How to reduce food waste at home with cheese

Easy tips, tricks and recipes on ways to reduce food waste at home with cheese. Let’s repurpose food!

cheese drawer

Does your cheese drawer look like mine? Full of odds and ends of different types. I love to make something out of nothing, so here’s how you can repurpose those bits into something delicious with these food solutions. It’s all about saving nickels, saving dimes and using the food you have on hand.

Can you freeze cheese?

Many cheeses can be frozen, but the texture changes when defrosted. Generally the cheese gets crumbly. That’s not a bad thing if you’re cooking with it. Crumbled goat cheese or mozzarella is fine on a pizza or in a casserole, but don’t expect to use it on a cheese board. Wrap cheese to store airtight in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours before using.

What to do with moldy cheese

Mold on cheese isn’t necessary bad. Some cheeses, such as Blue and Camembert, have mold added during production to help develop certain flavors and characteristics. That’s the Yum Factor. But if it has an ammonia-like odor, throw it out. Harder, aged cheeses, such as Gouda, cheddar, Parmesan and Swiss can last up to six months. If you see a mold spot, cut away an inch on all sides and you can safely eat it. Soft cheese such as Brie, cream cheese, goat cheese, ricotta and shredded cheese may last 3 to 4 weeks, but if you see mold, throw it out.

Learn more cheese tips from Wisconsin Cheese.

Repurpose cheese deliciously to reduce food waste

not your mother’s grilled cheese

Not Your Mother’s Grilled Cheese

Use the leftover bread, pieces of cheese, and jam to make a sandwich that is not your mother’s grilled cheese!

fromage fort

Fromage Fort

Fromage Fort, (“strong cheese”) is one way the French use leftover cheese. The beauty of this recipe is that nearly any cheese will do. In fact, the more assortment, the better the flavor.

blue cheese chive dip

Blue Cheese Chive Dip

Blue cheese, Parmesan, cottage cheese and plain yogurt. The cottage cheese and yogurt add tang and body but lots less fat than cream cheese, but best of all they add protein and calcium.

Parmesan Pepper Crisps

Parmesan Pepper Crisps

Use any hard grated cheese to make these quick-to-fix crisps. They will quickly disappear from a happy hour platter. Makes them a happy app!

How do you use those leftover bits of cheese?

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