6 Common-Sense Cling Wrap Alternatives for the Eco-Conscious

Save money, reduce waste with these common cling wrap alternatives. No need to use cling wrap again to cover food.

We’ve gotten things all tangled up and the wrong way round.

Our grandparents would buy a product ONCE and use it over and over.

We use a product once, throw it away and buy it over and over.

And then wonder where all our money is going.

Cling wrap is a brilliant product if you’re in the cling wrap business. Keep ‘em coming back for more is a profitable business model.

There’s no doubt it’s very convenient for us, the consumer too.

The problem is, it’s not only bad for the budget, it’s bad for the environment and possibly our health as well.

So what can we use instead? Are the cling wrap alternatives just as convenient and hassle free?

The answer is yes!

6 Smart Alternatives to using Plastic Wrap

Full disclosure: after 25 years, I purchased my first ever roll of cling wrap this year.

Why?

We baked for a Scout’s bake sale, and wrapping things (Weetbix loaf, to be precise) in cling wrap was a requirement.

I tell you this because after saying that I haven’t ever bought cling wrap, a friend came over, saw the roll, and her eyes opened wide like saucers. ‘Lies!’ she gasped.

So my caveat is, yes, you can absolutely live without cling wrap – I have for over two decades. But I’m not a perfect, zero-waste warrior, and yeah, we now have a roll of the stuff in the house.

Anywho, here are six ways to reduce your reliance on plastic in the kitchen.

1. Make the Most of Containers

We have a mixture of Tupperware-like containers of various brands that we use for fridge, freezer and pantry storage. They are convenient, inexpensive (especially when they are half price, which is almost monthly at the supermarkets), almost unbreakable, and dishwasher safe.

However, they’re still plastic, so if you would prefer to avoid plastic altogether, Pyrex or glass containers with lids or stainless steel tiffins are an alternative.

Free or cheap alternative?

Use recycled glass jars and check out the second-hand stores for storage containers, jars, even Tupperware – give it a good clean out and it does the job, even if it doesn’t look brand new.

2. Crockery – The Old Fashioned Solution

This is how our grandparents used to do it.

Stack bowls over plates, plates over bowls and baking trays over rectangular dishes.

This method of covering food – either on the bench or in the fridge – is easy and it works. It’s also stackable (something you can’t do with cling wrap).

Depending on the food, I might also just throw a clean tea towel over something. For example, if we’ve just baked cookies, a clean tea towel will let them cool down while keeping the blowies off them.

3. Bowl Covers – Cute and Functional

Containers are fine, but what if you want to store something in the actual serving bowl?

Bowl covers make great reusable alternatives to plastic wrap. They’re like shower caps for bowls!

Covers are made with a cotton/canvas top and a biodegradable interior coating. They are washable by either the dishwasher, machine or hand wash.

For wrapping food, a hemp food wrap is a great alternative to cling wrap.

W were gifted silicone bowl covers and we use these pretty regularly. They are easy to clean and we have a variety of sizes that can stretch over different bowls.

So if I make a salad for dinner, and we don’t eat it all, I can slip on a silicone cover, put it in the fridge, and finish it off for lunch the next day – no cling wrap and no washing up extra containers.

4. SANDWICH BAGS  FOR A WASTE-FREE LUNCH

If a child takes their lunch in a sandwich bag every day, they will throw away at least 280 sandwich bags a year. And that doesn’t include waste generated by little lunch!

My son’s children’s lunch goes in a lunchbox ‘nude’. I try to use containers that are small enough (or with compartments) so the sandwich contents doesn’t end up everywhere or dries out.

A reusable lunch bag can help with both of these issues, and can be washed each night in the dishwasher.

You might also like: 8 Alternatives to Paper Towels

5. Biodegradable Bags for When You Just Need a Zip-Lock Bag

I’ve tried all the alternatives, but I always come back to zip-lock bags for freezing because they freeze flat, taking up less room in our tiny freezer.

These biodegradable bags, while not a perfect solution, are at least an environmental solution than their regular ol’ plastic counterparts.

Another alternative is to use regular zip-lock bags and use them over and over by hand washing them in hot soapy water. We don’t do this if there’s been meat stored in them, but for less messy foods, we reuse these bags over and over.

6. Recycled Glass Jars – A Great Frugal Solution

Recycled glass jars are the ultimate frugal storage container. They’re glass, so you don’t need to worry about plastic contamination, they’re free, making them the frugal choice, they’re reusable, and they are transportable.

You can even use glass jars to store food in the freezer – we store soup and stock in recycled glass jars. Just be sure to leave some space at the top of the jar because liquid expands as it freezes, so you don’t want any exploding jars!

Living without glad wrap is certainly achievable, and it’s a lot less inconvenient than you might think.

Have you given up glad wrap? What are your alternate solutions?