Can I afford cheese right now?

Tough economic times are impacting everyone these days and I feel myself starting to double check prices and asking, “do I really need this”? But this cheesaholic has got to get her cheese on, and I want to assure you there is a way to do it (relatively) guiltlessly.

Cheese is expensive, and good artisan cheese can run as much as $40 per pound. Clearly there are some cheese choices that are more economical than others, so I’d like to share with you my thoughts on frugal cheese shopping:

• Only buy what you can eat today. The biggest money waster when buying cheese is buying too much and having to throw old cheese away. If you’re buying cheese for you and some lucky person to share over a meal, a ¼ pound is plenty (and is usually the minimum quantity a cheese monger will permit). If you are entertaining a group, figure two ounces per head per cheese as a general rule of thumb.

• Evaluate cheese prices across a category. If you are craving blue cheese, for example, look at the range your cheese monger has on offer within the blue family. The differential can be $20 per pound or more for a given cheese type. So try the low end first and if you like what you taste, then you’ve just scored yourself a deal.

• Make good use of multi-purpose cheeses. Again this plays into the “waste not, want not” thought. Harder cheeses like Gruyere and cheddar last longer, and because they are so versatile you’re less likely to have leftover cheese sitting in your fridge. Think of cheese you can add to sandwiches, soups, and pasta. And because they are considered to be “everyday cheeses”, there are great quality versions for $12 per pound or less.

I hope these tips encourage you to keep your cheese consumption up, and take some heat off your bills. Tough economic times mean many cheese makers might go out of business this season.  But let’s hope that those that survive view it as an opportunity to distinguish themselves from the masses by making really great product at great value. If you have great cheese deals to share, please post them below!

Comments

[susannah]

so glad you're back nadia! I love this blog.