Greaseproof Paper: Uses, Sizes & Which Grade to Buy

Greaseproof paper is a densely calendered paper that resists oil and fat soaking through, which makes it the cheapest way to keep grease off hands, boxes and bags. For most kitchens two grades cover everything: a standard greaseproof sheet for wrapping and lining, and a silicone-coated release paper for anything that needs to peel away clean, like baking or sticky glazed food. Below, the difference between the two, the food jobs each does, and how to buy them as sheets or rolls without overspending.

Infographic coming soonGreaseproof paper versus silicone release paper side by side — a column for each showing what it resists (oil versus oil-and-sticking), the food jobs it suits, and whether it is wrapped, lined or baked on.

Greaseproof versus silicone: what you are actually buying

The two papers get muddled constantly, so it is worth pinning down the difference before you order.

Greaseproof paper is made by beating the pulp fibres until they pack tightly, which closes the gaps that oil would normally wick through. It resists grease. It does not stop things sticking — a fried egg or a caramelised base will bond to it. This is your wrapping and lining paper.

Silicone paper (often called parchment or baking paper) is greaseproof paper with a thin silicone coating that gives it a release surface. Food lifts off it cleanly, and it tolerates oven heat. This is your baking and non-stick paper, and it costs more, which is why you do not want to use it for jobs a plain sheet handles.

One honest note from the trade: a lot of "greaseproof" sold cheaply is closer to a lightweight bleached sheet that resists oil for a while and then gives up. If a wrap is going to sit in a warm bag for twenty minutes, buy a proper weight rather than the thinnest thing on the shelf.

The food jobs, by paper

Burgers and hot street food

A greaseproof sheet wrapped round a burger holds it together, keeps grease off the customer's hands, and stops the bun sweating against a bare box. Printed greaseproof reads as intent — a branded wrap under a burger looks like a decision rather than an afterthought. The sheet also does double duty as a box liner, which we come back to below. For the box itself, pair the wrap with the right format from the takeaway boxes range, and see the full burger packaging guide for the UK for the clamshell-versus-wrap decision.

Fish and chips

The classic job. A greaseproof inner sheet against the food, with a printed paper or a box on the outside, keeps grease off the outer wrap and the customer. Chips hold heat and stay presentable, and the paper absorbs a little of the surface oil rather than letting it pool. The format specifics — trays, cones, the newspaper-style printed wrap — are covered in the fish and chips packaging guide.

Deli, sandwiches and cold counters

Greaseproof is the deli workhorse. It wraps a filled roll without the filling bleeding through, separates cheese and cured meats on a platter, and lines a counter display so the board stays clean. A pre-cut square by the till speeds up service and stops staff wrestling with a roll during a queue.

Baking and hot kitchen use

Here you want silicone paper, not plain greaseproof. Line a tray with it and pastries, cookies and roasted veg lift off without tearing or sticking. It survives oven temperatures that would scorch an uncoated sheet. If your kitchen bakes on-site, this is the one grade worth paying more for.

Basket liners and serving

A greaseproof liner in a serving basket or a kraft box turns a plain container into something that looks composed — burger and fries in a lined basket reads premium for pennies. Printed liners carry a logo into every food photo a customer takes. It is the cheapest branding surface in the kitchen.

Grades and weights

Greaseproof is sold by weight in grams per square metre (gsm), and heavier is not automatically better — it is a trade-off between resistance and cost.

Diagram coming soonA cut-away of a lined kraft box — greaseproof liner between the food and the board — with arrows showing grease held off the box and the box kept clean for reuse-free presentation, next to a scale of gsm weights from light wrap to heavy liner.

Lighter sheets (around 35gsm) suit wrapping and separating. Mid weights (40–45gsm) suit anything sitting in oil or heat for a while. Going heavier than that rarely earns its cost for takeaway use.

Sheet versus roll

The format decision is about how you use the paper, not how much you use.

Pre-cut sheets are for consistent, repeated jobs — one square per burger, one liner per box. No cutting, no waste, no roll jamming during a rush. They cost a little more per square metre but save time where time is scarce.

Rolls suit variable jobs where you tear to fit — wrapping an odd-shaped deli order, lining a tray of a size sheets do not match. Cheaper per square metre, but they need a cutter and a spare hand.

Most kitchens end up with both: pre-cut squares for the high-volume wrap, a roll for the occasional job. If one item on your menu accounts for most of the wrapping, buy that one as pre-cut sheets and let the roll cover the rest.

Printed versus plain, and food safety

Plain greaseproof is the default and does every functional job. Printed greaseproof — logo, pattern, or full colour — turns the wrap into a branding surface, and because it is the paper touching the food and showing in every photo, it earns its small premium on menus where presentation matters.

On food safety, keep it simple: use paper sold as food-contact grade, and if you are printing, the print must be food-safe ink kept to the outer face where practical. Range Pack does not make food-safety or certification claims on your behalf — check the product listing for its contact rating, and for the regulatory picture around packaging and inks, gov.uk is the authority to check rather than a supplier blog.

Where the liner saves you money

The cost-saving worth knowing: a greaseproof liner is far cheaper than the box it protects. A grease-soaked kraft box looks tired and can weaken at the folds; a lined box stays clean, holds up better, and presents well enough that you are not tempted to double-box. On saucy or oily menus, a liner in a plain box often does the job of a pricier laminated container. It is the same logic behind pairing a liner with a plain bagasse plate for hot food service rather than buying a coated plate outright.

Where it fits the whole packaging line-up — bags, boxes, cutlery, napkins — see the takeaway packaging guide for the UK.

A sensible buying pattern

• Greaseproof sheets, ~40gsm, pre-cut — the everyday wrap and liner.
• A greaseproof roll — for odd-sized and variable jobs.
• Silicone release paper — only if you bake on-site.
• Printed greaseproof — where the wrap shows and branding earns its keep.

Range Pack stocks greaseproof and silicone papers in sheets and rolls across the common weights in the wrapping papers range, plain and printed. Order by 2pm for same-day dispatch — free UK delivery over £40.