How often do you go to the fridge to find your cheese hasn’t been wrapped properly and has gone hard and waxy?  So as part of my current waste-not-want-not thang, here’s what I’m doing!

I often buy great big blocks of cheddar because they’re a bargain and I panic!  Then certain teenagers, who shall remain nameless, open it up, take a bit and put it back in the fridge without properly sealing the packaging, resulting in the edges of the cheese going hard and rendering it inedible.

I am getting more savvy at remembering to grate as much of the block as I think we won’t use in a reasonable time and then freeze it.  Cheese freezes really well but be warned, the texture can go a bit awry so I tend to freeze it grated and use it for topping lasagne or pizza or mash etc.  It really is worth doing the grating before you freeze it – helps avoid grated knuckles adding to the protein content!

Parmesan and cheddar are the two I freeze most.

But returning to those hard bits of exposed cheddar looking dark and waxy and unappetising and fit only for the bin……STEP AWAY FROM THE BIN!  Grate them and add them to breadcrumbs and maybe a few herbs that are getting to the end of their life and freeze them.  It works really well sprinkled over the top of mash potato or pasta dishes then popped under the grill with a splash of Worcestershire Sauce.  No more wasted hard cheese!