When it comes to cooking we have to be careful in the kitchen, not only because of safety but also because of our health. You want to be sure of what you are putting into your body is safe for you. The various materials that cooking utensils and materials are made of can affect not only the taste of our food but also our health.
In this post, we would be talking about baking materials, specifically wax paper.
Baking is easily the most exciting way to prepare food. It can be a very therapeutic thing to do. The smell of freshly baked food relaxes the mind. Wax paper is one of the essential tools that is required when we are baking. Wax paper is very important for oven baking, but is it safe for the oven? Let us find out.
Is wax paper safe for the oven?
The simple answer to this question is “No”, but we won’t just tell you what to do without giving good reasons for our decision. So, here’s all the reasons why you should not use wax paper in your oven.
First of all, Wax paper is basically made of wax. Of course, wax is moisture resistant. Which makes it a piece of excellent baking equipment because it would make sure that your food does not get stuck to the pan. It is because of this reason that some people use it to line baking pans before they put their batter on them.
Apart from this moisture resisting benefit, there is really no other good thing about wax papers. In fact, they are more of a safety risk than a helping hand. Wax paper is a thin coating of wax on both sides of the sheet. Wax is not heat-resistant. This means that wax will melt under high temperatures, like the temperatures in a hot oven.
This simply means that you should not put wax papers in the oven. The wax would melt in the hot oven and it can ignite the paper and start a fire in the oven. Not only would you not enjoy your delicious baked goods, the smoke would set off the fire alarm and you would also have a lot of cleaning to do.
Even if you successfully use wax paper in the oven without setting your oven on fire. You would 100% have melted wax in your goodies. Melted wax would now stick on whatever you are baking. Eating wax is not exactly healthy either. Although, Wax that is to be used for cooking is not poisonous. It is advisable to avoid ingesting it. So for your safety and health, You should completely avoid using Wax papers for cooking at high temperatures.
This does not mean that wax paper is not useful. There are other things that you could use it for instead. You can use wax papers for other things that do not require heat or high temperatures like mixing dough or wrapping things that would go into the refrigerator. It’s water-resistant make sure it’s not wet when it is time to defrost. You can also use it to line tabletops so you don’t make a mess.
Since we have asked you not to use wax papers in the oven, you are probably asking yourself what you should use instead. We don’t want your delicious goodies ruined because they are sticking to the pan. So we have given you some better alternatives to choose from. They are safer for your health and also your kitchen.
Alternatives for wax paper
Aluminum foils
Aluminum is a very popular kitchen equipment material. Most kitchen utensils are made from Aluminum like pots, pans, and cutlery. Aluminum foils are a safe substitute for wax paper. It does not melt or light on fire. So you are sure that there won’t be any residues in your food. Aluminum is heat resistant.
The only issue with aluminum foils in the oven is that it might burn your food so you might want to coat your foil with little cooking oil to be on the safer side.
Parchment papers
Parchment papers are a wonderful alternative to wax paper, It is also moisture resistant, non-stick, and most importantly very heat resistant. It is made of silicone and it can withstand high temperatures of up to 450°F. The best part is that it is very reusable. So you can save some money too if you use parchment papers
Be sure to get food-grade silicone parchment papers. Other kinds might be toxic because they would release toxins when heated or cooled.
Silicone pads
Silicone pads or mats are similar to parchment papers. Also non-stick, heat resistant, and highly reusable. They are made with high-quality food-grade silicone and fiberglass. They may cost more than parchment papers but they are a good investment for someone that loves baking.
They are available in different shapes and sizes. They are also very easy to clean.
Greasing your pan
If you don’t want to use any of these other options, or if you run out of parchment paper or aluminum foils. This is an easier substitute. You can rub or spray cooking oil on your baking pan.
A simple coat of cooking oil on your baking pan is enough to bake your delicious goodies. They’ll require a little more attention but the results are also wonderful.
Although unlike other alternatives you would need to wash your pans after using them.
All of the above-mentioned things are healthier and safer alternatives to wax paper. They won’t be causing any harm to your body and oven. If by any chance you run out of all these things. Please do not use any other kind of paper. Remember not all kinds of paper is safe for your oven. Do not put flammable items in your oven.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post, you now have an understanding of why the wax paper is bad for your oven. We hope you enjoy your next baking session.
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