There are materials used in the kitchen for decades now that line, cover, or hold our cooking efforts. These products have often been used without thought about their safety, efficacy, or consideration of alternatives that are now available. This post explores these materials – plastic, foil, silicone, wax paper, parchment paper – because these days some of the materials should no longer be in our kitchens while others have been replaced with newer and better products.
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Baking Sheet Liners
The first materials to review are those items we use to line our baking sheets. It is well known that baking sheets are pretty to look at when new, but they quickly become messy and dirty looking for everyone. As an aside, I am convinced that TV cooks replace their baking sheets as soon as they no longer look pristine; which happens quickly. Their cooking trays are always so clean and that is nearly impossible for me, you too I bet.
Parchment Paper
Wikipedia: Parchment paper, baking paper, or bakery release paper are cellulose-based papers that have been treated or coated to make them non-stick. They are used in baking as a disposable non-stick surface.
Quick History: Parchment is the word for animal-skin-materials designed for writing on, and was invented by the ancient Egyptians. This material was also used in some cases for cooking, but that was not its purpose (1). It was not till 1847 that parchment paper was invented. French scientists Jean-André Poumarède and Louis Figuier discovered a chemical treatment for plant-based paper that turned the cellulose material into a form containing some of the qualities of animal-based parchment.
Specs: Parchment paper is grease and moisture resistant, and safe to use up to 425 – 450F. It comes in bleached and unbleached versions (I use unbleached), and in flat packets of full-sized or half-sized sheets, or in rolls. Another aspect of parchment paper is that it withstands soaking, steaming, and boiling without separating into its component fibers (2). Parchment paper can burn if put in an oven too high, or if it touches flames; but is microwave safe.
Environment: While you can reuse parchment paper, if it is brittle, browned, or slightly singed do not reuse. Parchment paper is not recyclable, although the boxes it comes in may be. The reasons are the harsh chemicals used in its creation and bleaching, and these days the paper has a layer of silicone and is no longer truly paper-only. There are some brands that make sheets of unbleached, greaseproof parchment paper that are biodegradable. However, while composting may be possible, read the manufacturers details to find out about your paper.
Comment: At Kitchen on Fire we used parchment paper all the time. I have used this paper in a 500F oven for pizza (and I made 6 of them) and while it browned (darkly), it did not catch fire and the food tasted great. So some parchment papers can be used at higher temps, but read the manufacturer notes on the box for they can be made in a variety of ways. I tend to use once or twice and then toss in the garbage. This is a good buy at Costco as they have cheap rolls, flat pre-cut parchment paper is more expensive.
| PARCHMENT PROS | PARCHMENT CONS |
|---|---|
| Considered non-stick, keeps pans clean | Not usually compostable, or recyclable |
| Heat resistant to 425F – 450F | Chemicals used in production |
| Can be cut to odd sizes | If rolled, hard to lay flat on baking sheet |
| Multi-Use: prep, baking, roasting, steaming, etc. |
Uses: I use it when roasting or baking as it keeps baking sheets cleaner and easier to wash up. It is an every day part of baking desserts for it prevents cookies or cakes from sticking, and can catch pie drips. Or I use it to bake and steam fish and veggies for oven baking in a pouch (en Papillote). Parchment paper is best for when I want baked food crispy, dry on the edges, with a good outer crust. But this paper can also be used to create an emergency piping cornet for icing, or funnel or used in steamers to prevent wet dumpling dough from sticking. Finally, it can also help keep your counters clean when working with meat, say, making meatballs?
Silicone Baking Pan Liner
Wikipedia: As a low-taint, non-toxic material, silicone can be used where contact with food is required. Non-stick bakeware and reusable mats used on baking sheets.
Quick History: Of course this kitchen tool was invented by French chemist Guy Demarle, when he experimentally coated baking sheets with silicone in the 1960s. He founded a cookware company, and decades later his silicone bakeware was sold in Europe in the 1980s, spreading to other countries a decade later (3).
Specs: Silicone is a synthetic rubber made of bonded silicon (a natural element found in sand and rock) and oxygen. With proper use and maintenance these flexible, nonstick mats can be reusable and long lived. They are made with fiberglass and food-grade silicone and require no prep before using. These mats are slightly sticky, so place them where you want them on a baking sheet or pan with the writing side up. Clean up with warm water, a soap and a sponge and air dry. Store flat or rolled into a tube.
Don’t cut the mats, or cut on them with knives or pizza slicers. If cut then dispose. The mat needs no added oil, so calorie friendly. Don’t put directly on grill racks or directly under the broiler, but can be in an oven up to 480F (please read manufacturers directions). Some recommend that, depending upon use, they should be replaced every year or so (4).
Comment: I have one that, unfortunately, was used once as a cutting pad during an emergency. That act reduced the effectiveness of the liner to conduct heat evenly and exposed its interior, so I threw it out. The mat can also feel greasy, and unless it is kept really clean any remaining grease can turn rancid and effect the taste of the food. My cookies were only lightly browned on silicon, whereas using parchment paper produced darker bottoms.
| SILICONE LINER PROS | SILICONE LINER CONS |
|---|---|
| Non stick (good for candy making) | Fixed sizes so need to buy a few |
| Heat + Stain resistant | Interior has fiberglas or nylon, so if torn dispose |
| Comes in bright, cheery colors | If not cleaned properly, transfers rancid oil taste |
| Reusable mats | Expensive and not biodegradable or recyclable |
Uses: I use this mat when I am making a lot of baked items, like when I make Easy Greek Pasties. I just quickly wipe the mat off between uses and back in the oven it goes. These mats also make an excellent surface for kneading very sticky dough, for they cling to your counter without slipping around and the dough does not stick to its surface (5). If I cooked candy, or baked bread or pastries a lot, I would have a silicon mat in my kitchen to augment parchment paper. Look for products that are made of 100% “food-grade” silicone, FDA approved, and BPA free.
Aluminum Foil
Wikipedia: A thin layer of aluminum pressed into a roll. Often informally called tin foil. Aluminium prepared in thin metal leaves with a thickness less than 0.2 mm (7.9 mils); thinner gauges down to 6 micrometres (0.24 mils) are also commonly used. In the United States, foils are commonly measured in thousandths of an inch or mils. Standard household foil is typically 0.016 mm (0.63 mils) thick, and heavy duty household foil is typically 0.024 mm (0.94 mils). The foil is pliable, and can be readily bent or wrapped around objects.
Quick History: In France, 1903 marked the earliest production of aluminum foil. Nearly a decade later, in 1911, Switzerland–based Tobler, maker of Toblerone, began wrapping its chocolate bars in foil. Then a few years later, in 1913, production of aluminum foil started in the United States (6). Aluminum foil is used in both convection and fan-assisted ovens. Most often, foil is to cover thin sections of poultry/meat during baking to prevent overcooking, used to tent meats while resting, and to line roasting pans.
Specs: I have stopped using aluminum foil in my kitchen as I do not want that metal touching any food I or my family consumes. However, the malleability of the metal is handy with tenting meat; I tend to wrap the food in parchment and then cover that with the foil that I can mold to the shape I want. Once done using I rinse it off and put it in the recycle bin. But I have not had to buy this foil for years after I bought a package at Costco, since it had so many rolls in the bunch.
Comment: The chefs I work with do not like food touching this foil. Health sites, such as HealthLine, indicate aluminum is ingested through food, water and medication. However, most of the aluminum you ingest is passed in feces and urine and is not considered harmful. My concern is that aluminum has been noted for a role in Alzheimer’s disease, we know cooking in aluminum will leach some of the metal into the food, and there is just not enough studies to know if we should avoid adding aluminum to our food. So I err on the side of caution and do not use the foil, aluminum cooking utensils, pots or pans. Or when I do use the foil I first wrap the food in parchment paper so no food touches the metal. Some studies are showing aluminum can harm those of us who have other diseases. (7, 8).
| ALUMINUM PROS | ALUMINUM CONS |
|---|---|
| Heat resistant | Medium expense |
| Recyclable | Certain food can stick to the foil |
| Malleable | Leaches some aluminum into foods |
| Can be cut to size | Not a good use of aluminum resources |
Uses: To keep delicate veggies tasty while grilling, to wrap leftovers in prior to putting in the fridge, or to keep baking or roasting pans clean. It is often used to tent meats either in the oven or once out and resting. Grills can sometimes be lined with this foil as well. Never put in the microwave
Use Tip: To properly line a pan with foil, turn the pan over and form the foil on the outside. Remove the now formed foil, flip the pan over again and the foil should be close to form fitting.
Cold Wrappers
Wax Paper
Wikipedia: Wax paper is paper that has been made moisture-proof through the application of wax. Great to wrap things in, but not things that go into the oven or microwave. I also have the beeswax paper that I use at different times. These are reusable materials and wrap up things well.
Specs: Paper coated in paraffin wax. When I was growing up, this was the paper used to wrap sandwiches, fried chicken, and other lunch foods. Often my mom would fold them up and tape it shut. It kept the food fresher and was leak resistant if it was tightly folded and secured.
Modern wax paper is made from bee’s wax and is malleable using one’s own body heat.
| WAX PAPER PROS | WAX PAPER CONS |
|---|---|
| Non stick | Do not expose to heat or fire |
| Can be cut to size | Can be fire hazard in oven |
| Can be cleaned + reused | Do not use to wrap HOT food (melts) |
| Is generally not recyclable |
Uses: Line pans that are not cooked, like fudge making. Where parchment is for hot, wax paper is for cold. Only once food reached room temp would I wrap it up for placement in the fridge or lunchbox. I have read where some recommend using it in microwaves since the melt temp is higher (9) but I tend not to do this. In fact, I kept wax paper from all heat and flame due to its melting point.
Plastic Film Wrapping
Wikipedia: Plastic wrap, cling film, Saran wrap, cling wrap, Glad wrap or food wrap is a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time. Plastic wrap, typically sold on rolls in boxes with a cutting edge, clings to many smooth surfaces and can thus remain tight over the opening of a container without adhesive. Common plastic wrap is roughly 0.0005 inches thick.
Specs: The plastic film can be clingy or stiffer, so review the product you are considering purchasing.
Also note that there are plastic oven baking bags available that can go into the oven for turkey or chicken. But these wraps are not those bags.
| PLASTIC FILM PROS | PLASTIC FILM CONS |
|---|---|
| Non stick | Single-use item |
| Can be cut to size | Not really recyclable |
| Some are clingy so cover bowls well | Melts with heat (no oven or microwave use) |
| Not recyclable at curbside, maybe in grocery stores |
Uses: I use this film only occasionally since my storage bowls each have covers already. I use it mainly to wrap up avocado tightly, in order to prevent oxidation. But that is about it.
My Choices
I use parchment paper all the time for my baking and cooking. I buy rolls from Costco, and they are so large they last years.
Silicon baking items are now numerous, and very colorful. I use cupcake ones for Egg Bites and cup cakes. I use the flat baking sheet liners for meat or veggie calzone pies, cookies, and making chocolate covered almond candies.
I only use foil under certain circumstances, like when I need to tent meat so it can sit and rest, without touching the meat itself. Although I recognize the steam being released may allow condensation to drip back into the pan and get into possible gravy. Generally thought, I wrap food in parchment and then wrap foil over the parchment to allow for a tighter seal, like when cooking en Papelote.
I do not have wax paper anymore, but do have some of the honey-comb wrappers and use either those or a glass container with a lid. I used to use plastic containers but no longer use those for food.
Rarely will you see me use plastic wrapping, as I have plenty of bowls and glass containers with lids. But I do have a box of it, that is nearly 8 years old, just in case I need it. I may have wrapped an avocado in it, to keep from browning, but I have other ways of doing that now that work just as well.
—Patty
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