Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I'm Going to Rock Your World. With Foil.

Gather 'round, friends. I've learned something that I need to share, because I am a river to my people. You know how aluminum foil, and plastic wrap too, is kind of a pain in the butt, because when you pull the end of the foil you often pull the roll out of the box? And plastic wrap REALLY does this because it sticks to itself, and then when you're putting the roll back in the box you risk severing an artery on the crazily sharp cutting edge? Well, look at this.

See the little tab that says "Press here to lock end"? Well, go on, press there. Push in the tabs on both ends, and the roll of foil will stay in the box. You can turn the open box upside-down (I tried it) and the roll really DOES stay locked in. And my box of plastic wrap has the same tabs, the same magical tabs.

Why didn't I ever know about this? Is everyone doing this but me? Because I don't think so. As many commercials as I've seen extolling the mystical properties of various food wraps, they never mentioned this. So, consider that little problem solved. Now on to more pressing things, like watching Lost.

This has been my Works for Me Wednesday, "Where Has This Been All My Life" edition.

Updated to add: LATE BREAKING NEWS. Some folks in the comments report that not all store-brands have these tabs. Target heavy-duty foil and Publix foil are said not to. But my Target plastic wrap, the kind that says "Compare to Cling-Wrap," does. I wonder if the size of the box may matter too? More field research is needed--let's fan out across the country, y'all, and get an accurate food-wrap census.

26 comments:

Kelly said...

I know about those tabs but somehow I always manage to rip the package instead of just pushing them in. I guess my thumbs are just too darn strong!

Jane said...

OMG, brilliant. Now can you tell me what to do when I get a roll with one crinkled up, un-unwindable end? This seems to happen to me every time.

Carrie said...

I didn't know about that either. I wonder if the bargain brands have it too.

Dave said...

That is news I can use. I always awkwardly try to hold the top of the box down on the roll just enough to hold it in but not so much that it interferes with the pulling. I usually end up a little sad, standing there in the kitchen, with my wrinkled and torn result.

Casey said...

Woah, do they really all have that? I'm amazed. Thank you for opening my eyes. I'm off to look at my foil.

Michele said...

I had no idea. I'm speechless. I have got go look.

Traci Best said...

LOL!!!!!!!!!

Oh, MY, GOODNESS!

How is it possible that I have been on this Earth for THIRTY-FIVE years and NEVER noticed this before?????


THANK YOU!


Traci ;)

Grateful for Grace said...

Hold it right there! I'm gonna go check mine....
...
ok, you're brilliant.

Thanks for clueing us all in!

Sjn said...

It's like 7 degrees of separation, I got that same email today from my sister in law from Massachusetts.

Ginny Marie said...

I can't believe I never figured that out. Also can't believe you did rock my world. With foil!

Amy said...

I vaguely remember hearing that before, but I thought it was a myth--like UFOs or something.

Reynolds really needs to talk this up! Maybe they'll see your post and send you free foil. Woo hoo!!

Lawyer Mom said...

That does it. Am switching now. I've been using the heavy-duty super-cheapo Target brand which, as far as I can tell, has no such built-in dual-tab advantage.

We invariably end up with a very thin sliver of foil, oh, about the width of four eyelashes, just swirling around doing nothing. Festive on New Year's but that's about all you can say.

Christine said...

I had no idea these little gems were there. Thank you!! A thousand times thank you! You may have just earned a daily reader with that brilliant tip...

Lynn said...

Wow. This is the coolest tip ever. My husband just informed me that some mechanical engineer probably dreamed that up. But . . . ahem. He forgot to tell any of us.

By the way, only my foil has this. I just checked and my plastic wrap, wax paper, and special sticky/sealy wrap doesn't have it. I think the engineer forgot to tell those people about it, too.

Cassie said...

Are you freaking kidding me? I had no idea. You should charge money for that information. That's genius!

Heidi Boos said...

I ditto every comment before me. Who would have thought it was that easy?

Bren said...

Becky, in return, I will rock your world with Ritz Bitz. Why would I read a ritz bitz package (except to confirm that yep, but HFCS and partially hydrogenated things are within). Particularly the text in cartoony colorful letters with exclamation marks. Man, you just don't read that stuff.

Houston, being a man, read the box and learned that they've put a sort of triangular crease on either wide side of the box. You open the flaps on top, and, "with hands near top, push narrow sides of box towards center". It pops open like an origami swan into a big open thing that several toddler hands can fit into at once. Not as life changing, but evidence of the same mechanical engineer mind at work.

Michele R said...

I just left my morning coffee to check out my supply. Publix brand and Target for the heavy duty version....ahem. I guess you get what you pay for!
--Michele in Atlanta
P.S. I finally started a blog--no photos...nothing fun and funky...I will get there soon.

Becky said...

Hmm, I updated the post to reflect the disturbing news that not all store-brands have these tabs. I wonder if this will influence my buying decisions?

My Target plastic wrap has the tabs, and the Reynolds of course, but that's all I have on hand. Weird for the Target plastic to have tabs and not their foil.

And the Ritz Bitz thing is kind of genius, because toddlers aren't that great about passing the box around among themselves. Why not a box that turns into a trough?

Kelly said...

Haha! I love your caption for Tessa!

Not that this has anything to do with foil but what are you guys doing next weekend? We need to have a triple date and go out to this amazing Italian restaurant Linc and I found up near us. Jane- are you reading this too? Let's set it up girls, it's been forever!! xoox

Leciawp said...

As it happens, I will be heading to Target in a couple of hours (yay!). I will check for the tab!!!

Sara said...

My husband is able to 'foil' those tabs everytime. i.e. the foil is always falling out of the box, the plastic wrap always needs restarted.

heidi said...

Brilliant! Hey, thanks for stopping by my blog... I'm enjoying catching up on yours!

Bailey's Leaf said...

Apparently, there is a right and wrong side to use on foil, too.

Who knew. Next we'll learn that we've been using bar soap wrong all these years!

:)

Amy said...

They have 'em here in Australia, too. Who knew?? I think these foil and cling wrap companies need new PR departments!

Lynn said...

Becky, I think a snack box that turns into a trough is a brilliant idea! Maybe those big conglomerates will hire you to be their field test consultant :)