GUIDE · KITCHEN
Reusable alternatives to plastic wrap for leftovers
Plastic wrap is handy, but it's fiddly, hard to reuse and goes straight in the garbage. The good news is that most kitchens already have what they need to use a lot less of it. Here are the options that work, what each one is good at, and how to care for them.
Start with what you already own
- A plate on a bowl. The simplest cover there is. It works well for the fridge or for keeping a bowl of dough covered while it rises.
- Containers with lids. Glass or plastic containers with snap lids stack neatly and are easy to see into. Glass can go from fridge to microwave (without the lid) if it's labelled microwave-safe.
- Clean jars. Pasta sauce or jam jars are ideal for soups, sauces, dressings and cut herbs in a little water.
- A clean tea towel over bread or rising dough on the counter.
Reusable covers worth knowing about
- Silicone stretch lids stretch over bowls, cans and the cut face of fruit or vegetables. Wash them in warm soapy water. Check the maker's instructions before using them in a microwave or dishwasher.
- Beeswax or plant-wax wraps mould around food with the warmth of your hands. Rinse in cool water with mild soap. Hot water melts the wax. Not for raw meat.
- Fabric bowl covers with elastic edges are good for covering bowls on the counter, though they aren't airtight.
- Silicone storage bags are a reusable option for snacks, marinades and the freezer.
Food safety basics
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking, and eat them within a few days.
- For anything you want to keep longer, use an airtight container and freeze it.
- Keep raw meat in a sealed container on the bottom shelf, away from ready-to-eat food.
- Follow Health Canada and the product maker's guidance. This guide is general information.
Making the switch stick
Keep one or two covers somewhere easy to reach, next to where the plastic wrap used to live. Wash and dry them soon after use so they're ready next time. You don't need to replace everything at once: the plate-on-a-bowl trick alone covers a lot of everyday jobs.
If you want a set, we sell Stretch Lids, Set of 6. You don't need to buy anything to use this guide. Prices are in CAD and we currently ship to Canada (excluding Quebec).