Plastic-Free Food Storage (the best clingfilm alternatives)

Clingfilm is awful (and removing PVC means it doesn’t even stick well anymore) is made from single-use plastic that can’t be recycled in most cases (it causes ‘nurdles’ on factory floors when if washed to sea look like fish food, so get eaten by marine creatures).

Disposable sandwich bags are also expensive and leach plastic into your food. So why not invest in a good alternative to plastic wrap instead?

MoonMoon Reusable Silicone Food Bags

MoonMoon Silicone Food Bags are fabulous! They are made from silicone, a blend of platinum-grade silicone, this is food-safe, lasts for years and easily recycled at end of use. It looks and acts like plastic, but isn’t!

Use code NATURALLY10 for 10% off orders.

Also sold on Etsy (no discount).

They even are designed to stand upright, so you can keep items on the counter. These are also good for safety, as say citrus fruits are toxic to pets, you can safely wrap them in the bags, to keep them out of harm’s way. 

Expel extra air before sealing, to reduce bulk and freeze liquids flat, then stand upright once frozen. Don’t overfill for freezing or ovens.

Sold in various sizes, you can use these not just to store fruit to sandwiches, but you can also use them for many other purposes too.

You can use them for pouring out cooking ingredients into the pan, freeze fresh fruits and vegetables, store soups and sauces (there are special sauce pots too). They are leakproof!

You can even send back used items to recycle with their scheme in association with Terracycle. Wholesale orders welcome (worldwide).

You can even use them for storing wet swimwear!

How to clean silicone food bags

You can pop them on the top rack of a dishwasher (open to avoid pooled water). Or just wash by hand with warm soapy water, then rinse and dry upside down. For odours, just soak in warm water with baking soda or a little cleaning vinegar, then wash as normal.

Moonmoon silicone food lids

This brand also makes silicone food lids, which you can use to replace clingfilm, to put over food to keep it fresh. If using tinned ingredients, it’s good for safety to pour leftovers into a bowl

Before recycling cans, rinse/remove lids (pop ring-pulls over holes). Then step on cans to ‘pinch’ inner rims together, to deter inquisitive wildlife.

Moonmoon Reusable Silicone Sandwich Cases

Moonmoon Reusable Silicone Sandwich Cases are the ideal solution to keep your homemade vegan sandwiches fresh, without use of clingfilm. These rigid cases prevent your lunch from getting squashed, while the airtight leakproof seal locks in flavour.

Also sold on Etsy.

The sandwich box opens fully for effortless filling and cleaning, and the seals keep sandwiches and pastries from drying out, replacing the need for single-use wraps.

After use, either wash by hand or pop in the dishwasher. The transparent design lets you see what’s inside, and the smooth surface can be easily labelled with a washable label for easily family meal prep.

The sandwich box can evn be used in the oven or airfryer with temperatures up to 230 degrees. Leave slightly open when heating. 

You can also use these sandwich cases for fridge storage, or freezing leftover pastries, cake and bread.

The Vegan Wax Wrap Co (beeswax alternatives)

The Vegan Wax Wrap Co (made in the heart of England’s beautiful Cotswolds) makes lovely alternatives to beeswax food wraps. These are made from certified organic cotton in a range of sizes, sent in sustainable packaging. All are made by hand, blending jojoba oil with pine resin and plant waxes (pine, sumac, sunflower and rice brand) with hydrogenated castor oil.

Ideal for sandwiches, each wrap wrap should last up to a year, and is easily cleaned and reused. At end of life, just bin or chop into strips and compost.

To clean wax food wraps, use warm water and a little biodegradable dishwash. Every three months, refresh wax between two sheets of parchment paper and gently iron.

Not for nut allergies. Due to flammable tree resin, keep away from heat (microwaves, dishwasher, ignitions, ovens). And pets, due to pine wax. Do not use for meat/fish, as they cannot be washed to kill bacteria. 

By using the warmth of your hands to soften the wax to seal food. The wraps are then ‘sticky’ to cling to say bowls. To use, just hold the wrap in place for a few seconds, and as the wax cools, it forms a protective breathable layer, the natural materials help prevent moisture build-up.

Freshglow (keeps produce and bread fresh)

Freshglow was inspired by the founder’s grandmother who used organic spices to keep food fresh. These are sheets of reusable paper (for fruits, vegetables, bread and cheese) impregnated with a blend of organic spices, to keep food fresher for longer. Just drop a sheet into the crisper drawer (or under fruit in a bowl). One sheet should last four weeks.

Keep away from children and pets. Food wraps are not vegan.

The organic botanicals help to stop bacterial and fungal growth, helping produce to last two to four times longer. One ingredient is fenugreek, so the sheets smell a little like maple syrup.

It’s rarely sold in England but wholesale orders are welcome (Lakeland sell something similar, but it may not be of the same quality).

FreshPaper bread saver sheets

FreshPaper Bread Saver Sheets are based on the same idea. Again just drop a sheet into the bread bin (or a container with baked goods) to keep them fresher for longer. One pack of 8 sheets should last around 3 months.

Never give stale bread (nor crackers or pizza crust) to garden birds or wildfowl, due to choking hazards or mould. Also don’t give leftover sandwiches, as salt can harm and butter can smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation. 

24 million slices of bread are thrown away each day in the UK alone. You could of course visit a baker to only buy what you need (or just toast slices straight from the freezer).

If You Care (compostable sandwich bags)

If You Care offers an option for those who are just passing visitors, so would not use returnable items. These snack and sandwich bags are greaseproof (ideal for buttered sandwiches, nuts, chips, cookies and foods with mayonnaise or oil).

Made in Sweden from unbleached spruce tree pulp, these are not treated with petrolueum oil and chlorine-free, so no poisons dumped into our lakes, rivers and streams. The same company sells plastic-free alternatives to clingfilm (which you can buy by the case) like parchment paper and bags for heating food up.

The more zero waste options offered, the more likely people will frequent your eaterie. And then are more likely to visit you, rather than buy a plastic-wrapped sandwich from a supermarket or petrol station.

Supporting local indie sandwich shops also means less money going to far-away shareholders. And more help for local farmers due to buying local ingredients. And most are within walkable communities, so that means less road traffic.