Disguising Price Increases(No Politics Please)

[Sue_CT]

I wish I could find Philadelphia Cream Cheese for that price. It is 3.99 for an 8 oz brick, unless its on sale. I find a two pack for 6.99, only slightly better. The store brands are at least 2.49 for 8 ounces. I am trying different ones, but although they are fine to bake with, spreading on a bagel they just don't taste as good, so far, as the Philadelphia. I tried one store brand, tasted too sour, like they mixed sour cream with the cream cheese. Then I tried Cabot, better but a little less flavorful then the Philadelphia. I now have another store brand I will try. We will see. I expect it to go on sale before Thanksgiving and I will stock up as much as possible. I wonder if you can freeze the stuff?

[Vanman]

You can freeze it, but the texture suffers. Probably will work for baking but will be disappointing on a bagel.

[Danny]

It will freeze better if you leave it in the foiled wrapper, and do a vacuum seal bag tight, less loss of texture, at least for us. Same way will keep quite some time in the coldest part og your fridge. Reseal it as you use it.

[Sue_CT]

I don't have a problem using it up, lol. I would buy a years worth at a time when it was on sale if it wouldn't go bad. A bagel with cream cheese and a cup of coffee is my go to breakfast every day. The two cats each get half of a tiny slice off the brick so I get to eat mine in peace, lol. Now they get a slice off the generic one I don't want to eat. At 8.00/lb its not cat food. Can't really figure what is making it sooo expensive. The % price increase is way beyond the general inflation rate or the rate of inflation for food over-all. Its up like 30%.

[pepperhead212]

I noticed that, too - Aldi had their brand for 79¢ for 8 oz, and it jumped to 1.49 (maybe more?...I stopped looking), and lidl (also cheap way back) was up to 1.69 a couple weeks ago. Yet other cheap cheeses - the shredded ones, that are always good prices, are often on sale even cheaper than they used to be! How can that be? Fortunately, I'm not making cheesecake.

When I was growing up, I remember eating American cheese, but also Velveeta - a cheese food product - and I put them on cheese toast, and other things where those cheeses would caramelize, not just get oily, like cheddar. I liked them just before they'd get burned. My sister hated Velveeta, and one time, just to see what reaction I'd get, I took a box from a friend, who always had boxes in his fridge, because of a couple kids of his, and I put it right in front of my refrigerator, so my sister would see it as soon as she opened the door. It was so funny how she reacted - my friend's wife thought it was funny, too, because she also hated Velveeta.

[zeuspaul]

I can't remember the last time I ate Velveeta, only natural cheese for me. My favorite is Tillamook sharp cheddar.

Velveeta

Ingredient List
From the Package
SKIM MILK, MILK, CANOLA OIL, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEY, SALT, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, MILKFAT, SODIUM ALGINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, ENZYMES, APOCAROTENAL AND ANNATTO (COLOR), CHEESE CULTURE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products ... eOriginal/

[GoDawgs]

I can't remember the last time I had any Cheese Whiz. Velveeta is usually bought once or twice a year (New Years and maybe football championships) and used in a hot dip eaten with Dorito Scoops. Cream cheese is used in a few recipes but once opened it tends to get moldy after a while but I found it stores best after opening when still in the original foil wrapper and that tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

I keep Kraft white American cheese slices around for the occasional hamburger. It;s much better than cheaper brands and is one of the things I;m willing to pay a bit more for due to the quality.

All dairy products, even cheeses with not much dairy in them, are a lot more than they used to be. The figure 30% comes to mind.

[bower]

Blocks of old white cheddar are my staple cheese, and I do buy in bulk and freeze them.
Yes the texture is affected, but I've found it is very variable, and seems to depend on how it is thawed. Leaving it on the counter until completely thawed seems to produce the most crumbly effects, and not a good slice. Other times, if it was only on the counter long enough to wipe down the condensation on the package, then put in the fridge to finish thaw, it is possible to slice. It does depend on the brand too, they are a bit variable. But I need to be a bit more methodical about the thaw variables, see if I can nail down a best method.

Not sure if that would help with the cream cheese, which I have also frozen before, and it is crumbly and can't be spread afterwards. You can run it through the blender with some olive oil, garlic herbs lemon and still make a spread though.

[Tormahto]

There was no cream cheese available, here, last year at holiday time (Thanksgiving through New Years). 2 years ago, I substituted Neufchatel for making a cheesecake, which just wasn't the same. So, this year it's stocking up a bit early, and wondering what 3 pounds of cream cheese, heavy cream, and 7 eggs will cost me.

[karstopography]

https://www.alphafoodie.com/super-easy- ... am-cheese/
Evidently, cream cheese can be made at home with this sort of simple process. Good to have a fall back plan if the cream cheese goes missing at the store. Got to have lemons handy, though, and cheese cloth. I generally have cheese cloth and lemons on hand.

Cream cheese is a must have in the kitchen.

[worth1]

This is basically farmers cheese aka queso fresco.
You can use any kind of acid besides lemon.
Lime vinegar or citric acid.
This same reaction is what causes people to mess up trying to add wine to a cheese sauce and don't know what they are doing.
Another slight complaint about the above recipe is it says bring milk to a boil.
That's not necessarily correct.
You hopefully know not to do this with milk on a burner set on high.
The milk needs to be slowly brought to temperature while constantly stirring.
And it doesn't have to come to a rolling boil.
Use a thermometer as well.
Magic number is 205F.

Lastly I've made this stuff with store bought milk and it isn't economical at all.
I did it to see how much the end product would cost.

It will do in a pinch if the stores are out.
Spent the first half of my life growing up making various things with milk from our cows.
Obviously you won't get the same products from store bought milk.
I was the designated stir boy at the stove standing on a chair..
Just thought I'd add additional information.

[karstopography]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/08/business ... index.html

People are heading to discount grocery stores looking for value.

[Sue_CT]

That is great news, Karstopography. Nothing will bring prices down like people refusing to pay it. Large coorporations and their brands have admitting raising prices simply because they can and to maximize coorporate profits. When people stop buying them, it no lonter becomes profitable to do that. I love my pet name brands, but I am experimenting with finding alternatives too. So as long as enough people do it and it continues, prices will come down a bit. Heres hoping. That would help inflation and the ecomony as well.

[GoDawgs]

I've always bought Campbell's tomato juice because it's so much thicker than the watery store brands. However the other day I gave in and bought the store brand at Ingles supermarket the other day and was amazed that it was just as good and thick as Campbell's! Perhaps it's one of those "switch the labels and keep the production line running" things. Happy Bloody Marys!

(speaking of Bloody Marys, the clerk at the little local package shop recommended making one with gin instead of vodka. Huh!!? But I tried one and there's just a slight but tastier difference!)

[Uncle_Feist]

Prices are holding steady at the salvage store.

[GoDawgs]

Sure wish we had one of those salvage stores here!

[Tormahto]

I've always bought Campbell's tomato juice because it's so much thicker than the watery store brands. However the other day I gave in and bought the store brand at Ingles supermarket the other day and was amazed that it was just as good and thick as Campbell's! Perhaps it's one of those "switch the labels and keep the production line running" things. Happy Bloody Marys!

(speaking of Bloody Marys, the clerk at the little local package shop recommended making one with gin instead of vodka. Huh!!? But I tried one and there's just a slight but tastier difference!)

When in doubt about subbing with an off brand, if the container is the same size, check the calories. One with less calories is likely thinner, with more water.

Sometimes comparing the ingredients lists can help, as 2 products can have them listed in different order.

[worth1]

I buy the HEB brand cream cheese and like it very well.
Unopened it will last for an eternity.
Did a comparison check with their strawberry jam and preserves with national brands and they too are as good of not better.

When you're looking at at least half the price one gamble of a couple of dollars is well worth it..
If it pays off you're saving a ton of money in the long run.
There peanut butter is better than the other name brands as well.
Hill Country Fare is 2.74 cents cheaper than Jiff for 40 ounces.
4.24 cents compared to 6.98 and has less ingredients.

Won't compare foo foo brands which are over the top.

[Danny]

karstopography, both links are very good, ty for posting them.

We shop several stores, though we lost the hispanic one with the butcher counter a few months ago, darn it. Maybe they will re open again here. Aldi's is one, some of the house brands there are good to the same taste wise, some not. Can't beat the price there on nuts and dried fruits, usually eggs are lower there and many cheeses.

I do confess to only liking Campbell's tomato juice, never have found another brand that I liked.

[bower]

That's a fabulous recipe for cream cheese, even if it doesn't turn out to be a bargain.

A friend from Lebanon taught me how to make 'yoghurt cream cheese', by hanging the yoghurt in a pudding bag and letting the whey drip out overnight, then they add a little salt and garnish the top with olive oil and mint leaves.
It still tastes like yoghurt but you get that creamy thick texture for spreading.
Very nice, and will sub in for cream cheese in some recipes that suit.
The yield is pretty low so not a big money saver, but it would be a handy use for yoghurt you bought at a bargain and wanted to use up.

I don't think I've ever seen milk on special here. Supply and demand are pretty well matched.