Say goodbye to your traditional plastic wrap with this beeswax-covered cotton food wrap! I’m trying to be mindful about the amount of waste we create in our house, especially since we host and entertain often. This beeswax cotton food wrap is great for covering leftover dishes, wrapping up sandwiches and packing snacks for the kids. Because it’s self-adhesive and air resistant, it ensures that food stays fresh and lasts longer. If you have cotton fabric scraps lying around, this is the perfect project to help use them up!
Waxed Fabric Food Wrap
Materials
Cotton fabric, washed and dried
Ruler
Fabric pencil or marker
Fabric scissors
Iron
Parchment paper
Tea towel
White beeswax pellets
Jojoba oil
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1. Mark out and cut the fabric into squares of preferred sizes. I recommend 6-inch (15 cm), 12-inch (30 cm) and 20-inch (50 cm) squares to accommodate a variety of kitchen needs.
2. Heat the iron on the cotton setting. Place a large piece of parchment paper (larger than your piece of fabric) on an ironing board or a large, flat, heatproof work surface. Cover it with a thick tea towel. Place one square of fabric on top of the tea towel. Sprinkle an even layer of beeswax pellets over the fabric, covering the entire square as much as possible and ensuring that the pellets reach each edge and corner. Drip jojoba oil over the fabric and wax pellets, leaving about 5 inches (13 cm) between each drop. Cover with another piece of parchment paper.
3. Gently iron the parchment paper, moving back and forth continuously. You will start to see the wax melt. Once all the pellets have melted, remove the top piece of parchment paper and check that the melted wax has been absorbed into the fabric. Fabric that has absorbed the wax will appear darker in colour. If it looks like a spot has been missed by the wax, sprinkle beeswax pellets directly on that area, cover with parchment paper and iron again until the wax is absorbed.
4. Hang the fabric to dry or place it on a wire cooling rack. Once dry, it’s ready to use.
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Tip: Gently scrub soiled food wrap with cold water, a sponge or dishcloth and alcohol-free soap, and reuse it as many times as you like.
Excerpted from Gather at Home by Monika Hibbs. Copyright © 2020 by Monika Hibbs. Published by Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
