Eco Friendly Kitchen: DIY Wax Food Wraps
Saran wrap is my mortal enemy.
I can’t stand the clingy, impossible-to-rip-nicely, film of plastic; and if it were up to me it would be wiped from the face of the earth forever!
There. I said it.
A little over a year ago we received a set of 3 bee’s wax wraps as a wedding gift from the Sparks Family and started the transition from single-use plastic wrap to a handy reusable substitute! I truly love these wax wraps, the only complaint I ever had was that there wasn’t one big enough to cover our largest mixing bowl, so eventually I made some of my own! Speaking from experience, this is a very peaceful, easy craft that you can do on a rainy day while you wash the dishes. It was so easy, I thought I would pass the news long. Before we get into how you to make your own; I want to put out there there are vegan alternatives to the beeswax wraps available for purchase & I have included some vegan substitutions in the DIY instructions down below!
When I was considering a transition to a vegan lifestyle I never quite settled with the bee/honey aspect of it meant to be a “Vegan”. I am a huge proponent of bee keeping and the vital role it plays in the health of our planet. I have dreamed of caring for a colony of bee’s for some time and now that my husband and I have land of our own, I am one step closer to realizing that dream! It was one of the fundamental reasons I stayed a vegetarian instead of a vegan for as long as I did. (*I have recently transitioned back to eating meat; it comes with a slew of complicated emotions, but it was a decision I made for my health.)
If you are looking for a set of bee’s wax wraps that you can purchase; I have a few sets up for grabs on the HometreeHomemade shop!
Blue Floral Print Bee’s Wax Wrap
Make Your Own Bee’s-Wax Wraps!
What you’ll need:
1/2 yd. - 1 yd. of cotton fabric in your print choice
bee’s wax pellets (or for vegan alternative 3 tablespoons Candelilla Wax & 1 teaspoon of Tree Resin)
1/2 teaspoon Jojoba Oil
parchment paper
Cut your fabric according to size using pinking shears. (Small 8 in.x 8 in., Medium 10 in. x 10 in., Large 12 in. x 12 in.) *be sure to measure your most used containers to double check you are making your wraps the appropriate size.
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange fabric on sheet so that no fabric is over lapping (usually only 1-2 wraps at a time.)
Sprinkle a hand-full of beeswax pellets & the jojoba oil over the fabric; and place in oven for 4-5 minutes.
Prepped to go in the oven
Pull from oven & use a soft spatula to spread the wax making sure the fabric is evenly saturated.
Flip the fabric over, add a few more pellets (1/4 or 1/2 the amount used before) and place back into the oven for 2-3 minutes.
Pull from oven & again use the soft spatula to spread any excess wax to the edges.
Remove fabric from baking sheet and place on a piece of parchment paper to dry.
Trouble Shooting
If upon drying you realize you either added too much wax, fear not. Just pop the fabric back in the oven for 4-5 minutes & repeat the process of spreading the excess wax to the edges of the fabric.
Too much excess wax!!!!
If upon drying, you realize the wrap isn’t sticking to itself, place back on a baking sheet, add a few more wax pellets to the side or area that seems bare & place in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Make sure you spread out that excess wax & set aside to dry!
When you are ready to use your wraps; wad them up a few times in your hands to warm the wax & activate the sticky. Then you can mold over a bowl, cut vegetable or seal into a pouch for to-go snacks!
These bad boys are NOT dishwasher safe! To wash: use soap under cold water and set aside to dry.
Good Luck!
Happy Crafting & thank you for your part in helping make our planet perpetual.
Sending all my love,
K. Ezzell
