The 5-Cent Dollar Tree Find I Always Buy for My Kitchen
It’s a total game changer.
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As someone admittedly deficient in the patience department, few things try my sanity quite like wrestling with a roll of parchment paper. I tell you this at the risk of you also finding me deficient in simple human tasks, but hear me out: When I tear off sheets from a roll, 99% of the time, the parchment is too long or too short, and I either have to cut it or tear another piece. It's a basic to-do that I can't seem to nail, and it feels like I'm always wasting half the roll.
So when I discovered pre-cut parchment sheets at the Dollar Tree, I knew I’d found a gem. These $1.25 packs have since become a kitchen essential and a life-simplifier. Each package has 25 sheets, which is five cents per sheet. On the surface, the cost of the individual sheets may not seem as valuable as the rolls. However, it becomes an outstanding deal when I factor in the waste and daily frustration.
A Case for Using Parchment Paper
As a professional recipe developer and mom, parchment paper is a non-negotiable tool in my kitchen. It prevents sticking when I bake our favorite cookies, bars, and cinnamon rolls. It saves prep time since you don't always have to grease the bakeware, and it saves time on dishes—remove it and toss. Perhaps most importantly, it generally makes life easier!
Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / Getty Images
What Makes the Pre-Cut Parchment Sheets So Awesome
They're sized perfectly: These pre-cut sheets come in sizes designed for quarter-sheet pans, with just a bit of helpful overhang. No more guesswork or waste—grab and go. The Dollar Tree also sells 100-packs of five-by-five-inch parchment squares for prepping burgers or freezing cookies, two sizes of parchment air-fryer basket rounds, and a 30-pack of individual tin foil sheets that are perfect for the BBQ.
They're versatile: While I adore these parchment sheets for fuss-free baking, they're also a dream for everything from roasting veggies to making sheet-pan dinners and wrapping seafood and vegetables en papillote. Plus, they make rolling out pastry and dough and pounding cutlets (like these) exponentially easier.
They help me waste less: No, they're not waste-free, but I can't stress enough how much the unnecessary waste was getting to me. Even if, by some miracle, I master getting the right size for my project when I tear off the final sheet from a roll, there's always a weird amount of parchment left on the cardboard tube. These pre-cuts mean I use every last inch rather than tossing remnants. It's a small detail, but it makes it feel like a better choice.
How I Use Pre-Cut Parchment Outside of Cooking and Baking
From lining pans for cookies and brownies to par-baking pie crusts, these pre-cut parchment papers are this baker's best friend.
They also take on other important roles in my kitchen. They act as giftable goodie wraps, making an easy and aesthetically pleasing way to package baked goods, brittles, or bread in a charming, rustic way. They help with meal prep, making it easy to portion proteins like chicken breasts or burger patties for the freezer (the miniature, square sheets are great for this). I've even repurposed the sheets for crafty kitchen pursuits like DIY stencils over a rustic sourdough or icing sugar-dusted cake.
No matter what I tackle in the kitchen, these pre-cut parchment sheets have become invaluable—no more wrangling rolls for this girl! If you haven't snagged a pack yet, what are you waiting for?
Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
