Beeswax food wraps have become an increasingly popular alternative to plastic wraps for storing food. Made from cotton fabric coated with beeswax, they are reusable and biodegradable, making them an eco-friendly option. However, beeswax wraps can be used for many uses. In this blog, we will explore some alternative ways to use beeswax food wraps.

 1. Wrap pastry in clingfilm 

How many times do we see in a recipe that says to wrap up pastry in clingfilm and chill? Well, it doesn't need to be this way. Beeswax wraps can do the same job. Just wrap tightly so there's no air. You can even use them in the freezer. If using in the freezer, just allow to come to room temperature before unfolding. 

2. Make a popcorn snack cone

Turn a beeswax wrap into a cone by grabbing a corner and folding into cone shape. You can fold down at the top to secure. These cones are handy for many other snacks such as pretzels or crisps! The beeswax wrap cones give a fun snacking experience for kids and they are reusable too! 

3. Make a pouch for snacks.

Beeswax wraps can be turned into pouches for snacks like nuts and dried fruit. Simply fold the wrap in half and then fold the sides in to create a pouch. Fill the pouch with your favorite snacks and then fold the top down to seal.

4. Use when proving dough.

Use to cover bowl of dough when proofing. You can also use to keep bread wrapped up and fresh once cooled!

5. Missing a jar lid

Missing a jar lid? Why not use a small beeswax wrap to seal a reused jar. You could also use wraps as a grip for opening stuck lids.

6. Wrap homemade food gifts.

Beeswax wraps can also be used as gift wraps. Instead of a bottle of wine or chocolates why not make some homemade bread or scones as a gift when visiting family of friends. Simply wrap the gift in the wrap and then tie it with a ribbon or string. The wrap can be reused by the recipient as a food wrap or for one of the other alternative uses listed above.

In conclusion, beeswax food wraps are versatile and can be used for more than just wrapping food. They are a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap and can be reused multiple times. Try out some of these alternative uses for beeswax wraps and reduce your reliance on single use plastics. If you would like to give Millbee's beeswax wraps a try here's a 10% discount to help you along on your plastic free journey - BEE10

As the first week of October beckons upon us, another holiday season is just around the corner.  From the kids trick or treating to the adults baking treats for the family, we have decided to give our readers a delicious traditional Irish barmbrack recipe that will no doubt spice up your Halloween!

One of our stocklists, Hickeys Bakery who stock our own Beeswax Food Wraps, have been producing beautiful Barmbracks since the 1900s! 

ENTER COMPETITION TO WIN BREAD WRAP AND HICKEYS FAMOUS BARMBRACK

Barmbrack is a yeast bread that is typically added with flour, sultanas, and raisins. Did you know the recipe originated in Ireland? At Halloween, people tend to place a ring in the centre of the bread. It is thought that the person who finds the ring will be wed within the year!

Irish chef Donal Skehan has kindly let us share his delicious Barmbrack recipe. You can check out his website for more wonderful recipes here. 

Barmbrack Ingredients:

Makes one 900g loaf

1) 225g plain flour

2) 2 tsps of baking powder

3) 375g packet of fruit mix

4) 250ml cold tea

5) 50ml of whiskey

6) 125g light brown sugar

7) 1 large eggs

8) 1/2 tsp of mixed spice

9) A ring to place inside

Method:

1. Place the fruit mix in a bowl and pour over the whiskey and cold tea. 
2. Preheat the oven to 170˚C/327°/Gas Mark 3 and grease and line a 900g loaf tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and mixed spice in a mixing bowl. Make a well and break in the egg, using a wooden spoon, mix the egg with the dry ingredients. Add a little bit of the liquid the fruit mix is sitting in and mix it through. You may not need all the liquid, you are looking for a wet dough. Then stir through the fruit mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Add in the ring and stir through. Spoon the wet dough into the lined loaf tin and place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the loaf tin and placing on wire rack.
4. Allow to cool then cover and allow to sit for 1-2 days before cutting into it. Serve in slices spread with a little butter and good cuppa!

Why not try our Beeswax Food Wrap to cover your barmbrack? Our wraps are an organic, reusable substitute to clingfilm that will also keep your bread and cakes fresher for longer! We recommend our Large Beeswax Bread Wrap for the barmbrack recipe! Currently, our large beeswax bread wraps are on discount. You can purchase a single bread wrap for €20, or buy two packs and get 3% off, as well as three packs for 5% off!

It's coming towards that time of the year again where the temperatures plummet, fevers become more prominent, and gas and heating bills stagger!  As we approach these seasonal changes I thought I'd share some tips on how to stay warm and cozy, in a more sustainable way!

1) Bring the Outside Environment Inside

If you are an outdoorsy person who loves to be surrounded by nature the cooler and darker days can feel gloomy. They don't need to be! You can introduce plenty of nature into your home through botanical prints and plants. Displays of warm-toned seasonal flowers such as dahlias and mum flowers are perfect for introducing some Autumn styling. Also, dried plants such as pampas grass and wheat mixed with flowers are a great long-lasting sustainable option.

2) Baking Your Favourite Treats 

The Autumn and Winter months are an ideal time to wind down and bake! Not only do you get to indulge in your artisan baked goods, it's also quiet therapeutic to bake, especially on a cold or wet afternoon. Imagine the smell of a freshly baked apple tart, a warm pudding dessert or your favourite bread. That's proper comfort food!  And if you want your bread to last longer, our Millbee Reusable Bread Wraps work great.

3) The Treasure of Beeswax Candles

Candles generate a fair amount of warmth, but most importantly add that extra special presence of light to your home! As referenced in the introduction, heating bills are skyrocketing. Candles can help to add a warm ambiance to your home.  Millbee's beeswax candles give the warmest glow.  In fact, beeswax candles emit light that is similar to the light spectrum of sunlight!

4. Warm & cozy fabrics

Covering yourself with a quality throw will help regulate your body temperature, keeping you warm and cosy during the Autumn and Winter. Check out Mc Nutt of Donegal, they sell a beautiful range of soft soft merino lambswool throws with lots of warm tones.  Wearing Slippers and wool socks are another way to add coziness or hygge in your home! Check out these sustainable wool slippers from Reuzi

5. Introduce warm and comforting scents 

When it comes to Autumn, earthy, citrus and spicy scents come to mind. You can introduce warm scents through a diffuser or scented candles. We're currently working on new scented candles for the upcoming season and we are really excited to showcase these products to you! If you would like to be the first to know when we launch these new scent additions subscribe to our newsletter below.

Millbee's scented candles will be launched this Autumn. We are using a blend of natural waxes and essential oils (not fragrance)! Can't wait to share!

For a lot of that time the only company I had was nature. I watched the birds come in and out into the feeders in early Spring and on into Summer. There was a hive of bees and wasps coming and going and I used to take such pleasure in watching them bounce from flower to flower. It made me really want to invest back into nature.

While I was going through that really difficult time, nature was there to pick me up, keep me company and it soothed me many days.

I decided to make new choices to rebuild my life. Change can't happen unless I make change happen. I decided that I needed to take care of myself, and in taking care of myself, my home was going to be an extension of that. Further out from that, my take on the environment.

So in the Autumn/Winter of 2019, I made my first purchase with Millbee in hopes to reduce single use plastics at home.

And I'd say after a couple of months, I wasn't picking up the cling wrap as much as I usually would be. I started with the lunch pack and getting the kids off to school with their lunches wrapped up in Millbee's Beeswax Wraps. It did wonders for me also because I felt like I was doing something good for them. Teaching them to take care of things and showing them that it's little steps we do that's going to make a difference.

I choose doing more for the environment as part of my self care regime.

I learned so much from it that I wanted to give back, and I wanted to protect what was there. As time has gone on I've expanded my Millbee collection to their candles which I find fantastic for a few quiet moments to myself. If I want any time to journal or time to relax before bed, the glow of Millbee's beeswax candle really does it for me! And I just love the way they're constructed and rolled. I really admire the workmanship that's gone into the candles!

I use all the wrap sizes - the bread wrap and the variety wrap sizes. I have a couple of the lunch wraps and they go on pretty much everything. My sourdough starter is now under one, and it's the happiest it's ever been!

So, that's why I choose Millbee as part of my journey going forward. I like the ethos. I like working with nature and bees.

I like reusable products you use in the home that are more eco-friendly. It leaves less of a footprint. 

What I was doing in my home gave me a boost. I was implementing some good habits with my children. I was giving them some good knowledge on how to take care of things, themselves and the earth combined, and all of nature. I felt like I was given something back. So that's my journey with Millbee! That's why I've incorporated this so much into my life and I really don't see it ending there! Keep moving forward with it and coming up with new ideas for us. That's it guys! Thank you.

~ Dee Mulroe 

You can follow Dee's Instagram page "Kitchen on the Mountain" for lots of delicious and nourishing home cooked recipes and self-care tips. Dee is also an advocate for mental health awareness. She is such an inspiration and we are so grateful to Dee for being our very first ambassador. 

As a special introductory price, Millbee is offering 10% off our 4 Pack Multisize Wraps for new customers today! 

Plus, if you aren't totally happy with your Millbee Beeswax Food Wraps, you can return them within 90 days for a full refund.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and it is the best time of year to celebrate with the ones you love. Valentines is my favorite holiday, I love the idea of indulging in as much chocolate as you like with no judgement, and it is the only holiday it is socially acceptable to express your love through terrible puns!
Although it is essential to care for the ones we love and give them a special treat on this holiday, it is just as important to care for our environment and make sure it feels the love on this special holiday. There are so many ways to celebrate with your loved ones without creating waste. To help you celebrate, I am sharing 3 Of The Best Valentines Day Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas.

Something Home-baked

Why not try baking up a storm for your loved ones. I find there is nothing better than something homemade with love.
How about trying some homemade soda bread , some yummy Jammy Dodger Biscuits, or your loved ones favorite cake.  To top these homemade goods off, wrap them up in our Millbee Beeswax Wraps to give them that extra touch.

Homemade soda bread wrapped in Millbee bread wrap

Jammie dodgers 

Dinner By Candlelight

Love is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a romantic dinner by candlelight. Cooking a delicious meal for your loved one makes Valentines Day so unique, but why not set the mood with a lovely yellow glow. Millbee Beeswax hand-rolled dinner candles have a beautiful warm glow and would be perfect for your Valentines evening.

Beeswax dinner candles 

Self-Care Valentines Day

Seeing as Valentine's falls on a Sunday this year, you have no excuse but to pamper yourself and create the perfect Valentine's Self-Care Sunday. Get the bath on, light some candles, add a few drops of lavender essential oil and take some time for yourself. For an extra luxurious bath add some flower petels and citrus fruit.

Citrus bath

Cover half cut citrus fruit with beeswax wraps

I love to end a self-care day with Millbee Beeswax Balm. The Multi-Purpose Soothing Balm is ideal for giving dry Hands, Feet & Elbows a lovely treatment. It is 100% natural, with organic ingredients that are kind to skin.

I hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love from your friends, family, and that special someone, but, most importantly, make time to appreciate yourself too.

If you are wondering why you might use Beeswax Food Wraps, then here are 10 reasons! From cutting down on plastic and food waste to wrapping bread in the freezer and even covering a bottle of wine. Beeswax wraps are not just a great sustainable alternative to clingfilm but they are also super handy!

FREE GLOBAL DELIVERY ON ALL MILLBEE BEESWAX WRAPS WITH CODE 'FREEDEL' 

*** Ends March 20th 2023 ***

Happy International Women's Day to all you 'amazing' women and especially to those strong women gone before us. I was chuffed to have my story included in Humans of Offaly by Paula Nolan this week and to talk about my granny who was an inspiration to me. 

"I absolutely love nature. The first blossoms will be coming out soon on the trees in the garden and I can’t wait. I love organic food and doing my market in Tullamore. Most of us are lucky enough to have at least one person in our lives who make a lasting impression on us and for me, that was my granny Langton. I was one of her eldest grandchildren, which meant that I got to spend more time with her. She lived on a small farm where she foraged and enjoyed the nature around her. Her hens roamed freely and she grew all of her own vegetables. I remember picking wild strawberries from one of the hedges which was full to the brim every year. There was also a damson tree at the front of her house from which she made all of her own jam. Granny’s salad sandwiches were divine!

She was the one person who stirred my interest in crafts. She taught me how to patchwork and helped me with my Home Economics projects, especially the sewing side.
Before Granny got married she worked for the Midland Health Board as their seamstress. She married at 20 in the early 1950s and like all women of that time had to leave her job. She went on to have ten children and she made all of their clothes. Back in the early 70s, because confirmation only happened every three years, she had four children for confirmation. She made all four outfits. My mother clearly remembers getting dressed for her confirmation and absolutely loving her salmon coloured dress complete with a cape that her mother had made for her. With her family reared, granny returned to making things like patchwork quilts, cushion covers and tea cosies. She went on to sell them at the market at the Tullamore Court Hotel at Christmas. She was so proud of her work and had no problem selling it at the price that she felt it deserved. She knew her worth which makes me so proud. She made everything by hand and was not afraid to let consumers know that the price reflected the time that went into making each piece. She was so clearly ahead of her time and a strong saleswoman. I’d like to think I inherited my creativity and entrepreneurialism from her and I know she would be very proud that I am in some way following in her footsteps. After all, she was my inspiration”.

Humans of Offaly ~ Jennifer Doyle

This day last year we launched Millbee! 

2 0 1 9  was a busy first year for Millbee. In the 9 months since we launched we packed in a lot! We started with just one product - our beeswax food wraps variety pack which was only available on our website. Soon after, we introduced our bread wrap and lunch pack.

At Millbee, we are focused on sustainability and in particular cutting down on single-use plastic but the amazing bees are also central to what we do. So we launched our raw Irish honey as well as beeswax candles and gift sets for Christmas. Millbee Studio also joined the Irish Pollinator Plan. To learn what you can do to help our bees there's lots of great resources on the Irish Pollinator Plan website. 

Behind the scenes, it's mostly me working on Millbee but I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband, family and friends who have supported me. I am also collaborating with some very talented people who have worked with me on everything from product development to branding and content. It is a real team effort! Also, behind the scenes are my two young children - Jane and Matthew. They are both in primary school now which makes it easier to start this new venture but there's lots of juggling as you'd imagine. 

Markets and Gifted Christmas Fair 

I set up my stall in a good few food markets and events around Ireland as I believe it is so important to get out and speak to customers and gain feedback. Markets are great fun (once it doesn't rain if outdoors!). Aside from meeting new and old customers, I also love to meet the other traders and learn about their products. We ended the year at Gifted in the RDS which was busier than I imagined. We sold out each day and had to work very late into the night to restock. The feedback was amazing and I do hope we will be there next year and meet all our wonderful customers again. 

Millbee at Tullamore Food Fayre 

Awards

One of the highlights of 2019 was to be shortlisted for the National Startup Awards and receive silver in both categories. These prestigious awards included a high standard of Irish startup's. For Millbee, to be recognised at such an early stage of our business is a big boost. We were also delighted to be shortlisted in the Irish made awards from Irish Country Magazine. It was a good first year for awards and recognition! 

Millbee win silver in the Social/Sustainable Startup Category - Irish Start Up Awards 

Overall 2019 was a great start for Millbee. We are delighted to now have our beeswax food wraps stocked in a number of retailers around Ireland. Our wraps are available in a variety of shops from independent food stores and cafes to gift shops, eco shops and garden centers.

2 0 2 0

In the coming year, we plan to grow our list of stockists. We will have our stall in a number of markets around Ireland and we will also be  focused on our growing online community. 2020 is going to be a significant year for change as we try to tackle climate change. We believe that sustainability and cutting down on single-use plastic is a journey for many people as well as for businesses. We will do our best to support you and we also hope to inspire people to start making changes today. On a final note, I would like to thank all of you who have supported Millbee to date. It is much appreciated! 

We are delighted to introduce our new lunch pack of beeswax food wraps. This pack includes three large square sizes which are ideal for families or you can rotate your wraps during your week. We have heard many people say they feel guilty using clingfilm for their lunches but it keeps their sandwich fresh! Well, isn't it great we now have a natural and reusable alternative that also keeps your sandwich fresh? Our beeswax wraps are made from organic cotton fabric which is infused with a blend of beeswax, organic jojoba oil and resin. They can last for up to 6 months or longer and have multiple uses. Our lunch sizes are ideal for covering and keeping fresh bowls of your leftover meals of food prepared in advance. I often use this size for wrapping a half soda bread. It seals to itself easily and keeps your sandwich and all its fillings intact. 

Cleaning Your Beeswax Wrap

To clean your wrap wash or rinse with cold water and use a gentle eco-friendly washing detergent. If you use pestos or any other oil-based dressing try to keep in the centre of your sandwich to avoid spoiling your wrap. We suggest washing only if needed so your wrap will last longer.

Easily Wrap Up Or Create A Sandwich Pocket

Check out our 'how to' video below!

We are delighted to have a stall at this year's Savour Kilkenny Food Festival. The festival takes place 22nd - 28th October and we will have a stall in the market this Saturday and Sunday. 

Savour Kilkenny is now one of Ireland’s leading food festivals. The event celebrates local produce and food culture, local artisan products and a vibrant restaurant and café culture which has seen the area become a leading food destination. 

The festival also features the fast-growing brewing and distilling industry locally with a craft beer and spirit tent on the Parade and expert tasting events taking place across the city too.

FOOD WASTE & HOW TO PREVENT IT

Also at the market, you can meet the team of Ireland's National Waste Prevention Programme - FoodWaste.ie and learn how we all can play our part in how we eat, produce and waste food and some of Kilkenny’s Master Composters who have undergone training throughout the year and established a community compost facility.

There will also be workshops, talks and kids events.  For more information and to check out the line-up visit Savour Kilkenny.  If you are visiting, come and say hello and learn about our beeswax food wraps - the natural, reusable alternative to clingfilm. 

Join Jennifer, founder of Millbee Studio for a discussion about cutting down on plastic waste in the home and a demo on using beeswax food wraps (a reusable and natural alternative to clingfilm).

Where: Tullamore Library, O'Connor Square, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland

When: Tuesday 30th July | 6-7pm

Free. Booking essential as spaces are limited.

To Book Contact: Tullamorelibrary@offalycoco.ie  or Tel: 057 9346832