Beeswax Wraps : everything you should know
Wrapping, unpacking and repacking our meals, leftovers and food is part of our daily life. The use of single-use plastic packaging is not only bad for the environment, it is also bad for our health. Reducing our ecological footprint on our Earth and moving towards a healthier and more eco-responsible life is a wish shared by a growing majority. This constantly increasing awareness is causing a significant change in our choice to use alternative packaging for our food: green and smart. Alternatives to cling film, stretch film, parchment paper and aluminum roll existing through beeswax food wrap packaging. The natural and biodegradable offer to preserve our fruits and vegetables and culinary preparations continues to grow. Here is a summary of the possibilities in terms of bee wraps.
Whats a Beeswax Wrap ?
The fabric soaked in beeswax or in other words a bee wrap is a simple, innovative and revolutionary solution. It is a square or rectangular fabric, most of the time made of organic cotton, covered with beeswax or a mixture of beeswax, vegetal resin and / or jojoba or soybean oil.
Possessing natural bactericidal properties, Bee wrap prolongs the freshness of food and prevents bacteria from growing too quickly. Its breathable structure allows food to maintain an optimal level of humidity and prevents the proliferation of mold.
Reusable beeswax food packaging is one of the easiest zero waste products to adapt at home and on the go for packaging your preparations. In addition, with the cool and modern patterns that will distinguish the dishes, they will quickly make people jealous.
How to choose your Beeswax Wraps ?
Employing alternative food packaging is a no-brainer if you are concerned about your health and the condition of our planet. The choice to wrap or transport our culinary preparations in a simple and natural way is made between a beeswax wrap or its vegan version.
Both versions have huge advantages over disposable and non-ecological packaging. They are washable, durable, reusable, without toxic components, compostable and therefore ecological! It is for these reasons that choosing alternatives to harmful packaging is obvious and helps protect flora and fauna.
For all of your food products at home, we recommend that you use a bee wrap that looks like a sheet soaked in beeswax. It is practical, easy to use and adapts to the shape of food and your containers. The foil of this food packaging effectively covers dishes, bowls, pots and pans. This fabric coated with beeswax is also used for picnics or other outings. It will be used to wrap a sandwich or a snack and allow you to take it with you. Washable in lukewarm water, the beeswax coated sheet is instantly ready to use. If beeswax isn't for you, a vegan version of a bee wrap is also available. Perfectly suited to food contact, it is just as effective!
Beeswax wrap can also be used if you consume your preparations regularly outside the home. We have adopted the bad habit of unrolling disposable plastic or aluminum film for its ease. Sustainable solutions are not only prettier, they are above all more suitable for our health and our food. It is also a perfect solution for your children who will be delighted with the playful and colorful patterns.
Equipped this way, you can all easily go green!
Why choose Beeswax food Wraps ?
Plastic has crept in everywhere. In some cases it is not directly toxic, as much when it comes in contact with our food it represents a real health hazard. Very universal and used without moderation in the kitchen, plastic film is now to be banned in daily use. Containing two endocrine disruptors, notably bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates (also known as PET) these two particles do not tolerate heat or fat. In contact with our food (cakes, soups, vegetables, whatever), they migrate to food and end up in our body.
Aluminum is a metal naturally present in the earth's crust. We are therefore exposed to it from birth. On the other hand, it is also used in the food industry and that of cosmetology. This implies that with each use we increase its level in our blood. We take out the foil roll often for our culinary preparations. Fish en papillotes or roasted camembert are perfect examples. However, the contact of this product with our food will cause the transmission of aluminum in the food and subsequently we find our fish spiced with aluminum. Not to mention the ravages of sodas and sugary drinks in cans.
A huge advantage of natural and biodegradable food packaging is that no toxic molecules will be transmitted to food and our body. Quite simply because this type of alternative packaging does not contain any. The foods will keep 100% of their nutritional qualities, their freshness will be prolonged and you will be able to congratulate yourself for choosing healthy reusable food packaging for you and your loved ones with every bite of your meal.
How to use a Bee Wrap ?
The use of washable food cloth is a childish banality. They are great because they adapt to the shape of food, bowls or dishes. You can easily use a beeswax wrapper to coat bits of fruit, cheese or pies. Of course, covering bowls or pots, or using a cloth coated with beeswax to take sandwiches to work, travel or picnic is just as easy. Thanks to its flexibility and malleability, a bee wrap will conform to the shape of your food, no matter its size or shape, and will not let any food escape. The heat from your hands will activate the wax and cause the fabric to stick gently but firmly to the shape by bending, like an adhesive. The beeswax coated film can keep food both cool in the fridge or stay on the counter.
After using your bee wrap, take off is immediate and all you need is a quick rinse under lukewarm water and the natural reusable packaging is immediately ready to be reused. It’s simple, it’s innovative and above all it’s healthy, plastic-free and zero-waste.
Be careful, however, we strongly advise against using a film coated with beeswax to wrap raw meat or raw fish. It was not designed for it. For these foods we recommend a glass container instead.
You will no longer have any reason to use disposable packaging. Your trash will be cleared of harmful food packaging and allow you to eat healthier.
Why use beeswax wraps ?
Because environmentally friendly reusable packaging is good for your health and the environment compared to many other types of packaging made from petroleum derived products. On the health side, a bee wrap is natural and will therefore not transmit any toxic element into your body. A coated fabric sheet is significantly more hygienic and antibacterial, which prolongs the freshness of food and preserves nutrients. Unlike other packaging, a natural coated film does not carry bacteria and allows food to breathe. You will have the guarantee and the certainty that your food will be kept in the best conditions.
On the natural side, they are durable and reusable at will. Food packaging made from plastic or other synthetic materials is very difficult to recycle and is at best burnt (releasing toxic gases), if it does not end up directly in our rivers or along the roads. Thanks to a bee wrap, we reduce waste production easily, efficiently and with each use. Their production does not pollute the atmosphere and does not deteriorate the quality of the air. Washed under lukewarm water, the reusable food packaging will serve you well. If it ever looks slightly worn, you can just re-coat it with a little beeswax or soy wax and it will be like new.
In short, the benefits of a Bee Wrap :
- Natural product
- Adapts to all shapes thanks to its plasticity and takes up little space in the refrigerator or in a bag
- Sustainable, ecological and biodegradable
- Easy to clean (under cold / lukewarm water and possibly with a little natural soap)
- Dries very quickly and is ready to use at will quickly
- Folded and stored, it takes up very little space
- Safe for health and non-toxic for the environment
- Double use: will serve as a small tablecloth (practical when traveling)
- Made of breathable material, it prevents bacteria from reproducing too quickly
- You can make it yourself at home