Beeswax Food Wraps

I’m constantly looking for ways for us to minimize our contribution to the waste stream. Lately these food wraps are my favorite new project. We’re working on eliminating plastic wrap from our kitchen and this is one of the steps closer to that goal. I incorporated essential oils in the mix after reading about tests using oregano essential oil to prevent bread mold here. It’s proven to extend the life of my blocks of cheese and for that I am endlessly pleased.

Supplies:

Pyrex Bowl Over A Pot Of Hot Water As A Double Boiler

It’s important to use all cotton fabric for this project and to pre-wash it before you use it. That will shrink it if it’s going to and if you dry it on hot it will tighten the weave of the fabric. I chose a nice bee print fabric, washed and ironed it before cutting it. The first few pieces I cut too big, I would recommend laying out some of the things you are thinking of covering and mapping out the size of the fabric you are cutting. If you want a round wrap, you can tie a string to pencil on one end and a skewer on the other end to draw a circle on the fabric to cut around.

The first thing you need is a double boiler, I used a pyrex glass bowl because I had one I could designate for this project. Wax is hard to clear off completely, even with a heat gun and is also not a good thing to wash down your drains so having a dedicated bowl makes it easier to clean up when you’re done making the wraps, if you have a heat gun (they’re not expensive and have tons of uses) heat the bowl after and wipe it down with some paper towels. These paper towels make excellent fire starters if you have a fireplace or fire pit as we do and they smell lovely.

Line the cookie sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Lay as many pieces of fabric on the cookie sheet as fit easily.

Start with the following in the glass bowl:

  • 1 tsp Jojoba Oil
  • 3 tsp Powdered Pine Resin
  • 4 tsp Beeswax Pellets

I use the wood skewers to stir the mix until it’s well blended and melted. Once it’s ready, turn the heat off and add 3 drops of Oregano essential oil and 3 drops of Frankincense essential oil. Mix it in well then dip the brush in and spread it thinly over the fabric on the cookie sheet. Once all of them are lightly coated place them in the stove until it’s evenly absorbed. Monitor them as they heat to ensure that the wax us evenly coated. Add more if needed, the goal is a thin even coating that is fully absorbed. If the initial coating is too thick, when you pull it out of the oven, let the excess drip off onto the foil, then set them to the side to cool for at least 24 hours before using them.

To keep them clean, wash them in COLD soapy water and wipe dry. Hot water will melt the wax off the fabric and make them useless so don’t use them for things that would make you want to use hot water to clean them (i.e. meat), stick to bread, cheese, vegetables, container covering, etc.

These aren’t air tight covers, so think about ways to seal them like a rubber band or use small ones under the ring of a jar etc. The essential oils work amazingly well to inhibit spoiling so just wrap the food well.