Have you ever gone into a store and found a great deal on cheese? It makes me want to buy a grocery cart full of cheese! Many times the stores limit how many you can purchase at that price. I have a friend who goes back many times during the week to buy more. What a pain that would be for me! I love having cheese almost daily. Especially since it is an important part of my low carb food plan. I have found a way to afford buying cheese in bulk, and preserving it for the future.
A Goldmine! Dairy Products In Larger Sizes!
The store I do most of my shopping at, MaineSource in Binghamton, NY, is a restaurant supply store. It makes sense that buying in a store such as this, that not only do you get excellent quality food, but larger packaging and quantities. And prices! Talk about frugal buying, that is the place I do it. In fact, on your receipt it tells you how much less you would have paid, if you bought more. The dairy coolers in their store is a real treat! They sell all kinds of dairy products, and they are all available in larger sizes, as well as the regular size packages.
Larger Bags of Cheese
How do you store the cheese for the future, so you do not have to eat it all up quickly? Cheese can be frozen. I do not have a freezer, but if you do, it can be frozen quite easily. Some cheese does not freeze well, and the taste may be off a bit. It can be more crumbly then usual, but it is still usable. Using it in cooking shouldn't make much of a difference.
My Canned Cheese
The way I store the cheese that I buy in bulk is to can it. Yes, I said, "can it." I know there is controversy on the safety issues of canning cheese or butter. But I do both. It is the only way I can keep it, because I don't have a refrigerator at this time. I have used Jackie Clay's method most of the time, because it is easier. Her cookbook, Growing and Canning Your Own Food, probably has her recipe in it. For now though, this is the method I use, Canning Cheese. When I take it out of the jar to use, I use a grapefruit spoon to take chunks out. It can be used easily in all cooking, grilled cheese sandwiches and on cheeseburgers. Not the same as fresh. To use in a salad or for cheese and crackers, you would have to buy fresh for that. Cooking with the canned cheese was quite easy. Everything came out great for me!
Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole
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