Plastic wrap of some kind has a presence in nearly every kitchen and although in our household we are phasing out plastic in some areas, especially applications involving heated foods, we still utilize plastic wrap for tasks where the food is going to remain cool or cold.
Saran Plastic Wrap is the classic plastic wrap, a cling-style wrap that we have been familiar with all our lives. Glad Press-n-Seal is a newer variety of wrap. Instead of a smooth surface that sticks to itself on either side, the Glad wrap has a texture on one side that allows it to adhere to itself or to a dish it is wrapped around.
The Saran is difficult for kids (and some adults) to tear off without getting the wrap stuck on itself. The box is also not kid-friendly, as the cutting edge points upward and is exposed. The Glad Press-n-Seal is somewhat easier to tear off the roll, once you know the trick, (hold the sheet still and pull the box so the serrated edge tears through it, rather than yanking on the unrolled sheet) but kids still have a hard time with it. The cutting edge on the Glad box is not covered, but points downward and is less likely to scrape the handler.
Glad Press-n-Seal has a slight advantage as a cover, since it has the ability to stick to a wider variety of surfaces than the Saran Wrap does. Press-n-Seal will also keep foods fresher longer, because it can be reapplied to a dish after being removed. Saran Plastic Wrap also has good clinging properties and keeps food tightly sealed for freshness in the refrigerator. The disadvantage to Saran is that it clings well the first time you wrap a dish, especially if the food is still hot, but if you remove it and try to replace it, the clinging property is greatly reduced.
Saran Plastic Wrap can be used in lunchboxes as a cover for sandwiches or other foods with good results, as long as you use a large enough piece to wrap well around the food so that it has a large surface to cling to itself. It will not cling to the food. Glad Press-n-Seal is excellent to use in lunchboxes for sandwiches and other foods, because it is simple to create a bag-like pouch by folding the wrap over once and sealing the edges together. With this method you can even contain loose foods like carrot sticks or apple slices into a pouch that will not open. Once the lunch is opened and food unwrapped, Saran Wrap will not easily cling to itself again, but if you peel open a food wrapped in Glad Press-n-Seal, it is possible to reseal by pressing the edges together again.
One of the main uses for plastic wrap in our home is to package up meats purchased in bulk. Saran works well for this purpose, although it can be a bit difficult to handle in the large sheets that may be required for some pieces of meat. If the wrap folds onto itself, it is difficult to separate the two layers of plastic from one another. The wrap does a decent job of keeping meats frost free if the pieces are stored inside an outer wrap of either freezer paper or a plastic bag, and if you date and use them within a reasonable period of time.
We have also used Glad Press-n-Seal for freezing meats. The sheets are somewhat easier to work with, and the ability to seal edges that barely overlap can be an advantage when trying to wrap an irregularly shaped piece. Glad seems to be equal to Saran when it comes to protecting the meat from frost in the freezer. When the time comes to defrost the meat, however, the Saran makes the job easier because the cling tends to loosen when the meat thaws and the plastic becomes wet. It is possible to then grasp the wrap and lift, allowing the cut of meat to slip out of the wrap into the bag without much handling.
Glad Press-n-Seal is a bit more difficult to work with after the meat is thawed. In order to peel apart the layers of wrap to release the meat it is necessary to take the meat out of the outer bag or paper and open it, then you can place it in its cooking or marinating container. I prefer being able to unwrap the raw meat with a minimum of handling.
At this point we utilize both wraps for different purposes. The Saran Plastic Wrap will likely remain in our drawer for meat wrapping, while we will keep the Glad Press-n-Seal for its ability to reseal and because it can replace Ziploc baggies when necessary.
