Cheesy Tip
....money/health/time-saving

Do you use pre-grated cheese?
Did you know that almost all pre-grated cheese have an anti-fungal added to them?
Do you hate to hand-grate your own cheese?
Do you hate to wash your food processor after grating your own cheese?

A long time ago I used to buy those huge two-packs of grated mozzarella cheese. I put one in the freezer and one in the refrigerator. I never, ever, not even once, had cheese mold even though it was kept for awhile.
Then one day, I noticed (after I had sprinkled the grated cheese on a recipe----grrrrr!) that the entire package I had just come home with was full of mold!

I took it back figuring it was a fluke. Well, after this happened on several occasions looking for the "best buy" date, I just happened to notice that the cheese contained a mold inhibitor!  Not wanting to ingest the anti-fungal, I stopped buying that brand. I began to search for a brand that did not add it. I could not find one, not even at natural food stores (well, except once, but it was very spendy----why is it that items to which less is done or added cost more---I still don't get it!).

I use cheese mostly in recipes that call for grated cheese.

So, you can see my dilemna when cheese started having anti-biotic-type medicines added to them.

I accidentally found a way to have instantly grated (well---more like crumbled) cheese to use in cooking. I hit on an incredible cheese sale long ago and so I froze most of it. When it was thawed to use, I found it no longer sliced but crumbled. So, now I make sure to freeze some cheese for "grating". Once melted you can't tell the difference between grated and crumbled and we don't mind it on things like tacos or in salads when the cheese is not heated. I just slice it and crumble with my hands.

Do I ever buy the bad cheese? Yes, admittedly I do if I am using it for a large group of people that I will be in a hurry to feed or when I am doing a large party or other event that requires last minute details. I try to free myself from all last minute details so I can attend my own event stress-free.

I hope this little hint helps!

Kathi~