Starting January 18, 1943—the midst of World War II—sliced bread was barred from American bakeries and homes. New baking regulations set by the Office of Price Administration had boosted flour prices, and the government wanted to prevent these costs from getting passed down to the consumer. By banning the use of expensive bread-slicing machines, the government was hoping bakeries could keep their prices low. Officials were also worried about the country’s supply of wax paper—and sliced bread required twice as much paraffin wrapping as an unsliced loaf. (It prevented the slices from drying prematurely.)
I would love to see a return of wax paper instead of plastic bags.
Your local neighborhood bakery almost certainly still uses wax paper instead of bags. I don’t eat much bread these days, but when I do I always just walk down to the bakery and pick out a loaf. It’s a million times better than the sugary stuff full of preservatives at the grocery store.
Would it be actual wax paper? These days it could just as likely be coated with plastic rather than wax, as the plastic coatings do the same thing and are cheaper.
I’ve just spent a while searching and can’t find any reliable way to tell whether paper is wax coated, oil coated, plastic coated, or silicone coated.
Wax paper tastes different
Yeah, I always rip off a piece of the paper and give it a munch before buying the bread to make sure its made with actual wax instead of plastic
