Dish Covers: FAQs

Sometimes there's more to a story than a product page will allow. This is why we're dedicating an entire post to our new 100% Organic Cotton Food Covers. 

If you don't find the answer you're looking for, just drop us a line by clicking here and we'll do our best to get an answer for you. 

With so many options to cover food, why did you choose these?
Because you don't spend hours creating a dish to pass to cover it with aluminum foil and we wouldn't dare use plastic wrap. We had been searching for these for a while. We tried a few brands and were underwhelmed—because they had plastic toggles or didn't use organic or recycled cotton or patterns were meh or didn't come from a maker committed to doing good. This brand and product check all the boxes. I hope you find them as lovely as we do.

What are they for?

Food Prep

• Keep soaking legumes, beans, and rice from getting contaminated.
• A breathable cover for your sourdough starter.
• Protecting meat or veg while marinating at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Save time with rinses and pre-cut vegetables covered in the fridge.
• Jugs of pre-prepared stocks, sauces, and batters in the fridge.
• A breathable protective covering when fermenting.
• Great for steaming couscous.

 Entertaining

• Prepared salads for in the fridge or at room temperature before guests arrive. 
• Covering food as part of an attractive table setting. 
• Setting out food in preparation for gatherings where guests will help themselves. 
• Covering a salad between servings on the patio to protect from insects and contaminants.
• Protect a salad or dish while transporting to a potluck or bring and braai. 
• Pre-assembling a veggie dip, cheese or snack platter on the counter, transport to a gathering.
• Covering a warm casserole or dessert at room temperature, or to take to a party.
• Setting out dips, salsas, sambals, relishes, jams, and sauces on the table. 

 Storing Food Safely

• Leftover portion, lasagne, quiche, curry, stew, in the fridge.
• Protect ongoing stock, soup, or pancake batter in a jug for easy pouring from the fridge.
• Cover a pre-prepared meal on the counter for a lucky person!
• Protect a late sleeping teenager’s breakfast on the counter, in the fridge.
• Save ongoing dishes such as a batch of beans, lentils, quinoa, or couscous in the fridge.
• Breathable protection for dry meats in glass jars.
• Keeping insects out of pets’ food between meals.
• Protecting tasty things on the counter from pets.
• Cover your fruit bowl on the counter.
• Stand up mixer bowl cover.

Do Halo Dish Covers keep food fresh? 
Freshness is actually related to time. A carrot is freshest the moment it is pulled from the soil and will become less fresh as days past. The reason why we think that plastic ‘locks in freshness’ is because it locks in condensation. When you seal room temperature food in plastic and put it in the fridge you are locking in the room temperature air which will result in ‘sweating’ thus producing droplets of condensation. In the case of plastic wrap, as those droplets fall into your food, they carry with it the toxins from the plastics.

The key to eating fresh food is in the shopping and preparation however it is possible to preserve the quality of food through good storage practices.  Breathable covers allow for evaluation which means that your food cools down to about 4˚C or 40˚F quickly and without sweating.

Does your food dry out when covered by Halo Dish Covers in the fridge?The answer to this question depends on what you are storing and for how long you would like to store it for.  Halo Dish Covers are ideal for storing liquid based food such as stews, soups and batters for up to a week, and rinsed leafy greens such as spinach for 3-5 days. They work nicely for 1-3 days storage of leftovers and ongoing dishes with mayonnaise or oil dressings such as potato salad, tabbouleh, or bean salad. More delicate leaves are also good for a few days. Food such as cooked chicken breast can be kept overnight.

Can you use them in the microwave?
Halo Dish Covers have not been tested for safe microwave use by health and safety authorities as stated on our labels. We are aware, however that they are used in the microwave to avoid the leaching of chemicals from heating plastic. 

Do they seal your food completely like plastic would?
Halo Dish Covers are breathable allowing evaporation to occur and promoting efficient cooling in the fridge. Out of the fridge your food is protected from contaminants without suffocating your crisp salad leaves our sweating the top layer of your casserole. They do not have a plastic layer or a wax coating. 

How adjustable are they?
Halo Dish Covers have a sturdy elasticated edge that stretches over various sizes and shapes. You can cover a dish that is slightly small and the elastic will simply sit a little lower. Our sets include 3 varying sizes.

How long do they last?
Halo Dish Covers are made to be used every day and washed often. Our dish covers have been made and sold in this construction using these materials since 2013. Our elastic is made to our specification which gives our dish covers the longevity that other dish covers don’t have. Obviously cold wash and hang dry will prolong their life but this is not necessary if it is not part of your normal routine. Enjoy them for years!

Does the printing fade? 
The print doesn’t fade, however with all textile printing, colder washes in mild detergents and hanging to dry will preserve the quality of the print and the environment over time.  Do not bleach.

What are they made of?
Halo Dish Covers are 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and elastic allowing for a breathable cover and easy wash and dry.  Halo's quest to get organic cotton to South Africa is ongoing. 

Can I get a set all in the same color?
Sorry but they are color coded for size!  We make each cover a complimentary color, so you know which size each cover is at a glance. When designers submit their final designs, they also send  a color pallet which guides us as we set out the color combinations for each range.

How do you wash them?
It is so easy to wash your Halo Dish Covers. Just throw them in the wash with your normal laundry. They don’t get as dirty as one might think because while protecting your food, they do not come into contact with your food very often. If your Halo happens to have a run in with some turmeric or beetroot, wash out as soon as possible if you are particular about marks.

Cold or warm machine wash.  Can be hand washed. Hang or warm tumble dry. Do not bleach. Wash out potential stains soonest.

What do they replace? 
Plastic containers, plastic wrap, plastic baggies, aluminum foil. Plus, it looks way better. :)

Who is the artist behind these prints?
This Utensils Series is the work of Gabriele Jacobs. Learn more about him, here. 

How does Halo & sister company, Spaza help artists?
Twice a year Halo’s brand team brainstorms design themes for prints on our dish covers. Inspiration is taken from festive occasions, kitchen and dining trends, and our own imaginations. We then make a public ‘call out’ via colleges and universities, social media and our database of aspiring designers, inviting young designers to submit a one-page pitch on their chosen theme. These young professionals gain experience on pitching for work, making a presentation, and meeting a deadline. If their concept is chosen, they are required to build out the concept to fit the many different sizes and shapes of dish covers in the Halo range. There is communication along the way during which support is offered through the processes and photographs are taken for the launch of their collection. The artists are paid in one lump sum once their work is handed in. In this way they are able to make considerable advances in their careers by buying equipment, producing a body of work for an exhibition, or paying school fees. Besides work experience and renumeration, the artists also gain exposure, as well as the opportunity to tell their story, to share their work, and see how their art can be used to make the world a better place. 

How does Halo & sister company, Spaza help the community?
South Africa has an alarming unemployment rate of 29.1% (and this number is increasing) of which 58.2% is made up of young people under the age of 25. Halo Dish Covers is currently working with, and uplifting, existing manufacturers and cooperatives that have facilities and seamstresses but do not have sufficient work to support their staff and members. The Halo team is working closely with our manufacturing partners, providing the training and equipment required to produce consistent, excellent quality in a sustainable and efficient way. As Halo grows, we are focused on expanding this initiative to create many happy working opportunities for more young South African workers.

Where can I purchase Halo Dish Covers?
We thought you'd never ask... Here at What's Good. Click here to shop.

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