For context, I cook a lot. I buy our groceries, and pick the fresh produce from our gardens in only the quantities that we will use for that day or week. Not only that but I only cook enough food for that meal so there aren’t any left overs.
Why?
I love freshly cooked food, and found that a lot of leftovers end up going in the trash. When we moved into our home I had a mission to make our home as toxin free, sustainable, and environmentally friendly as possible.
Is baking paper recyclable?
But because I cook a lot I use a lot of baking paper. And the problem is, baking paper isn’t recyclable. That’s because while it’s made of paper, it’s also treated with acid for high heat resistance then coated in wax to be non stick.
As a low waste solution I’ve switched to silicone baking mats. The brand I use is called The Conscious Store which is based in Australia.
The silicon baking mats are 40cm x 29cm so it suits your normal oven, and as they’re easily bendable so you can fold them to suit different baking pan shapes.
But are silicon baking mats safe?
Yes! These silicon baking mats are fridge safe, freezer safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe, can take up to 230 degree Celsius heat, and they’re free of BPA, BPS, and phthalates.
Plus it’s odourless, stain-resistant, hypoallergenic, and has no open pores to harbour harmful bacteria which is perfect so cleaning it will be easier.
Unlike plastic, silicon is durable so it won’t break down like plastic so it won’t contribute to the overwhelming rise in micro plastics in our waterways, flora, and fauna.
Will it affect cooking times?
These silicon baking mats are quite thin so shouldn't greatly affect your cooking time or the direct heat on the food being cooked. I baked my almond cookies for our morning coffees, and the cooking time remained the same without affecting the look or taste of the cookies.
*This post has been sponsored by The Conscious Store. All opinions stated are my own*
