There are two potential things that could happen when you tear off a sheet of aluminum foil. It may come off clean, providing you with a nice, rectangular-shaped piece of metal.
Then again, it could tear drastically crooked, perhaps even starting you down a path where the edge of the foil will keep getting smaller and smaller.
Some people have even decided to get away from aluminum foil and use plastic wrap, but that has its own issues. When you look at the design of the aluminum foil box, you see that the roll is not secured at first. It could even slip out of the box, which is a dangerous game when you are dealing with a serrated edge.
It might come as no surprise that the aluminum foil and saran wrap companies have already equipped the boxes with exactly what is needed. There are little tabs with perforated edges on the sides of the box. Maybe you have seen these but didn’t know what they were there for or perhaps, just didn’t think anything of it.
It’s a simple solution. Punch the tabs from the side of the box and they hold the tube in place. They are known as “end locks.” After you stabilize the foil or plastic wrap using those tabs, you will find that your life is a lot more pleasant.
Most food wrap boxes have the tab feature as a standard addition. Unfortunately, it is not typically used, although instructions are printed on the box of Reynolds Wrap and others. Now that you know what to do with those tabs, you may find that you never go without using them again.