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oliviabutler1d ago
That 30% discard number varies a lot depending on the bakery and the method they use. I've read some places discard closer to 50% because they run a lean starter with a stiff hydration. It's not a rule that every commercial bakery does the same thing. The real key is that commercial operations feed their starter every 8 to 12 hours, not that they keep some specific discard percentage. If you're only feeding twice a week, you are absolutely right that your starter could use more love. But you don't need to aim for that 30% discard number, you just need to get on a more regular feeding schedule like every day or every other day to keep it healthy and active.
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the_laura1d ago
oliviabutler really nailed it about the feeding schedule thing. My starter went from sluggish to crazy active just by switching from twice a week to daily feedings. I was throwing out like half of it every time but honestly the activity shot up so fast I didn't even care about the discard. It's wild how much just a few days of regular care changes everything.
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webb.hannah1d ago
My buddy tried daily feedings and her starter finally took off too.
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