Swap Plastic Wrap For This Natural Alternative That's Safer For Your Food

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There are times when you've cooked a big meal, excited about sticking those leftovers in the fridge for later, only to realize you've lost the lid to the storage container. You could reach for some plastic wrap, as most people do, or you could reach for its safer, natural alternative: beeswax wrap. You've probably spotted these colorfully patterned, bendable squares at farmers' markets and walked right past them, but have you ever stopped to consider why they might be worth the investment?

Beeswax wraps are made by pouring a mixture of liquid beeswax, combined with jojoba oil and tree resin, onto fabric (typically 100% cotton),  and allowing the creation to harden. Due to the limited materials required for creation, beeswax wraps are free from potentially dangerous chemicals such as PVC and DEHA, which are often found in plastic wrap. Beeswax, in general, is loaded with anti-microbial properties, so it acts as an extra layer of protection for the food you're working so hard to protect. Sure, there are other sustainable plastic wrap swaps already in your kitchen that might work (like plates and lids, for instance), but beeswax wrap is a closer alternative to plastic wrap when it comes to functionality.

Not only are beeswax wraps safer for you and your food, but they're safer for the environment, too. These wraps are biodegradable, meaning they have a shorter usability life than plastic wrap, but they won't spend hundreds of years breaking down in landfills or contribute to microplastic pollution (here are 14 other everyday tips to reduce the consumption of microplastics). The beeswax usually comes from sustainably sourced beekeeping, and the process of creating the wraps requires much less energy than the factories that produce plastic wrap.

Just like plastic wrap and plastic containers, beeswax wraps aren't designed to go in the microwave or handle extremely hot foods. However, unlike plastic, they don't leach potentially harmful chemicals into your food — the wax in them will just melt. The wraps are not only ideal for handling sandwiches and storing trail mix, but also serve as a great sustainable wrap for butter. If you're not big on the farmers' market scene, you can also find several patterns and designs of beeswax wraps on Amazon, like the honeycomb-patterned ones made by Bee's Wrap, or other independent websites. With proper care, these wraps can last for around one year, after which they can be composted or reused in other eco-friendly ways.