Reusable food storage: beeswax wraps, silicone bags and containers

The main options

• Beeswax wraps: cloth coated with beeswax and other ingredients, shaped by the warmth of your hands. Often used for covering bowls and wrapping produce. Care instructions usually say to wash them gently in cool water and to avoid heat.
• Vegan wraps: use plant-based coatings instead of beeswax. Check the label for the ingredients and care instructions.
• Silicone bags: reusable bags for food, often with a zip seal. Check the label for temperature limits, such as freezer, microwave or dishwasher use.
• Glass and stainless steel containers: durable, and easy to see through (glass) or lightweight (steel). Lids may be plastic, so check them.
• Silicone lids and covers: stretch over bowls and cans.

Reading food-safe labels

• Food-grade or food-safe: a maker's statement that the material is suitable for contact with food. Check the label for how and where the product should be used.
• Temperature limits: check them for the freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher before you try.
• Care instructions: the label should say how to wash it. Heat can damage wraps.
• Raw meat and fish: many wrap makers advise against using wraps for raw meat. Follow the maker's instructions.
• If you are unsure about food safety, ask a local food safety office.

Our angle: break-even against disposables

A reusable item costs more at first and almost nothing per use afterward. Disposable bags and wraps cost little each time but never stop. Work out your own break-even. Divide the price of a box of disposable bags or wrap by the number of bags or sheets to get the price per use. Then divide the price of the reusable item by that number, which is the number of uses at which it has paid for itself. Be honest about whether you will really wash and reuse it that many times.

1. Find the price per disposable bag or wrap.
2. Divide the reusable item's price by that number.
3. Compare the result with the number of times you realistically expect to use it.

Buying tips

• Start with one or two items you will use every week.
• Check that a silicone bag's seal and size fit what you store.
• Buy a variety of sizes only after you see which one you reach for most.
• Check the warranty or return policy.

Other stores

Links to stores that are RipePrice affiliate partners. We may earn a commission if you buy. We do not link to medication or supplements here.

• Kitchen tools and cookbooks at Milk Street