When it comes to all of the accessories that you keep in your kitchen, there are some that appear to be more important than others. For example, your bakeware and utensils are always going to serve a very important function. Wax paper and parchment paper are often lost in the shuffle.
While they appear to be quite similar, they are not the same at all. In fact, despite often being spoken about in a manner that suggests they are interchangeable, nothing could be further from the truth.
So what are the actual differences between the two?
For starters, parchment paper is an item that is made with the kitchen specifically in mind.
Photo by Annelies Brouw from Pexels
Meanwhile, wax paper has a number of different uses.
Circling back to parchment paper, it’s a sturdy kitchen standby that is used as a means of resisting moisture and heat. If you’re wrapping fish or looking for the best way to put together a cake mold, parchment paper is one of the more common go-to items.
Parchment paper is also commonly relied upon by anyone who uses an oven to cook (i.e. anyone who cooks). Wax paper, on the other hand? Not so much. You see, wax paper starts to melt when it comes into contact with any heat source. You can use it in your own oven….at your peril. Instead, you should be using it while cooking over countertops. It will make the cleanup process much, much easier.
That’s the part about cooking that stinks. All of that clean up can get pretty tedious. That’s what makes wax paper so important – It’s the barrier between you and countless hours being wasted in the kitchen.
Are you going to be pounding on some chicken breasts or rolling out dough? If so, wax paper is an absolute must for tasks of this nature.
Our final verdict? Parchment paper may cost a bit more, but its versatility is hard to beat. Don’t take our word for it, though. Martha Stewart is the one who passed this helpful tip along to us and now we are taking the time to pay it forward. Be sure to pass this one along, so that all of your friends and loved ones can reap the benefits of Martha’s tutelage.