Beeswax food wraps: what are they and how do you use them?

Beeswax food wraps are finding their way into more and more kitchen drawers as a reusable alternative to cling film. But what exactly are they, what can you use them for, and what should you avoid? Here is the full guide.

What are the wraps made of?

The base is tightly woven cotton. The cloth is coated in melted beeswax mixed with tree resin for tackiness, often with a little jojoba oil to keep the coating supple. The resulting sheet softens in your hands, helps retain moisture and lets food breathe. For more about wax in contact with food, read is beeswax safe for food?.

What you can use them for

• Covering bowls and dishes of leftovers: mould the sheet over the rim. See covering bowls without cling film.
• Wrapping cheese in a breathable covering: storing cheese without plastic.
• Cut fruit and vegetables, such as avocado, lemon and onion: see the guide.
• Packed lunches and snacks: wrap sandwiches directly in the cloth. See a packed lunch without plastic.
• The freezer: the wraps tolerate cold temperatures. See beeswax wraps in the freezer.

What they are not suitable for

Heat is the limit: hot food and hot water can soften or melt the coating, so beeswax wraps must not be used for cooking in an oven or microwave. Raw meat and raw fish are also unsuitable for reusable cloth that can only be washed in cold water. Use a sealed container for those. For baking, use baking paper: the difference is explained in baking paper, wax paper or beeswax wraps.

One product, many names

Beeswax food wrap, beeswax cloth, beeswax sheet and wrap usually mean the same product. We have put together a short glossary to explain the names, and a guide collection with all our articles. To get straight to using one, start with how to use beeswax wraps.

Frequently asked questions