Why are food wastes ideal for compost piles?

Food wastes are ideal for compost piles because foods derived from plants are made up of the soluble components of the soil where they grew plus carbon and oxygen taken from the air. Composting such food returns those ingredients to the soil to be used again. Essentially all food wastes -- with the exception of meat and meat products, which can attract foraging animals, and seeds, which can germinate -- are ideal.