In some cases waxed paper or aluminum foil can be used in place of parchment, but these are not all-around substitutes for parchment paper. Waxed paper is coated with paraffin wax, so it is non-stick but not heat resistant and should not be used to line pans that will go into the oven. Aluminum foil lacks the non-stick coating of parchment paper, so it won't stop your desserts from sticking to their pans as parchment will.