Exploring the pros and cons of beeswax wraps to see if this eco-friendly alternative to single-use, throw-away plastic bags, plastic cling wrap, and plastic containers is the right fit for you. This pro and con list has over 13 ideas to help you answer the question. Will beeswax food wraps work for me?
A few common beeswax wraps questions:
What is a beeswax wrap?
A beeswax wrap food wrap is a material (like cotton fabric) coated in food-grade wax or oil (like beeswax, coconut oil, rosin, and jojoba oil).
Are beeswax food wraps safe?
The beauty of beeswax food wraps is they are coated in food-grade wax or oil. So yes they are safe to use to store food. Also, they are safe for the environment because they are compostable and biodegradable.
What kinds of foods wrap up well in beeswax wraps?
You can use beeswax food wraps for fruit, vegetables, baked goods, cheese, bread, herbs, and for covering up food.
Pros and Cons of Beeswax Wraps:
Pro: Biodegradable and compostable
Beeswax wraps are typical made from food-grade wax and/or oil. They are an excellent way to store fruits and vegetables. They are biodegradable and compostable.
What does this even mean? This means that when your beeswax wrap has reached the end of its life, it won’t sit in a landfill. They will eventually break down. You can do this process at home by creating your own compost bin. I am eager to try this out this process once our beeswax wraps reach the end of their life.
How to compost beeswax wraps?
When the beeswax wraps reach the end of their useful life, you can cut them up into strips and place them into your compost bin. They also can be used as kindling for starting a fire.
Con: Expensive
Beeswax wraps are expensive. It is crazy how pricey these wraps go for. Recently I went into a small, local bee specialty shop. They were charging $18 for a single, sandwich-sized beeswax wrap. Yikes! Unfortunately, that seems to be the trend for a lot of places.
Don’t be disheartened though. You can get beeswax wraps cheaper. You need to shop around and possibly even make your own. Which is fairly easy to do. There are a fair amount of DIY beeswax posts out there. I enjoyed this DIY Beeswax Wraps Guide.
However, I understand why these can get expensive. There is only so much beeswax from the bees in the world. Plus, there is still is a small supply of beeswax wraps compared with single-use plastic wrap. Unless you are going to be raising your own bees, it is going to be an investment. But one that might be worth it for you. This brings me to my next point in favor of beeswax food wraps.
Pro: Reusable
Beeswax wraps are reusable. Use them, wash them in lukewarm water, and repeat. You can use the same beeswax wrap every single week and it should last you at least 8 – 12 months. Have you tried reusable plastic cling wrap? I have and it always ends up in a big mess.
Although the cost of beeswax wraps being on the higher end, you pay that price once a year and you are good for another year.
What can I do if my homemade beeswax wraps are no longer sticky?
If you made yours at home, you could place them in a 300-degree oven for 1-2 minutes until they are warm-up and redistribute the beeswax mixture you made before.
Con: Can’t use for certain foods and applications
Beeswax food wraps should not be used with certain food and in certain applications. For instance, you should not use raw meat or raw fish with beeswax wraps. Since these wraps can’t be used in hot water, you can’t sanitize them properly. You also shouldn’t use mushy or liquid foods with these wraps. They aren’t 100% air-tight.
There also are a few different applications that shouldn’t be used with your beeswax wrap. They should not be placed in the microwave or dishwasher. The hot water temperatures will melt the wax off the wraps. Along those same lines, only use wraps on food that isn’t piping hot.
Pro: Easy to get more life from
If your beeswax wraps start to show their age, you have a few options.
- If you made yours at home, you could place them in a 300-degree oven for 1-2 minutes until they are warm-up. Then redistribute the beeswax mixture you made before.
- As mentioned above, you can cut them up and place them into your compost bin
Con: Need to order online
These wraps aren’t usually readily available in a typical store. You will probably need to go and order them online. Although I have started to notice a few popping up now and again in typical stores. They still are a bit more difficult to find. This leads me to my next pro idea.
Pro: Easy DIY project
Store-bought beeswax food wraps can get a bit pricey. If you have a few key ingredients you can create your own beeswax wraps. It is a fun, quick project that offers customization.
It’s worth noting that to complete this project, you will most likely need to go online to purchase the supplies.
Here are a few of the needed supplies:
- beeswax (ideally from a local supplier or reputable company)
- jojoba oil
- pine resin
- 100 % cotton, hemp, or linen cloth
Check out the super easy, well-explained directions from HERE.
Con: Leave residue on containers
A con to beeswax wraps is that they can leave a bit of residue on not only your hands and fingers but also your dishware as well. Luckily this is a problem easily solved. All you need is some warm water, soap, and a sponge. The residue should come off in no time at all!
Pro: Easily moldable
I adore that these wraps can take on whatever shape they need to be. I have a few odd-shaped containers in my home and always had a hard time finding a good cover for them. But these beeswax wraps are very helpful in that way.
Con: Not airtight
These wraps are not air-tight. They will make certain foods spoil more quickly. So for those items, use an air-tight container. Some items that do really well with these food wraps are bread, vegetables, fruits, and baked goods, and as a lid on top of containers.
Pro: Always have available
It can take time, effort, and memory to remember and buy single-use plastic wraps, bags, and containers when you are at the store. Yes, memory is a precious commodity for me these days. I like to free up as much memory space as I can for other more important things. During my weekly food shopping, I would always forget to buy plastic bags. Having the beeswax food wraps storage solutions at home, already waiting for me, helps solve part of my memory problems.
Con: Too hot or cold
When it is cold outside, these beeswax wraps are a pain to deal with. Wrapping up food can be a challenge, especially sandwiches. It can become a bit frustrating. But the solution would be to place your warm hands on the wrap or run them under lukewarm water. That should do the trick. The opposite is a problem too. If they become too hot, these wraps will melt.
Similar posts:
5 simple budget-friendly and eco-friendly kitchen swaps
Easy Ideas to become a Zero Food Waste Family
Pro: Fun, cute designs
One of the best features of these beeswax wraps is that they come in a variety of colors, cute, and unique designs. Some of the patterns they have come up with are so much fun! Not only are you doing something good for the environment but you are doing it with some styles. Win, win for me!
Pros and Cons of Beeswax Wraps Conclusion:
After looking over this pro and con list for beeswax wraps, I hope you give beeswax food wraps a try. I recommend starting with a few to see if they are the right fit for you. If you love them, then consider purchasing a few more. If you aren’t a fan, then you can give them away to a friend, family member, or neighbor, that will love using them.
Let me know, what are your favorite reasons for using beeswax food wraps?
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