DIY: Beeswax Wraps for Zero-Waste Food Storage
Beeswax wraps have become my go-to method for zero-waste food storage as of late. You can purchase them online or in health food stores, but you can also make your own out of old fabrics you may have laying around.
When I first stumbled across beeswax wraps I was completely fascinated with them. Not only for their practical everyday purpose, but because they are also ridiculously fun to scrunch and mold into different shapes. I love beeswax in any form just because I find the smell so delightful, but in this form, I can also feel better about storing my food without having to throw away any unnecessary plastic. I’ve been wanting to purchase some for myself, but me, being the type of person that I am, performed a quick google search to see if there was a way I could make them myself. To my delight, there was, and there are a few different methods I could use to achieve the same result.
One video that caught my eye was by Annasha Jones on Youtube. I love how she uses old clothes as her choice of fabric, and love even more that she has an option that uses an iron instead of the oven. The oven method seems to be the most popular, but I’m not interested in the thought of possibly of tainting one of my baking sheets with a layer of beeswax. The iron method, in my opinion, is quicker, easier and less messy; all things that I am on board for. For this tutorial, I will be using Annasha’s iron method.
You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing your fabric. I advise you to go for cotton, but you are free to experiment with other fabrics if you’d like. I opted for some old fabric samples that my mother graciously donated to me for this project (thanks mom!). In terms of beeswax, you’ll want to use pure beeswax, which can come in granules or in block form. I used a block of beeswax and grated it, which took no more effort than grating a block of parmesan.
What You’ll Need:
Beeswax
Fabric (preferably cotton)
Parchment paper
An iron
A grater (Optional- you’ll only need this if you use a block of beeswax and not the granules)
An ironing board or surface that is safe to iron on.
Method:
Begin by preparing your surface. On your ironing board or iron-able surface, lay down a GENEROUS sized sheet of parchment paper, and your fabric. Begin sprinkling a nice even layer of grated beeswax or beeswax granules over your fabric, and then cover with your second sheet of parchment.
*Disclaimer*
I am obnoxiously emphasising the word generous in this case because, I assure you, that you do not want beeswax to get directly onto your iron or ironing board, potentially staining and destroying your clothes. I recommend cutting each piece of parchment paper to be about 4 inches longer than your desired fabric, on all sides.
Begin ironing over your parchment paper to melt the wax. If you applied enough wax, you’ll be able to use your iron to push the wax into places that need it to ensure your fabric is evenly saturated. If not, you can lift the top sheet of parchment to add some more wax, re-cover, and continue ironing.
Once your fabric is evenly soaked with wax, remove the top layer of parchment, and slowly remove your fabric from the bottom sheet. Wave your fresh wax wrap around a few times to cool and set the wax, and you’re ready to go!
How To Use:
To use your new beeswax wraps, you’ll need to utilise the warmth from your hands to press down on your dish to create a seal around the edges. Glass works best for this, as the wax will stick to it much easier than with metal or plastic. For wrapping food items without containers such as hard cheeses, sandwiches or cut fruit or vegetables, use the warmth of your hands to stick the edges of the wrap together and seal your food in.
To wash, you’ll want to gently rub them with some warm, soapy water and let air dry. Say goodbye to sandwich bags and plastic wrap!
Note:
If you opt for grating your beeswax, I would recommend that you do so directly over your fabric before ironing. Getting wax off of your table or plate is a pain!
Have fun making your own beeswax wraps! My mom and I made ours together, and I can tell you that it is a great bonding activity. If you love the smell of beeswax like me, you’ll definitely enjoy this fun little project. If you try this yourself, share your experience! I’d love to hear your favourite fabrics to use or other ways you might tweak your method to make it easier for you.
