One question that keeps coming back from my readers is if I have an eco-friendly substitute for plastic wrap? What are my favorite reusable zero-waste cling wrap alternatives to use instead of plastic foil?
So I asked some of my zero-waste friends that also love to cook, what do they use instead of plastic wrap for wrapping food. The most popular answer I got was these silicone caps by Food Huggers.
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Top 5 Eco-friendly solutions to plastic wrap
#1 |  | Fruits and jars - Can be used to cover fruits, veggies, jars, and tins. Strong seal keeps things fresh | |
#2 |  | Most similar to saran wrap - Reusable Food Grade silicone wrap, oven and microwave safe | |
#3 |  | For Bowls - Contains 5 different size lids that are Oven, microwave, stovetop, and fridge safe | |
#4 |  | For covering dough - sustainable 100% cotton that is washing machine safe | |
#5 |  | Bee's wrap - reusable, biodegradable, and compostable + packaging is made from 100% recycled paper |
What to look for in an Eco Friendly substitute for plastic wrap
- Look for reusable products
- Preferably a product that is biodegradable
- Find a product that can seal the food from the environment well enough so it won’t develop a crust
- Find a product that is easy to use and will not take too much time or energy to implement
Twelve Eco-friendly substitutes for plastic wrap
1. Food Huggers
Best overall substitute for plastic wrap
- Family bundle – Set of 10 huggers at different sizes
- Dishwasher safe
- BPA free
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Aren’t these Food Huggers the most adorable products ever? This set of 10 Reusable Silicone Food Savers can be used to cover your fruit and veggies, your jars, and your tins by creating a seal that keeps things fresher for longer. Foodhuggers also make an awesome cover for avocados and a square cover for butter.
They are dishwasher safe, 100% FDA Silicone / BPA and Phthalate Free. These are a great alternative to glad wrap.
Reviews
With a lot of great reviews, it is clear that customers are loving these Food Huggers. It not only keeps foods fresher for longer but it also takes up less space than bulky Tupperware.
Some reviews mentioned that they work great with round fruit and veggies but gets a bit tricky if the foods aren’t the perfect shape or size for the food hugger.
2. Reusable Food Wrap by Tasman & co
Tasman & co’s cling wrap alternatives function great as food storage and as baking sheets; it can withstand temperatures up to 446 °F/ 230 °C. It’s made of 100% food-grade silicone and consists of a large roll (4.9ft / 1.5m) that can be cut to any size you like.
After every use, you can easily clean it with soap and water or pop it in the dishwasher, leave to air-dry or dry with a cloth and they’ll be ready to reuse in no-time.
Reviews
These reusable food wraps by Tasman & Co have a multiple-use and can replace not only cling wrap but also foil as it can be used with baking. One reviewer said they realized they are saving more money by reusing this product instead of always buying cling wrap, baking sheets, and/ or foil.
Unfortunately, some found that the wraps don’t stretch a lot and aren’t sticky enough. This made it difficult to seal some foods.
3. Silicone Bowl Lids by Perfect and Simple
These silicone Bowl Lids from Perfect and Simple comes in a set of 5 and is perfect for covering pots, fry pans, bowls, and cups. An airtight, leak-proof suction seal is created by placing the lid on the rim and gently pressing; yes, that easy!
These lids are made of food-grade silicone and are BPA free. You can use them in the oven, microwave, stovetop, and fridge to keep foods either hot or cold.
Reviews
The vast majority of reviewers gave this product a great review and I think that speaks for itself! They do a great job of keeping foods or drinks hot or cold and are super easy to clean.
However, even though the set contains 5 different size lids it still doesn’t fit all food containers and is then unable to form a suction seal.
4. Set of Fabric Bowl Covers
This beautiful set by Eco girl consists of two 6.5″, two 8″, one 11″, and one 14″ bowl cover. You can choose between a neutral, bold, or stripe set and it’s handmade from a 100% cotton-linen blend. What an awesome eco-friendly substitute for plastic wraps!?
Clean them with a regular machine wash in warm water (gentle cycle) and lay flat to dry.
5. Bee’s Wrap Beeswax by Eco girl
The Bee’s wraps by Eco girl is an eco-friendly substitute for plastic wraps and are reusable, biodegradable, and compostable. They can cover anything from bread, cheese, vegetables, or bowls.
Each set contains a small (7″ x 8″), medium (10″ x 11″), and a large wrap (13″ x 14″).
Here’s more good news! The packaging is made from 100% recycled paper and biodegradable cellulose. So it’s good for the environment, your health and with these beautiful patterns, it is also good for the eye.
6. Fabric Bowl Cover – substitute for plastic wrap
Eco girl brings us yet another alternative to glad wrap with these fabric bowl covers. These fabric covers are perfect for keeping bugs off your food and are absolutely adorable. You can use them for picnics, fermenting homemade kombucha, allow pizza or bread dough to rise, or cover leftovers.
They are made of 100% cotton & elastic for durability and to clean, just throw them in the washing machine for warm water, gently cycle.
7. Reusable Fabric Sandwich Wraps
Choose these reusable sandwich wraps by Eco girl as a saran wrap alternative. It’s great for keeping your lunch sandwich fresh and working as a placement to avoid bread crumbs all over your desk or clothes.
They function as a plastic wrap for bread but look way better! Each 14″ x 14″ fabric wrap is handmade and comes in a set of 3 consisting of different colors that you get to choose.
8. Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bag
Eco girl’s reusable food storage bags are perfect for lunches, leftovers, and as a freezer storage option. They are dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe making them not only a great cling wrap alternative but also for substituting baking sheets and aluminum foil.
The convenient dial-knob helps you track the date your leftovers went in the fridge and the unique shape helps your bag stand up for easy filling. They are also easy to clean as they are made of silicone and won’t absorb odors from foods.
9. Beeswax Food Wraps by Etee shop
If you are looking for a plastic wrap replacement these Beeswax wraps by Etee does an awesome job! Not only are they good for the environment as they are reusable AND biodegradable but they also contain all-natural and organic ingredients.
Each set contains a small teal (7″ x 8″), medium green (10″ x 11″), and a large blue wrap (12″ x 14″).
Reviews
A few customers have mentioned how long these Beeswax wraps by Etee last, one reviewer said one of her wraps lasted for a year and a half. They are great for different food sizes and shapes as they take on the shape of the foods.
Great with cold foods but not with hot ones as the wax will melt. One reviewer mentioned they don’t like the waxy feeling and they needed to wash their hands after every use.
10. Biobag biodegradable bags
These Resealable ziplok bags by BioBag look and feel just like your typical plastic sandwich bags but they’re actually made of plants, corn starch and vegetable oils.
The BioBag brand have a few different types and sizes of compostable bags but these type with the ziplock closing makes it really comfortable to use and a great substitute for plastic wrap for dough.
Reviews
Some reviewers said the bags are not 100% sealed like traditional plastic bags, however, they do a good enough job as a substitute for a plastic wrap for dough.
11. Reusable Beeswax Food Storage Wrap
The Reusable Beeswax food storage wrap can be a great eco-friendly substitute for plastic wrapping as it has a good and solid sealing quality, and it can isolate the dough perfectly inside a ceramic (or glass) bowl.
Beeswax’s wrap is made of cotton, beeswax and just a bit of Jojoba oil. It has a stretchy structure that allows it to stretch over a bowel just like plastic foil.
Beeswax is a biodegradable eco-friendly material with qualities similar to plastic as far as structure and flexibility. The biggest plus about this substitute plastic wrap is that it’s reusable. You can use it over and over. Once you’re done using it just wash it with cold water and leave it to dry until next time.
12. Orblue Silicone Stretch Lids substitute for plastic wrap for dough
If you’re looking for the tightest plastic-free seal possible for making dough, this product is probably what you need. These silicone stretch lids by Orblue come in 6 different sizes that will fit pretty much every bowl you have in the house. They are 100% sealed, easy to clean and very durable.
With these silicone stretch lids by Orblue all you have to do is choose the right bowl for the amount of dough you have, choose the lid that will fit it, stretch it over the bowl’s margins and you’re set to go. While silicone is not the most eco-friendly material out there – it’s definitely better than plastic. These lids are extremely durable so you can reuse them for many years to come.
What can I Use Instead of Plastic Wrap?
Plastic wrap replacements have different functions such as keeping food fresh, cold or hot, covering bowls, or sandwich wrapping. Let’s dive into each function and the best product for each;
- To keep fruit and vegetables fresher for longer the Beeswax wraps from Eco girl is the best option as the jojoba oil is antifungal and tree resin is anti-bacterial.
- If you are looking for a saran wrap alternative that also works for baking the Reusable Food Wrap by Tasman & co is the perfect option as it can withstand high temperatures.
- The Reusable Fabric Sandwich Wraps, also from Eco girl is the best alternative plastic wrap for bread as it will keep your sandwich fresh and it also functions as a placement for a breadcrumb-free space.
Three substitutes for plastic wrap you might have at home
Tea towels or old rugs
“The old fashion way”
This is how they used to do it before plastic bags were a thing and the bread was just fine so why not. Just get the rug moist before you cover the dough and maybe rest it in the fridge.
Shower hat
It sounds a bit weird, but some people say they just cover up the dough inside a bowl with a nylon shower hat and reuse it again and again. Works like a foil I guess, only reusable.
Put the dough inside the oven with a glass of boiled water
I read on several forums this method works quite well. You insert the dough (inside a bowl but uncovered) with a glass of boiled water into the not-running oven or microwave. The moist environment keeps the dough from developing a crust.
My personal favorite substitute for plastic wrap
Out of all the sustainable plastic wrap alternatives on this list, I have two favorites.
The first is these reusable food wrappers by Tasman & co that can do anything a plastic wrap can do only they are reusable. The second is the beautiful set of cotton bowl-covers by Eco girl for its simplicity and style.
- If you tried any of the solutions above, or you have a different sustainable substitute for plastic wraps you want to share with the rest of us, please leave a comment below and I will be happy to add it to the list, thanks!
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Thank you for posting these options! I have used the wet tea towel method because that is what I was taught and have always had good results. To get a good “seal” I use bakers twine to tie the towel in place firmly. I started seeing plastic wrap being used several years back on baking shows and it just made me cringe. What a waste!
Hey Dana, I totally agree with you. There are plenty of alternatives to plastic wrap that we already have at home. It seems the main reason people are still using plastic wrap for making dough is aggressive brand marketing presented in baking shows as you mentioned.