Is their a reusable alternative for paper towels when it comes to draining excess oil off of greasy foods?!
However, I still have to buy a roll of paper towels every once in a while because I can't find a reusable alternative when it comes to absorbing grease from foods. Some people use newspaper - but I don't get newspaper at my home, and the idea of newspaper in direct contact with food grosses me out (personal preference, the ink comes off). Does anybody know what can be used for this, and can be washed and used again?
Answers:
Here's another trick (but it is not reusable). Everytime you go to the grocery store, ask them for a few brand new small/med/large paper bags. They usually give you one or two without questions. Don't use them, just keep them on hand. Then, when you fry foods, just take your scissors and cut them open. Turning them inside out. They haven't been used for anything and they will absorb lots of oil. Now to counter the fact that it isn't reusable, you can always start your fire in the fireplace or in the BBQ kettle to get the coals going. Just a thought.
Don't use newspaper - they banned chip shops from wrapping food in newspaper in the UK because of the chemicals. Just buy a roll of paper towels made from recycled paper for that purpose. Washing the grease out of cloth napkins and using the soap and hot water and energy required isn't any better for the environment than using the paper towels.
The only thing I can think of would be for compost.