Feeding your sourdough starter can feel like something you need to get “exactly right,” but in reality it’s much more flexible than most people think.
The right feeding schedule depends on how you’re storing it, your kitchen temperature, and how often you’re baking.
The short answer
If your starter is kept at room temperature, it usually needs feeding every 12–24 hours.
If it’s stored in the fridge, it only needs feeding about once a week, or whenever you plan to bake.
There’s no single perfect schedule—the goal is to feed it when it becomes hungry, not on a rigid timetable.
How to tell when your starter is hungry
Instead of watching the clock, learn to read your starter.
It’s usually ready for a feed when you notice:
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the surface becomes flat after rising
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bubbles start to slow down or disappear
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it smells sharper or more acidic
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the texture becomes looser or runnier
These are all normal signs that the food supply has been used up.
Feeding at room temperature
A starter kept on the kitchen bench is active and constantly fermenting.
Most beginners will feed it:
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once a day if it’s fairly stable
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twice a day if it’s very active or kept in a warm kitchen
Warm environments speed everything up, so your starter will become hungry sooner.
If your kitchen is cooler, it may comfortably stretch closer to 24 hours or slightly longer.
Feeding from the fridge
When stored in the fridge, your starter slows right down.
In this state, it doesn’t need frequent feeding.
A simple routine looks like this:
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feed it before it goes into the fridge
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feed it again about once a week
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or feed it whenever you’re ready to bake
If you forget a weekly feed, it’s usually not a problem—your starter may just develop hooch or take an extra feed or two to bounce back.
Do I need to follow a strict ratio every time?
Not always.
When your starter is first being established, a simple 1:1:1 feeding ratio (starter, flour, water) is a great starting point.
Once your starter is healthy and predictable, you can adjust feeding ratios to suit your schedule:
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smaller feeds = faster fermentation
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larger feeds = slower fermentation
This is how many experienced bakers naturally control timing without changing temperature or storage.
What happens if I feed too often?
Overfeeding isn’t dangerous, but it can sometimes slow visible activity.
If your starter is constantly fed before it has time to ferment, you may notice:
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fewer bubbles
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slower rise
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a very mild smell
It’s not broken—it just hasn’t had time to build strength between feeds.
What happens if I don’t feed it enough?
If your starter goes too long without food, it will simply become more acidic and may produce hooch.
You might also notice a stronger smell or a thinner consistency.
In most cases, a couple of regular feeds will bring it back into balance.
Nikki’s note
One of the biggest shifts in sourdough is moving away from strict schedules and learning to read your starter instead.
Feed it when it’s hungry. Not when the clock says so.
Once you understand its rhythm, you’ll find it’s far more forgiving than most people expect.