The Best Beeswax Wraps to Keep Your Food Buzzing with Freshness
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Food & Wine / Kristin Kempa
Whether you’re storing leftovers or trying to keep a nice piece of cheese from drying out prematurely, there just might be a better way to wrap things up. Beeswax wraps are reusable and highly versatile — and they often do a better job of keeping your food fresh than conventional plastic or foil wraps. Flexible and self-adhesive, beeswax wraps allow food (like the aforementioned cheese) to breathe while simultaneously protecting against odors, oozing, and unnecessary product waste. And because beeswax wraps are so easy to clean and use — and often come in fun colors and designs — we’re sure you won’t miss that pesky old cling film. Below, we’ve chosen our favorite beeswax wraps based on quality, value, and functionality.
Best Overall: Bee's Wrap Sustainable Reusable Food Storage Variety Pack
Pros: A variety of sizes makes this a great go-to set.
Cons: Wraps can be tricky to shape around smaller items of produce.
Bee's Wrap ticks all the boxes for what we look for in the best beeswax wraps: They’re available in sets of different sizes, they come in a variety of designs, and most importantly, these wraps cling really well to themselves, bowls, plates, and whatever else you might be wrapping. And if you’re just getting into beeswax wraps and want to ensure you have a suitable size wrap for all your potential needs, this seven-piece set is the perfect place to start. You’ll receive two small, two medium, and two large wraps, plus one bread wrap. You’ll be able to take care of everything from a handful of chopped vegetables to your sourdough starter to covering a bowl of potato salad. Like most beeswax wraps, Bee’s Wraps can take a little coaxing to form to smaller shapes, but they’ll become easier to work with the more you use them.
Price at time of publish: $25
Dimensions: 7 x 8, 10 x 11, 13 x 14, and 17 x 23 inches
Pieces included: 7
Cleaning instructions: Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and air dry
Best Roll: Meli Wraps Beeswax Wrap Roll
Pros: Convenient for customizing and available in a variety of colors.
Cons: Not as grab-and-go as pre-cut wraps.
Just like with conventional wraps, having a roll of beeswax wrap on hand means you can cut each piece to exactly the size and shape you need. And for larger-sized containers or bowls, rolls prove to be especially useful. Once your pieces are cut, you use and care for them just the same as pre-portioned wraps, and they can be reused and washed over 150 times. Hawaii-based Meli Wraps come in several different designs, each created by local artists. Every purchase helps Meli Wraps fund beach cleanups, too.
Price at time of publish: $30
Dimensions: 13.5 x 42 inches
Pieces included: 1
Cleaning instructions: Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and air dry
Best for Bowls: Bee’s Wrap HexHugger Bowl Covers
Pros: These wraps are hexagonal in shape to secure over bowls with ease.
Cons: They’re mostly a nice-to-have extra.
In truth, as long as the piece is large enough for the bowl in question, any beeswax wrap can be used to cover a bowl. But Bee’s Wrap’s HexHugger three-piece set does make it ever so slightly simpler to enclose the circumference of a bowl, thanks to the hexagonal shape that offers a just-right amount of material to wrap around the edges. These wraps can certainly be used for more than just covering bowls, and we like the neutral color and modest honeycomb print. The HexHugger set is a great choice for a less-is-more approach to wraps.
Price at time of publish: $15
Dimensions: 9 x 9, 14.5 x 14.5, and 16.5 x 16.5 inches
Pieces included: 3
Cleaning instructions: Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and air dry
Best Sandwich Bags: BeeBAGZ Beeswax Wrap Storage Bags
Pros: The bag design’s fixed edges provide a more secure wrap.
Cons: They’re not quite as versatile as regular sheets.
Beeswax food bags are pretty cool — just fold over the top, and boom, you’ve got a nice little seal to help keep food fresh and avoid leaks. Another perk? In a world of otherwise bulky food storage containers, beeswax wrap bags lay nice and flat in your kitchen drawers when they’re not in use. Bag-style wraps are great for sandwiches (of course!) and the little bits and bobs you’re never quite sure what to do with — like half an apple or a few extra sprigs of fresh herbs.
Price at time of publish: $24
Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5, 8.5 x 6.5, and 11 x 14 inches
Pieces included: 3
Cleaning instructions: Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and air dry
Our Favorite
The Bee’s Wrap 7-Piece Value Pack is a great pick if you like having multiple size options, and if you prefer bags for various odds and ends, we recommend the BeeBAGZ Storage Bags.
Factors to Consider
Size and shape
Beeswax wraps are inherently versatile — that’s kind of the whole point. But you’ll achieve a better seal if you’re using the correctly sized wrap for the job, which is why it’s nice to have multiple sizes. Alternatively, a roll of beeswax wrap gives you lots of freedom to create your own.
Care instructions
You won’t find much variation here. To preserve their integrity, all beeswax wraps should be washed by hand with a mild detergent and left to air dry before reusing or storing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beeswax wrap worth it?
“If you’re looking for an eco-friendly food storage alternative, beeswax wrap is definitely worth investing in,” says chef and dietitian Melanie Marcus, RD. “It keeps food fresh while reducing the use of disposable plastics. One piece of beeswax wrap can be reused for up to a year and then easily break down in your compost pile.”
How long do beeswax wraps last?
As Marcus said, depending on frequency of use, most beeswax wraps will keep their cling for at least one year. You’ll know it’s time to replace your wraps when they stop adhering as well as they used to, or if they become visibly damaged (holes, fraying, peeling, and so on).
What can you wrap in beeswax wraps?
“Beeswax wrap is a fantastic alternative to single-use plastics when it comes to storing food,” says Marcus. “You can use it to wrap sandwiches, bowls of leftover pasta, sliced fruit, and cheese. The natural beeswax in the wrap creates a seal to keep your food fresh for longer.”
How do you clean beeswax wrap?
All beeswax wraps should be washed by hand with a mild detergent and left to air dry before reusing or storing.
Our Expertise
This article was written by Summer Rylander, a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn. She made her selections based on in-depth research, personal experience with using beeswax wraps, and conversation with a registered dietitian.
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