Can Wax Paper Go in the Oven?

Wax paper is often used in the kitchen while cooking. A lot of people keep the food on wax paper and even store it in the refrigerator.

And one of the common questions people have is whether you can use the wax paper in the oven or not.

Let’s find out!

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Can You Use Wax Paper in the Oven?

No, it is not advisable to use wax paper inside an oven.

Wax paper is coated with a thin layer of paraffin wax. This wax melts when exposed to hot temperatures of the oven.

The melted wax is also susceptible to catching fire inside the oven apart from your baked food tasting like wax and sticking to the wax paper.

Allow me to delve into wax paper, its uses, and alternatives to using wax paper in the oven.

What is a Wax paper?

Wax paper as the name goes is a paper product that has been coated with paraffin wax on either one or both sides.

The coating makes the paper resistant to grease and moisture. It is an excellent choice to protect your food from oil and water.

Paraffin wax has a very low melting temperature around 110-150F. As the temperature increases, the melting point decreases making it highly unsuitable for oven cooking.

The paper burns up after melting wax and catches fire at 350F and higher.

Also read: Can You Put Parchment Paper in Microwave?

Difference Between Wax Paper and Parchment Paper

Wax paper and parchment paper look a lot alike. They are sometimes used alternatively in the kitchen.

But they are not the same.

Parchment paper is a paper product that is modified by treating it with sulfuric acid.

The result is the formation of a gel material that is stronger than normal paper. It is then coated with silicone making it dense and durable.

Parchment paper is heat resistant compared to wax paper and can be safely used for baking or cooking in an oven.

Wax paper is at risk of catching fire inside the oven once the wax melts away. A parchment paper is a safer option and has no combustion risk inside the oven.

Both the parchment paper and the wax paper are used for creating a non-stick surface below and for wrapping it around food.

They are available as easy-to-tear rolls and serve a variety of purposes in the kitchen.

Wax paper is cheaper and easier to find compared to parchment paper, which can be slightly heavy on your pocket.

Also read: Is Wax Paper Edible?

Uses of Wax Paper in the Kitchen

Use wax paper to store your food in the fridge or freezer
Being non-stick, you can easily wrap it around any food. When you unwrap it, the food will not stick to the wax paper
Use wax paper to protect leftovers or raw food from dust and pollutants
As wax paper bars air circulation, food kept wrapped in it will remain fresh for a long duration
Wax paper works best to segregate food items and prevents them from mixing up. So if you need to travel and want to keep everything in one bag without mixing it up, use wax paper
Wax paper can be placed on bare kitchen countertops and used for kneading dough. Your kitchen will remain clean with wax paper catching all the spills
Use wax paper to cool and store freshly baked cookies transferred from the oven
You can wrap wax paper around any food material at room temperature. As wax paper helps to extend the shelf life of the food, it works well underneath or wrapped around your cooked, uncooked, liquid, or solid food
In case your food or cookware may leech out or react with metal, use wax paper as a barrie
In the same way, use wax paper to keep food away from direct contact with plastic.
As the paper is grease resistant, it will not let the oil seep out from food into your tray, table, or countertop
If you ever need to quickly polish any metallic cookware like spoons, forks, and dishes, rub them gently with wax paper. Not only does it make the job easy, but it also yields excellent results bringing back the lost shine and luster
Wax paper can be made into funnel rolls for creams and icing cakes
If you love cheese, there is no better paper to store cheese than wax paper. It also extends the life of cheese
You can pound your meat on wax paper easily and flatten it up. It helps to thin down the meat when placed in between two wax sheets
Wax paper is a great moisture-resistant paper. If you need to protect food from water, it works like a charm
Use it to wrap leftovers and reheat inside a microwave. Don’t worry about the temperature. A wax paper does not react to heat inside a microwave

Advantages of Using Wax Paper over Parchment Paper

Both wax paper and parchment paper have similar properties. They are both oil and water-resistant and work as a great non-stick surface.

While parchment paper can withstand heat, wax paper can be safely used inside a microwave.

Yes, the high temperature of the microwave does not affect the wax paper.

Wax paper is easily available in almost all shops in the US. If you are cooking at a friend’s place, you are highly likely to find wax paper.

It is budget-friendly and cheaper compared to parchment paper and aluminum foils.

Compared to parchment paper, sifting dry ingredients is much better on wax paper.

Later you can easily make a roll from the wax paper and transfer the dry ingredients onto your cookware.

Let us move on towards other uses of wax paper apart from food

Some Other Common Uses of Wax Paper

Use wax paper to polish up taps and faucets. After cleaning, rub wax paper all over to make them sparkle. The wax layer will not let water drops stay and create marks.
If you need to protect anything from dust and grime, rub the wax paper over it. The wax layer will not allow it to get dirty.
A wax paper can get inside the grooves and corners. You can use it to clean can openers and other places with grooves where your fingers cannot enter.
Moisture and grease get collected in kitchen cabinets turning the drawers into unhygienic places. Line them up with wax paper to prevent grease and moisture build-up.
As the paper is grease resistant, rub it on the handles of drawers to reduce grime collection.
Wood usually absorbs food colors quickly and gets stained. A wax paper is a great option for making wooden cookware and spoons stain-free. Just rub the wax paper on them before use.
Wax paper is great at collecting dust! Rub it across dry tiles and floor after cleaning. Wax paper will also help to make them stain-proof!
At times we need a funnel shape to design for arts and craft or to place materials and funnel them out into a container
It serves as a good cover for handmade soap. It helps to maintain the shine and gives your soap a long life.
As the wax paper is microwave safe, use it underneath your food to collect spills and for a non-stick effect.
Wax paper helps in a smooth glide of the cork back into the wine bottle. Take a piece of paper and rub the cork with it.
Wax paper helps in the smooth gliding of zippers! If the zipper of your bag or dress gets stuck, rub the wax paper on the zipper’s teeth.
Any metallic rods like curtain rods etc will glide smoothly like new after rubbing with wax paper
Clean the back of your iron and bring back its lost luster by rubbing wax paper.
Wax paper prevents rust formation on garden tools. It also cleans the dust collected on the surface of the garden tool.
During the rainy season and snowfall, rub wax on your shovels for protection.
Wax paper works for writing calligraphy. Write messages with icing and freeze the wax paper. After an hour, remove the calligraphic message from wax paper and place it on your cake!
If you place wax paper underneath your paint book, it will collect splatters and prevent a floor mess.
Clean the underside of your skates and snowboards with wax paper for a smooth and faster glide.

Alternatives for Wax Paper

Wax paper is a disposable product. Due to the Paraffin wax coating, this paper cannot be recycled.

However, eco-friendly alternatives to wax papers are also available in the market that you can use for a long time.

Here I am listing a few items that can be washed, re-used, and are biodegradable.

One such example is Bee’s Wrap. Bees wrap is organic cotton that has been infused with beeswax and some tree resin. This plant-based vegan alternative can be used to store food items and as a wrap. It is a bit expensive but you can use one sheet many times.
Glass jars are another healthier alternative for storing food as it does not react with food. You can wash and reuse glass jars for years altogether.
Cloth wraps are a natural alternative to wax paper. You can wash and re-use the cloth for a long time. You get an added advantage of choosing your fabric and designing it accordingly. Cloth is an economical option as you can cut wraps from old and used clothes.
Soy wax is a biodegradable and recyclable paper. It keeps the food intact and fresh just like wax paper. You can use Soy wax paper for as long as you like and then dispose of it in compost.

The wax paper is not heat resistant and cannot be used inside an oven. However, it is a very useful product that can be used inside the kitchen.

Apart from food, wax paper is a multipurpose product that is quite useful in our everyday life for cleaning and storing.

It is easily accessible at home and nearby stores and is cheaper compared to parchment paper.

I hope all the details regarding the uses and alternatives of wax paper help to make your life easy.

All the best!

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