I first discovered Beeswax Wraps while visiting my sister's homestead in British Columbia. She uses them faithfully on everything from food wrapping to sealing the jars of farm-fresh milk and cream. Once she explained them to me, I was intrigued. Could it be that there was an alternative to plastic wrap and re-sealable snack bags that I knew nothing about? I had always imagined myself forward-thinking in regards to things like recycling, composting and the eco-friendly lifestyle, but in this I was uneducated. So I made myself educated and what I learned were a couple very interesting things.
They come in all shapes and sizes making them versatile enough to use for literally anything you would have used the traditional plastics on.
They are breatheable, which extends the life of your foods, minimizing food waste.
Because they are made with quality organic, sustainable products and typically require shipping they are a bit on the pricey side (by my standards).
You can totally MAKE THEM YOURSELF in very little time, fully customizing them to your specific sizing requirements.
Being that I love to craft and that I make homemade candles and salves, I had all of the items required on hand. For those who may not, you will require 100% cotton (in varying sizes), pure beeswax, and pine resin (or Jojoba Oil). You will also need a brush, parchment paper, scissors, baking sheet, cutting templates and oven.
Beeswax Wraps
Start by laying out your fabirc and cutting it to the sizes you require. I did a combination of squares and circles using my pans as the templates. You will want to make it the size of whichever dish you intend to use it on, plus an inch or more extra for overhang. Alternatively, you can free-size them and use for snack containers or individual produce, cheeses or small jar toppers. Next, line your baking sheet with parchment (easy cleanup and can be saved for next batch) and pre-heat oven to 250°C, then place cutouts on the baking sheet and sprinkle the beeswax on in a nice layer. A couple drops of Jojoba Oil and into the oven until the beeswax is melted. It takes very little time, so keep an eye on it. Remove and using the brush (I used foam applicator because it's what I had on hand and I've re-used it multiple times since), coat the entire surface in the soft wax mixture, paying extra attention to the edges. I then slid the parchment sheet off the baking sheet each time and it instantly cooled on the countertop. A couple neat folds and that's it. They are done and ready to use or gift.
There are several recipes available online, and methods of melting the wax mixtures. Play with it until you find what works for you.
A couple quick tips for use:
They will last 6 months to a year if properly maintained. Simple cold to luke-warm water washing only, with a mild eco-friendly dish detergent if you have it. Avoid raw meats. When they start to feel 'limp' mimic the creation process and put them back in the oven for round two!
If you have any questions, or tips on how you do your beeswax wraps, head over to the group discussions and chat us up!
Regards,
Tina Marie
Thank you for explaining how to make the beeswax wraps. Does sound easy. They are great for extending the life of veggies too. I love them!