain colder for a while. Additionally, frozen cereals usually soak up the icy-cold milk with their flavor.
What’s more impressive is that cereal doesn’t freeze into solid chunks, as it’s always the case with other foods. For this reason, your frozen cereal can retain its crunchiness and crispiness for longer. Once you adhere to these benefits, you no longer have to deal with mushy cereal ever again. Make these crispy treats your everyday comfort food and get captivated by the experience.
How Do I Freeze Cereal—So It Stays Crunchy?
Freezing cereal is a simple innovation to a classic recipe that calls for very little handwork. It’s a helpful food hack and can change the way we enjoy our everyday breakfast meal. That said, below are the steps to freeze cereal without losing its texture and flavor successfully.
- Transfer the desired amount of cereal to a freezer-safe bowl and put it in the freezer. Be sure to leave some space for the milk later on.
- Allow the cereal to freeze for about an hour. However, depending on how much time you have at hand and how frozen you want your cereal to be, you can remove it sooner.
- Once the cereal is ready, you can take out the bowl and pour in your favorite milk.
The crispy texture combined with the cold milk takes it to another level. The result is an icy, yummy treat that will discredit regular cereal. That said, you’ll want to prepare these flavorful treats in bigger batches and freeze them for later. They make great on-the-go breakfast and after-school grubs.
How To Freeze Cereal Overnight?
There’s no significant difference between these two freezing methods – only that the latter requires you to freeze the cereal the night before, which saves you some time before you leave for work.
Here are the steps to effectively freeze cereal overnight:
- Transfer your cereal to a freezer-friendly bag and squeeze out as much air before sealing it shut.
- After that, put the freezer bag in the freezer and remove it in the morning once you’re ready to have breakfast.
- Transfer into a bowl and add milk of your choice.
Freezing cereal is a step in the correct order as it demonstrates how much you can explore with breakfast. You can give it a try and make observations based on your experiences.
Can I Flush Cooked Rice Down the Toilet?
No. It’s never a good idea to flush cooked rice down the toilet due to the narrow pipes that simply can’t handle food scraps. Also, because food doesn’t break down easily as human waste, the chances are that it will clog your drain line and reserve raw sewage into your home.
Flushing a bite here and there won’t cause much damage, but making it a habit to flush food down the toilet is more destructive than you can imagine. The dumbest mistake you can ever make is to assume that food is moist and soft when it slips down the toilet, which is not always the case. Rice and pasta often go down the toilet but stiffen and expand once they take on water, causing a clog.
Grease is another food item that can cause severe jams in the drainage. If you must flush food down the toilet, it should be non-starchy as starch can potentially damage the sewer lines. So avoid flushing such items at all costs to prevent such damages.
Alternatives to Flushing Food Down the Toilet
There are plenty of ways you could dispose of food waste rather than flushing them down the toilet. Check out some of the options you could opt for:
- Freezing or refrigerating all your leftovers and using them on busy weeknights. The good thing about leftovers is that they are convenient and super flexible
- Pouring liquid-based waste such as soups and cooking oil into a leak-proof plastic bag or old can and disposing of it in the trash
- Unless your city has a compost program, consider creating a compost pile for all your compostable kitchen scraps
- Toss all your smelly food scraps in a plastic bag and keep it in the freezer until garbage day, when you can put it in the bin and immediately take it to the curbside.
How Do You Dispose of Old Cereal?
The right way to dispose of old cereal is to pour it down the garbage disposal. If you don’t have one, consider pouring the milk down the drain and the cereal inside the trash. Alternatively, you can toss it in the front yard – rodents will feed on the cereal, and the ground will soak up the milk. Keep in mind that this is not an ideal option if you’re living in a shared area or an apartment complex.
Again, refrain from disposing of cereal down the drain as they tend to expand once they take on water. To put it simply, do not let pasta, rice, or any other breakfast cereal down the drain. Instead, throw it down the garbage disposal and make sure to go slow on the process, and use lots of water.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I Put Milk Down the Toilet?
No, you should never flush milk down the toilet. Alongside that, don’t throw away any other dairy products because it’s not environmentally friendly. This can result in severe environmental damages.
2. How Do You Get Rid of Half-eaten Cereal?
Simply throw your half-eaten cereal in the garbage disposal or flush it down the toilet. Alternatively, you can drain the milk in the kitchen sink and dispose of the cereal in the trash can. You can also throw it in the yard if you have one – small animals such as squirrels find this useful.
3. Is It Illegal to Pour Milk Down the Drain?
No. It’s not advisable to pour milk down the drain as this could potentially clog the sewer line. Instead, dispose of it in the garbage disposal and use lots of water not to cause a jam in the drains. If you accidentally flush greasy substances down the toilet, make sure to run hot water to prevent clogs.
4. Is It Bad to Put Milk Down the Drain?
Yes, it’s a bad idea to throw milk down the drain. Research has proven that pouring milk down your drain is harmful to the environment. A lot of oxygen is required to help break down milk, which takes away a huge chunk of what living organisms require for survival. And because numerous studies have proven that huge milk amounts suffocate the whole habitat, pouring milk down the drain isn’t recommended.
5. Where Do You Put Spoiled Milk?
Use them for soups and stews. You can use up the spoiled milk for recipes that call for sour cream, yogurt, regular, and buttermilk. You can also use spoiled milk as a thickener to casseroles, soups, and your weeknight stews.
Bottom Line
No, you shouldn’t flush cereal down the toilet, and you also need to be cautious about what you let go down the toilet. That said, before you flush anything down the toilet, make sure that it won’t cause any blockages—because you’d be at risk of spending money on your local plumber regularly.