The best alternatives to cling film
Cling film, food wrap, cling wrap, whatever you call it, is a relatively new invention new phenomena and yet it is found in kitchens and lunchboxes around the world. The problem is that this is single-use plastic that ends up in the bin, often within a few hours. Luckily there are loads of great alternatives to cling film from brands like rolleat that you can start using today!
100 years ago clingfilm didn’t exist. People stored food in jars or tins, they used little cotton covers to keep leftovers and using paper to wrap food was common just a couple of generations ago. Now cling film has become incredibly commonplace and can be found in most homes.
Like so many items of single-use plastic it has become a part of our daily lives, and this is a big problem when it comes to the environment. It’s virtually indestructible, it doesn’t break down, it can’t be recycled, and sadly much of it ends up in our rivers and oceans.
Luckily there are plenty of great alternatives where the benefits far outweigh any slight inconvenience of not just be able to reach for the roll of food wrap.
Sandwich wraps – Boc n Roll
If your primary use for cling film is wrapping the kids’ sandwiches for school then sandwich wraps like those made by Rolleat and Keep Leaf are the perfect solution.
Easy to use and easy to clean (just wipe or pop in the washing machine), they also fold out into a handy on the go place matt. Perfect for picnics in the park or anywhere else where there might not be a clean surface.
Wax Wraps
Wax wraps are perfect for replacing clingfilm when you are covering or wrapping left-overs. Made from cloth impregnated with wax and oils, they adhere to whatever you are wrapping using the warmth of your hand, and can be washed using a mild soap and cool water.
Wax wraps come in a variety of sizes so you can get little ones that are ideal for saving half a lemon, and even extra-large ones that will wrap a whole baguette.
An additional benefit of wax wraps over cling film is that they are breathable which actually helps keep food fresher for longer, its great for cheese, so saves food waste as well as plastics. The only things you can’t wrap are raw meat and pineapple.
Plastic tubs
Now you might find it difficult to want to replace one plastic product with another but reusable plastic is much better than single-use plastic especially if you already have it.
It’s not that difficult to transfer leftovers from a bowl to a tub with a lid before popping it in the fridge, they are great for freezing, and they can easily be used for lunches.
If you buy ice cream or butter in a tub it’s far better to use these a few times before recycling them. They can still be recycled when the lids get broken or they get cracked, and you’ll have saved lots of clingfilm from the bin.
Glass Jars
Glass jars are ideal for storing food, it’s what our grandparents did, and the likelihood is you get through a fair few of them so it’s easy to build up a collection pretty quickly without spending a penny.
Store a leftover portion of soup in a glass jar in the fridge and you can take it to work with you and even heat it up in the microwave so long as you remove the lid.
Foil
Ok so this is still a single-use item but at least foil can be reused a few times before being recycled. Just save it up until you have enough to roll it into a fist-sized ball. And don’t be afraid to use it a few times if you can.
Reusable sandwich bags
If you currently use sandwich bags as well as clingfilm then reusable sandwich bags for lunch boxes can be a great alternative. They are perfect for sandwiches as well as loads of other snacks. And you just clean them in the washing machine.
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