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The Sourdough Starter Feeding Schedule That Actually Sticks
Starters do not die from one missed meal. They die from schedules too demanding to keep. Here is how feeding really works, and how to build a rhythm that fits your life.
The basic rule
A feeding is always the same move: discard most of the starter, then add fresh flour and water. Ratios are written starter:flour:water by weight, so 1:1:1 means equal weights of all three (e.g. 30 g starter + 30 g flour + 30 g water).
Counter or fridge?
| Where | Feed how often | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Counter (room temp) | Once or twice a day | Bakers who bake several times a week |
| Fridge | Once a week | Everyone else, most home bakers |
The fridge is not cheating. A refrigerated starter fed weekly stays healthy for years; just give it one or two room-temperature feedings to wake it up before a bake day.
Choosing a ratio
- 1:1:1 — fast fuel, peaks in ~4 hours in a warm kitchen. Good right before baking.
- 1:2:2 — the everyday workhorse, peaks in ~6–8 hours.
- 1:5:5 — a big meal that slows the cycle, ideal overnight or for hot kitchens, peaks in ~8–12 hours.
If you forget a feeding (or five)
Pour off any hooch, discard down to a spoonful, and give it a generous 1:5:5 feed somewhere warm. Two or three cycles later it behaves like nothing happened. Starters are far tougher than the internet suggests.
Reminders tuned to your kitchen
Tell Sourdoughy your flour and how warm your kitchen runs, and it builds the feeding routine that fits, then nudges you at feeding time so the rhythm actually holds.
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