In my kitchen plastic wrap was one of the hardest things to let go when we began converting to a more sustainable lifestyle. To be a viable alternative to that oh-so-easy plastic wrap, something must be readily available, easy to use, quick to clean and cheap. Here are some alternatives I have come up with.
1. Glass Jars For smaller items, glass jars work wonderfully. Maintaining the see-through nature of plastic wrap this is one of my favorite substitutes.
2. Tin Foil Don't worry: I reuse my tin foil. A roll of foil lasts for a LONG time at our house. By purchasing high quality, durable foil we are able to wash and reuse it as a non-perishable item.
3. Glass Food Storage Containers With lots of great options on the market these days, glass food storage containers can often go from oven to table to fridge reducing the need to wash multiple containers as well.
4. Oil Cloth Homemade food wraps made using oil cloth can be both attractive and reusable.
5. Parchment or (Soy Derived) Wax Paper Use parchment or soy derived wax paper to wrap your sandwiches for your packed lunch instead of baggies or plastic wrap.
6. Fabric Bowl Covers Easy to make with some elastic and fabric these bowl covers look like old lady swim caps but are fantastic in the fridge to keep your bowls covered.
7. Bento Boxes You don't have to look for long to find gorgeous bento boxes that you can keep your lunch or leftovers in when storing them in the fridge.
8. Not Making So Much Food This might seem obvious, but it makes a big difference in my kitchen. Cooking smaller portions more often not only adds variety to my cuisine but it reduces the need for storing leftovers.
9. Two Plates Easy peasy: put food on one plate and invert another on top.
10. Don't Wrap It Seriously, think hard, does that actually need to be wrapped or are you just doing it out of habit? Unless it's pretty fragrant or will run all over the place, chances are you can leave it open on a plate.
(Image: Blast Magazine)
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i dint think letting go off plastic wrap was that tough...and nice simple tips to break free from the usage...good one
i've had the same roll of plastic wrap for over a year and have no plans to use it up anytime soon! i often just store things in bowls with a plate inverted over the top ... esp if it's something i'm going to eat the following day.
That woman looks freaky scary-yikes!
You can recycle "Tin Foil" because it is actually Aluminum Foil.
I like all of your suggestions, except the one about leaving things uncovered because the fridge is a dehumidifier, which shortens the life of many foods. Wrapping preserves the moisture.
I use food-safe plastic containers for home-cooked leftovers and at the grocery bulk bins, and I always keep a few in the car to use for restaurant leftovers. They wash well, resist odors, and, if properly cared for, will last for years. I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.
Thank you for this consciencious post. In our house I've found that Pyrex can replace just about any plastic wrapping. I just put it in my Chico bag and bring it for lunch, or I use tiffins (not sure if those are on the list, great for soup)!
Yes! I've been using my canning jars as food storage containers for a few years now, and I find them very handy. Amazing how much plastic is floating around out there...
I too, use the two plate method or simply invert the lid from a pan when I make soup. that way you can store things on top. But I never though of using glass jars for storage!Thanks for the tip! Some great ideas!
I go to some interesting food markets in Chicago, and found great jars with super wide mouths from pickles etc. I will cook up a huge pot of soup and freeze 4 large jars. They can defrost overnight and when brought to work, I microwave it and eat out of it. No wasteful packaging and less dishes to wash. Plus, I save sooo much money making my soups!
We have been using Abeego sheets for several years and love them. They are waxed covered hemp/cotton fabric. I bought my first set 4 years ago and they are still going strong!
http://www.abeego.ca/
How do you store the foil in-between uses? fold it and keep in a drawer? We have a couple of uses for it (mostly we're cling-wrap free now), but the same size each time so re-use would be really good for us.
We use canning jars of all sizes and save many jars that our food arrives in. I do have to plastic-wrap meat like hamburger in patty-sizes to freeze, though because we buy it in bulk. I'm trying to get rid of most plastic storage containers. I wish more manufacturers would go back to glass.
It is time to call aluminum foil what it is - there's no tin in it. (Was there ever? It is recycleable, too!) That's like calling your fridge an ice box!
There did use to be foil made of tin, it was replaced with aluminum foil in the mid-1900s. The term 'tin foil' is still used informally, probably in part since it's easier to say.
Tin foil was replaced with aluminum due to its LEAD content.
You can buy the "Old lady shower cap" stretchy lids at Vermont Country Store and use them almost forever---they come in different sizes for different bowls and I think they also have clear ones now. Just wash them gently and wipe them dry or stretch over a bowl or a jar to dry.
We often have leftovers when out on our motorcycle and after a very tragic General Tso's "Incident" involving my having to take apart saddle bag and replace maps (yes old fashioned paper maps---and yes we have 2 GPS systems on the bike!) and clean everything in there I got a couple of nesting plastic re-useable containers and we store them with the lids underneath for a bit of extra room and so far no more tragedy! Also good for when we over night on the bike for insulin cold pack storage. And no- sorry- glass in saddle bags is not a happening thing!
Where do you get Bento boxes? We live in the howling wilderness and no such things have turned up at the "Asian Grocery Store" we managed to locate in State Capital. B
I can live without it and will likely give it up when I use my two year old roll.