The average person throws away just over38 pounds of cling wrap per year, adding up to a whopping 5.71 million tonnes worldwide annually. 

We get it, cling wrap can be a tough one to ditch. Between the convenience and its ability to keep your food out of the rubbish bin, plastic wrap is one of those kitchen ‘must haves’ we hate to love. 

Fortunately, plastic wrap isn’t the only way to keep your food fresh and your lunch box spill-free. In fact, with so many different ways to replace cling wrap, it’s really not a ‘must have’ at all!

Ready to trade in your plastic waste for a sustainable solution? Keep reading to discover 5 simple alternatives to this sticky plastic and why you’ll never regret making the switch.

The Trouble with Plastic Cling Wrap

If you’re brand new to the plastic-free mission, we’re so excited to have you! However, before you can really commit to ditching single-use plastics, it’s important to understand just how impactful this change is.

The problem with single-use plastics and especially the soft, sticky pieces we use to cover our food is the number of toxins they leach into our environment. 

You may remember your Mum telling you not to drink a bottle of water that’s been sat in the car all day. Well, Mum is a wise one when it comes to plastic leaching, however, the problem is much larger than a plastic bottle sat in the car. 

When hard to recycle plastics such as cling wrap wind up in the landfill, they takethousands of years to break down at all. Worse than their biodegrading resistance is the fact that as plastics sit there, they release toxic greenhouse gases such as methane into our ecosystem. 

Now since these plastics are so difficult to recycle (and use a lot of energy to do so), the best step we can take to eliminate this problem is to simply stop using them.

Instead, we can adopt sustainable, reusable options such as:

1. Beeswax Food Wraps

These nifty little food wraps are made from all-natural ingredients that preserve your food without the chemicals. In fact, wrapping up your cut fruits and vegetables with abeeswax food wrap can keep them fresh and crisp for longer!

The wraps are durable, water-resistant, and reusable. Simply give them a wipe and wrap up your next snack for long-lasting freshness. 

Choose from a variety of colours and patterns to match your style and show off your earth-saving efforts. The best part of these wraps is that at the end of their life, you can pop them into your compost bin and avoid the landfill altogether. 

2. Reusable Baking Sheets

Not ready for the beeswax wraps quite yet? GiveAgreena’s reusable 3 in 1 baking sheets a try for a simple reusable alternative. This clever replacement is made from 100% toxin-free food-grade silicone so you can rest assured that they are safe for the entire family. 

Agreena’s sheets replace the need for cling wrap, aluminium foil, and baking paper with ease. Safe for your dishwasher and up to 220 degrees celsius, these reusable baking sheets are hassle-free and a perfect plastic alternative. 

When it comes time to part ways with your well-loved sheet, Agreena even has a program to safelyrecycle your sheets and further reduce waste!

3. Silicone Food Covers

If you’re the queen of covering your bowls with cling wrap to save on dishes, we’ve got the perfect solution for you.

Silicone food covers are the perfect size and shape to easily cover bowls, plates, baking dishes, and even half-cut fruit (avocado anyone?). 

Simply pull the flexible cover over your dish and boom! Leakproof and air-tight to lock in all that fresh goodness. Stretch them to any shape for a versatile cover that can withstand multiple environments such as the fridge, freezer, oven (up to 200 degrees), and dishwasher. 

In need of a clever kitchen hack? Multipurpose your silicone food wraps to open stuck on jar lids by providing the extra grip and leverage you need for an easy-twist lid. 

Made with food-grade silicone, you can rely on these covers sticking around for years to come. 

4. Silicone Food Pouches

Want to store your food and fruits without the bulky bowls and containers? Meet your perfect match - thesilicone food pouch. 

Toxin-free and food-grade silicone locks in liquids, sandwiches, and whatever else you can think of in a durable little pouch. Simply pop your leftovers into the pouch and seal them up with the sliding clip. 

Store them in the fridge, freezer, and even reheat food in them! Safe for the microwave and oven these puppies can withstand temperatures of -40 up to 230 degrees celsius! 

As a bonus, the see-through silicone makes it easy to identify your foods and keep your fridge looking esthetic and organized. Oh, and did we mention they are dishwasher safe? Booya!

5. Bento Boxes

Last but certainly not least is our lunchtime favourite, thebento box. 

Unlike Tupperware containers, bento boxes are 100% plastic-free so you can rely on absolutely zero toxins leaching into your food. Made with FDA approved stainless steel, these boxes lock in freshness for your lunch, snacks, or last night’s leftovers. 

As a bonus, you can even reheat your lunch in the oven in this handy little box (three cheers for fewer dishes!). Safe for up to 180 degrees, you can save on time and toxins with this simple switch. 

In a range of sizes and shapes, you can choose the perfect lunch kit pal or stock up for the week!

Say Goodbye to Plastic Cling Wrap

Now that you know these 5 simple and effective replacements for plastic cling wrap, it’s time to transform your kitchen with ease. Whether you choose your favourite alternative or mix it up for all-around freshness, you can trust you’re making a profound impact on our planet. 

Ready to ditch more than just your plastic cling wrap? Learn how to adopt a plastic-free lifestyle with ourbeginners guide to going zero waste today!

With Love,
The GFZ team xx