Types of Food Wrapping Paper (2024)

Whether you serve sandwiches or steaks, packaging your food properly maintains its freshness and guarantees safe handling. Selecting the appropriate food wrapping paper for your specific application is crucial in delivering a high-quality product to your customers. Use our guide to find the right type of food wrapping paper to accommodate the needs of your establishment, ensuring your inventory remains safe and contained.

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1. Butcher Paper

Butcher paper, also known as kraft paper, is coarse and sturdy, making it ideal for wrapping meat and fish. It is widely used among fishmongers, butchers, and crafters. You can also write labels on butcher paper with permanent marker, pen, pencil, or crayon.

Most butcher wrapping paper is treated with sizing - which is a vapor barrier - for wet strength and leak resistance. However, larger rolls, such as 24", 30", and 36" sizes, are traditionally left untreated since they are often not used for meat wrapping. These sizes are used most often for crafts or table covers.

• Coarse, sturdy construction
• Great for use as a meat wrapping paper
• Treated with sizing
• Available in peach-treated, white, gardenia, or pink varieties

Types of Butcher Paper

There are four types of butcher paper, each with unique qualities that appeal to specific uses.

• Peach Treated: Typically used for meat displays, peach-treated butcher paper keeps meat looking fresh and appealing. It also allows the contents to breathe and hides juices.
• White: White butcher paper gives meat a clean appearance and allows butchers to write on it for clear identification. It is used to wrap meat and line serving trays or baskets.
• Gardenia: Often found in meat and fish displays, gardenia paper enhances the coloration of its contents and prevents them from becoming slimy.
• Pink: Pink butcher paper is used to display fresh meats and crafts since the color enhances the appearance of the contents. It's also FDA-approved for BBQs and smoking meat.

2. Wax Paper

Unlike parchment paper, wax paper is treated with wax to provide a smooth surface that prevents other items from sticking to it. After applying the wax coating, the paper becomes resistant to liquid transfers in either direction. This quality keeps moist food juicy and prevents dry-wrapped foods from moisture exposure.

Wax paper is tape-friendly and can be written on with permanent marker.

• Great for baking, wrapping hot foods, or as a tray liner
• Treated with wax for a smooth surface and to prevent sticking
• Holds moisture in for moist foods and keeps liquid out of dry foods
• Available in dry or wet varieties

Dry vs Wet Wax Paper

Dry wax paper is bleached kraft paper that undergoes a dry waxing process that drives wax into the sheet and leaves no surface residue. Since the wax coating is pressed into the paper, it won't transfer to the products wrapped inside it. Dry wax paper is perfect for hot food applications such as packaging sandwiches and lining pizza boxes.

Like dry wax paper, wet wax paper is bleached kraft paper, but it undergoes a wet waxing process on both sides for a high gloss water-resistant surface. Wet wax paper offers an excellent packaging material for refrigerated food products, such as sandwiches and vegetables, and it can essentially act as a waxed butcher paper for poultry, fish, steaks, and meat. It is also widely used in the candy industry as dipping paper or tray liners.

Types of Wax Paper

There are three types of wax paper, each with pros, cons, and specific applications.

• Patty Paper: Made from dry wax paper, patty paper is placed between hamburger patties during preparation and storage to prevent hamburger patties from sticking together. It is especially helpful in freezer applications.
• Pan Liners: Use pan liners to keep items from sticking to the pan and reduce prep and clean-up time in your bakery or pizza shop. Made from dry wax paper, pan liners eliminate the need to grease pans to remove baked goods easily.
• Pop-Up Wax Paper: Pop-up wax paper sheets are made of dry wax paper and provide a quick and easy way to wrap various products at your grocery store, deli counter, or market. These sheets are interfolded and packed in a pop-up box for easy countertop dispensing.

3. Freezer Paper

With a similar composition as butcher paper, freezer paper is a coarse, sturdy paper that helps maintain freshness in the refrigerator and freezer. It features low-density polyethylene laminated on one side for strength, leak resistance, and the prevention of freezer burn for up to a year. It's ideal for wrapping and storing fresh fish, poultry, cheese, and pre-packaged deli products like wraps and sandwiches. Also, freezer paper is optimal for packaging noodles and is used extensively in the pasta industry.

Unlike other food wrapping paper, you can only write on the outside of freezer paper with pen, pencil, or crayon due to the poly coating.

• Coarse and sturdy
• Low-density polyethylene coating prevents freezer burn for up to one year
• Great for wrapping fish, poultry, cheese, and deli products
• Available in kraft or white varieties

4. Cheese Paper

Cheese paper is either used for storage or display. For storage purposes, wax paper keeps cheeses fresh and prevents them from drying out or becoming contaminated. First, securely wrap your selected cheese in wax paper, creasing and folding as you go. Tape the wax paper to secure it, then loosely wrap the cheese in plastic wrap or a plastic bag for an extra layer of protection.

You can also use cheese paper to decorate charcuterie boards, add extra color, and take your presentation design to the next level.

• Great for storing cheeses to keep them fresh
• Used to line charcuterie boards
• Adds color to presentations