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Eat Well ABQ Starter Routine Guide
Sourdough Starter Feeding Schedule for Beginners
Learn how often to feed sourdough starter, when to keep it on the counter or in the fridge, and how to build a simple beginner feeding routine that actually fits your life.
Starter Feeding
Beginner Sourdough
Counter or Fridge
A simple rhythm makes starter easier
Quick Answer
How often should you feed sourdough starter?
If you keep sourdough starter on the counter, feed it every day or whenever it gets hungry. If you keep it in the fridge, feed it about once a week or before baking. For beginners, the easiest routine is to keep a small starter, feed it consistently, and watch for rise, bubbles, smell, and peak activity instead of only watching the clock.
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Starter Schedule Builder
How often are you baking?
Choose the routine that sounds most like your life. We’ll show you the simplest starter feeding schedule to follow.
Starter rhythm
Pick a baking rhythm first.
Then follow the feeding routine that matches it.
Choose your routine
Your starter schedule will appear here.
Tap a routine above and we’ll give you a beginner-friendly feeding rhythm.
Why feeding schedule matters
A sourdough starter is alive. It needs fresh flour and water to stay active, balanced, and strong enough to raise bread dough. Feeding is not just maintenance. It is how you build strength.
When starter gets fresh food, it begins fermenting. It bubbles, rises, reaches peak activity, and eventually falls when it runs out of food. Once you understand that rhythm, starter care gets much easier.
1FeedAdd fresh flour and water.
2RiseStarter expands as it ferments.
3PeakThis is the best baking window.
4FallStarter becomes hungry again.
Counter vs Fridge
Where should you keep your starter?
Counter starter
Keep starter on the counter if you bake often or want it active every day. Counter starter usually needs more frequent feeding because it ferments faster at room temperature.
- Best for frequent baking
- Needs regular feeding
- Easier to watch and learn
- Can get hungry faster
Fridge starter
Keep starter in the fridge if you bake occasionally. Cold storage slows fermentation, so the starter can go longer between feedings.
- Best for occasional baking
- Lower maintenance
- Needs waking before bread
- Feed before baking day
Need the full storage breakdown?
Counter, fridge, and dried starter storage each have a place.
Read Starter Storage Guide
Baking Day Rhythm
How to feed starter before baking bread
For bread dough, you usually want starter that is active, bubbly, expanded, and near peak after feeding. That means you should feed it before baking and give it enough time to rise.
1
Feed your starter
Use fresh flour and water. Keep the amount manageable so you are not wasting flour.
2
Mark the jar
Use a rubber band or marker so you can see how much it rises.
3
Watch for peak
Look for bubbles, expansion, a pleasant fermented smell, and a strong rise.
4
Mix dough near peak
Use starter when it is active and expanded, not long after it has collapsed.
Beginner Rules
Simple starter feeding rules
Keep it small
You do not need a huge jar of starter. A smaller starter is easier to feed, easier to manage, and wastes less flour.
Watch the starter, not just the clock
Recipes give timing, but your starter responds to temperature, flour, hydration, and strength.
Bubbles are good, rise is better
Bubbles show activity. Rise shows strength. For bread, you want both.
Falling means hunger
If the starter rose and collapsed, it probably passed peak and needs fresh food before baking.
Dry air matters
In Albuquerque, starter can dry on the surface faster. Keep it covered without sealing it airtight.
New starters need patience
Brand new starters are not always predictable. Consistent feeding builds strength over time.
Start with Cora
Want an easier starting point?
Start with Cora, Eat Well ABQ’s dehydrated sourdough starter kit. It is made for home bakers who want a real starter culture and a clearer beginning.
Shop the Cora Starter KitLearn with Chef Evangalene
Need hands-on starter help?
In our Albuquerque sourdough class, Chef Evangalene teaches starter care, dough feel, shaping, scoring, and baking in a hands-on setting.
Book a Sourdough ClassKeep Learning
Next starter guides to read
A feeding schedule is only one part of starter care. These guides help you troubleshoot weak starter, store it correctly, use discard, and understand the full sourdough process.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to feed sourdough starter every day?
If your starter lives on the counter, it usually needs frequent feeding. If it lives in the fridge, you can feed it less often and wake it up before baking.
Should sourdough starter be kept on the counter or in the fridge?
Keep it on the counter if you bake often. Keep it in the fridge if you bake occasionally and want a lower-maintenance routine. For a deeper breakdown, read our starter storage guide.
When should I feed starter before baking?
Feed it early enough that it has time to become bubbly, expanded, and near peak before you mix your dough.
What if I forget to feed my starter?
If there is no mold or unsafe smell, feed it fresh flour and water and watch how it responds. Many hungry starters can recover with consistent feeding.
How do I know my starter is hungry?
Hungry starter may look flat, smell sharp or boozy, show liquid on top, or collapse after rising. If it will not rise after feeding, read our starter troubleshooting guide next.
Build the rhythm, then bake the bread
A simple feeding schedule makes sourdough less stressful.
Once you understand your starter’s rhythm, feeding becomes easier, baking gets more predictable, and sourdough starts to feel a lot less mysterious.