Are you an amateur, aspiring or professional baker? Then read on for some tips to save money in the kitchen.
scoop
Thanks to TikTok user America's Test Kitchen (@testkitchen), we now know that parchment paper, a common ingredient in cooking and baking, can be reused multiple times before throwing it out. As long as the parchment paper isn't too dirty, it's fine to put it in the oven again, according to a video detailing the hack from America's Test Kitchen.
@testkitchen Don't throw away your used parchment paper. #quicktips #kitchenhacks #howto ♬ Original Sound – America's Test Kitchen
“In fact, you can make at least five batches of cookies on one baking sheet without them sticking,” the video presenter explains, “but make sure you use a cooled baking sheet each time.”
The tutorial recommends not baking with parchment paper again, as it can become brittle when placed in an oven above 425 degrees, but you can use the brittle paper to collect kitchen scraps, like potato peels.
“Parchment is expensive,” the video concludes. “Keep it!”
How it helps
As America's Test Kitchen says, parchment paper is expensive, retailing for about $20, but if you follow the instructions in this video and save five servings of parchment paper for when you bake cookies or other things, you can save 80% of the money you would spend on parchment paper.
Additionally, parchment paper is treated with acids and coated with non-stick materials such as silicone during manufacturing. Not only does it attract food and oils during use, but these factors also make it impossible to recycle, adding to the enormous amount of waste humans create every year.
According to Dumpsters.com, the average American consumer produces just under five pounds of trash per day, amounting to 1,642 pounds per person per year. This waste ends up in landfills, producing pollutants that contribute to global warming.
That's why hacks like this, and being mindful of how much waste we create, are so important to the health of the planet.
In addition to do-it-yourself hacks, there are also organizations that can help you reduce waste and even make some money from it, like GotSneakers, which distributes used sneakers to those in need, and ThredUp, which buys and sells second-hand clothes.
What everyone is saying
The TikTok comment section was filled with people praising the hack and saying they had already done something similar.
“I worked in a bakery,” one person wrote, “and we would reuse parchment paper for weeks at a time. We'd wipe it down, turn it inside out and it would still be fine. When it got too tattered we'd throw it out.”
Some in the comments section have also discussed the possibility of odors from overused parchment paper, but the consensus seems to be that as long as you wipe the paper and don't use it above its rated temperature (often 420 degrees Fahrenheit, as ATK noted in another article), it's probably fine.
“Great info,” commented another. “Thanks.”
Sign up for our free newsletter for quick tips Save More, Reduce wasteand Please eat it. While helping the planet.
