Beeswax wraps are a great alternative to plastic wraps and aluminum foils for food storage. They are easy to care for, compostable, and less expensive due to their reusable nature. While you can’t use them with warm foods or wash with hot water, beeswax wraps come with enough benefits that these 'disadvantages' are worth it.
If like me, you’re trying to reduce the amount of waste you create, beeswax wraps might be the answer. In our household we don’t often use plastic wrap to cover food since we have a set of glass dishes but we do use a lot of plastic baggies for small items and aluminum foil to wrap things like breakfast burritos for the freezer. I purchased reusable bags to replace the plastic baggies and beeswax wraps are a way to reduce our use of plastics or foils.
Beeswax wraps can last anywhere from six months to a year depending on the care and frequency of use. Avoiding warm foods and hot water will keep the wax from melting off. Simply clean with warm water and soap then let air dry.
For my wraps, I tested several different methods and two different mixes. Sets range in price but from first-hand experience, I can say with complete certainty there is a reason they may seem costly, especially if you’re choosing a mix that uses pine resin. So sticky!
The first mix I used was beeswax, pine resin, and jojoba oil. The addition of pine resin makes for a stickier wrap and the jojoba oil keeps the wrap more pliable while offering an antimicrobial element. I did one set with a paint brush and, oh goodness, was that a mess. The paint brush was old anyway but it ended up in the trash when finished. Brushing the wax on left the wrap very uneven and created a lot more ‘waste’ than I liked. After scrubbing myself clean, again so sticky, I used a silicone mold to harden the rest of my mixture. Once hardened, I cut off tiny pieces and used an iron to melt it down between pieces of parchment paper. This method was way less messy, gave a more consistent coverage, and created less waste from the wax melt. This process would be the ideal way to refresh the wraps when necessary, however, I have seen recommendations to place them in the oven or simply just iron them between pieces of parchment if your wax is not thinning too badly.
The second method was melting beeswax between the parchment paper with an iron. Super simple, easy to complete in just a few minutes, and little waste. I did have to watch a little closer for any spots that didn’t get coated in wax but overall, a similar experience to what I learned after the paint brush mess.
So which wrap do I like better?
Based on feel alone, I prefer the beeswax and resin mixture. It is softer than the beeswax only mix and a lot more pliable. All it takes is a few seconds of warming it up in your hands. You can instantly feel it getting sticky and ready for action. The beeswax only wrap is not sticky at all. I personally think that the beeswax only wrap would make a better bag or food wrap that uses a tie or button to hold it together since it won’t be able to stick to itself or food/dishes.
