Easy & Fun DIY Beeswax Food Wraps
To me, sharing a meal is an outward extension of the love and care I have for my own family. It speaks to our most basic needs while providing comfort. I love preparing food for my family and seeing the delight on their faces when I've succeeded in putting something on the table they love. I also enjoy being on the receiving end of a meal and feeling that same love extended to me by friends and family who wish me well.
Lately, I've been wanting to extend this love of caring for my family in other ways. Eliminating waste in the form of plastic (where I can) is one of them. When organizing and cleaning my pantry, I noticed the giant rolls of aluminum foil and cling wrap taking up space. Then I wondered, could I make my own food wraps? So, I decided to try.
I'm happy to report that I had success learning how to make my own beeswax food wraps! I still use foil for baking, but we are using considerably less plastic wrap to cover chilled food bowls or blocks of cheese!
Here's what you'll need to make your own beeswax food wraps!
Supplies:
- Pinking Shears (I bought mine here) The pinking shears cut the fabric and keep it from fraying.
- 100% cotton fabric (the thinner the fabric, the more pliable the wraps will be)
- Grade A beeswax pellets (found here) Food grade is important because these wraps will be covering your food!
- Natural bristle brush or basting brush
- Gently wash and dry your fabric with a non-scented light detergent.
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
- Cut fabric to desired size using the pinking shears. I had mixing bowls in mind, so I measured my fabric for these.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lay parchment paper on top. The parchment paper keeps the fabric from sticking to the foil and the foil protects your pan.
- Sprinkle the beeswax pellets to lightly cover the fabric (shown above).
- "Bake" until the pellets have melted. Once melted, remove from the oven and brush the wax over the fabric with the basting brush.
If you notice light spots where the wax hasn't covered the fabric, add more pellets and bake again to repeat the process.
- Once covered, remove the fabric from the baking pan and let cool.
I love how mine turned out! I'm already excited to reach for them when I need to cover a plate of food or to cover rising dough when we make bread. I found it easier to shape the wraps by crumpling them in a ball first. When you are done using it they can be washed under cold soapy water and left to air dry! You can see how I pressed the wrap and molded it around the edges of my bowl below.
Have you used beeswax wraps before? I love how simple projects like this can create less waste in our homes while also fostering the love shared through a meal! I already have a recipient in mind for whom I'd like to send my homemade food wraps to as a gift!
*Tip: do not use your beeswax food wraps over hot food. The heat from the meal can cause the beeswax to melt from your fabric. It's best to use these over cold dishes meant for the refrigerator!
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