Craving cheese during an emergency? You’re not alone! This guide is for families who love cheese and want long-term storage solutions. Discover how freeze-dried cheese offers a delicious and practical way to keep your family’s favorite ingredient on hand for any situation.
Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases without any increase in price to you.
In This Article
Cheese is one of those staples that many of us have difficulty doing without it. I once taught a food storage class in Arizona where I mentioned that recipes heavy on cheese wouldn’t be very compatible with food storage. One woman said, “You mean no more cheese enchiladas?” She and the other women in the room looked horrified! I quickly reassured them they could still enjoy their cheese enchiladas, thanks to freeze-dried cheddar cheese!
Science has given us freeze-dried cheese to solve just this problem! It may look pricey, but it’s well worth the cost simply because of its remarkable shelf stability, flavor, and the fact that it tastes and melts exactly like fresh cheese when rehydrated.
A Quick Video Recipe Demonstration Using Freeze Dried Cheese
Watch as I take the mystery out of freeze dried cheese with a quick recipe demo!
Recipes Made With Freeze Dried Cheese
Here are a couple of recipes to get you started: Mac-n-cheese, tortilla pizzas, and a recipe demo for quesadillas.
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a classic dish and real comfort food if ever there was one! It combines Cheese Blend, a tasty, powdered cheese, and freeze-dried cheddar.
Ingredients
- 2 5/8 c. elbow macaroni
- 3/8 c. Cheese Blend
- 3 1/2 tbsp. Butter Powder
- 2 1/2 tbsp. Instant Milk + 1 c. water
- 3/8 c. cream
- 5/8 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Freeze Dried reconstituted
- 3 1/2 tbsp. Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese – Freeze Dried reconstituted
- 1/4 tbsp. salt
- 1/4 tbsp. Dried herb blend
- 1/4 tbsp. Cholula hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook macaroni noodles for 8–10 minutes or until tender; drain and cool slightly under cold water. Set aside.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat; stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Add macaroni to the saucepan and reduce heat to low, stirring until noodles are coated.
Tortilla Pizzas
Pizza is one of the most popular items to make with freeze dried cheese. This recipe uses a tortilla as the crust, making for a quick and easy meal.
Ingredients
- 6 Soft-Taco size flour tortillas
- 1 t. dried basil
- 1 t. oregano
- 1/4 t. garlic powder
- 1 T. olive oil
- 3/4 cup freeze dried mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freeze dried sausage crumbles or freeze-dried chicken
- 1 cup freeze-dried green pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup freeze dried tomato chunks
Instructions
- Rehydrate ingredients according to directions on the can.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine basil, oregano, garlic powder, and olive oil. Lightly brush one side of the tortilla with the mixture.
- Sprinkle equal amounts of meat, green pepper, and tomatoes on each tortilla. Top with cheese.
- Place on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 8 minutes or until crisp.
- *Fresh versions, using the same amounts, can be used instead of freeze-dried.
Pro Tips for Using Freeze-Dried Cheese
- Experiment with using freeze-dried cheese directly in some recipes. Try sprinkling it on top of casseroles before baking for a crispy, cheesy topping.
- Pre-pack small, resealable bags with freeze-dried cheese for a quick and portable snack during emergencies. The crunchy texture can be a satisfying alternative to crackers.
- The lightweight and compact nature of freeze-dried cheese makes it ideal for camping and backpacking trips. Enjoy cheesy meals without the weight or spoilage concerns of regular cheese.
- While the initial cost of freeze-dried cheese can be higher, consider the long shelf life. Compare the price per serving with regular cheese to see if it fits your budget and preparedness needs.
- If you’re uncertain how much you should buy, read this to help you decide whether to buy a #10 or #2.5 food storage can.
All About Freeze Dried Cheese
Don’t be put off by the idea of “cheese in a can.” This isn’t that suspicious “cheese” mix that you put on macaroni.
This is actual cheese.
Freeze-dried cheese can genuinely be used any way you use regular grated cheese.
And the best part is that it comes in several varieties, so you’re equipped to make lasagna with mozzarella, enchiladas with cheddar, and quesadillas with Monterey Jack!
How do you rehydrate it?
You rehydrate the cheese the same way you do any other freeze-dried food. Just soak it in room temperature or warm water for a few minutes. Drain well, and then use it in your cooking.
Easy-peasy! You will want to make sure you have plenty of water stored to eat your freeze-dried food in emergencies, if water isn’t readily available.
Plus, I show how I do this in the recipe demo in this article.
What does it taste like?
Freeze-dried cheese looks almost precisely like the grated cheese you buy in plastic bags at the grocery store. Each cheese strand is crunchy, and I’ve been known to eat a handful every once in a while. They’re reminiscent of Cheez-It crackers. I’ve been known to snack on it directly from the can. It tastes a lot like Cheez-It crackers!
When rehydrated, the cheese forms a soft, melted-looking mass, which you can then spread over casseroles, roll up in corn tortillas, or use in just about any other way. When heated, it melts exactly like fresh cheese.
How is it made?
Before the late 2000s, I only associated freeze-dried items with the “astronaut food” packets you can purchase in science museum gift shops: fun, weird, but not terribly practical for regular people.
Today, however, freeze-dried foods are a food storage staple.
Regular freezing causes ice crystals to form within the food, which can damage the food’s texture, color, flavor, and nutrients. Think, if you will, about frozen strawberries in the frozen food section and how sad they look once they are thawed.
In contrast, freeze-dried food is flash frozen so quickly that ice crystals do not have time to form, preserving texture, structure, and taste.
From there, the frozen food is placed in a vacuum. This allows for sublimation so that the water molecules evaporate off; the water goes from solid to a gas without passing through the liquid state.
The end result is cheese that looks, smells, and behaves like cheese when used for cooking.
Is freeze-dried cheese really as versatile a regular shredded cheese?
Yes! You can do just about anything.
I’ve made pizza and quesadillas, used it with tacos, and made all kinds of casseroles. No one in my family noticed any difference, not even my picky toddler. Read this for all the ways to use freeze-dried food in your favorite Mexican food recipes.
I wouldn’t recommend using it for fresh eating, as with crackers or in a cold cut sandwich, but only for reasons of convenience: it’s pre-shredded and thus carries the danger of falling off the cracker.
FAQ
Freeze-dried cheese is actual cheese that has undergone a process to remove moisture, resulting in a lightweight and storable product.
Unopened in the can, it has a shelf-life of 20 years. Manufacturers recommend that it be used within a year after opening. Once opened, you can portion the product into canning jars and vacuum seal. However, this isn’t necessary until you think you might forget about the open can in the pantry. Compare this to regular cheese. It goes “iffy” when left out of the fridge for a while and grows mold after a couple of weeks, even when refrigerated.
Freeze-dried cheese is edible directly from the can (watch me eat some in the video demonstration. The texture is crunchy and similar to a Cheez-It cracker. You need to rehydrate it before using it in recipes.
Related Freeze Dried Foods Content
- The Food Storage Companies I Recommend and Why
- Freeze-Dried Chicken for Your Emergency Pantry & Everyday Meals
- 22 Frugal Ways to Use Freeze-Dried Ground Beef
Get your FREE freeze-dried food primer now!
Final Thoughts
If your family loves cheese and you’re looking for ways to ensure a steady supply in any situation, freeze-dried cheese is a super versatile and tasty product that I recommend. With its extended shelf life and versatility in recipes, freeze-dried cheese can help you keep your family’s cheesy cravings satisfied even during emergencies. So stock up on your favorite varieties and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve got a tasty and nutritious ingredient on hand for whenever you need it.
Thanks for explaining freeze-dried cheese. The name always sounded wierd. But the alternative, cheese in a spraycan, was not high on my list of things to buy in bulk.
Freeze dried cheese is WAY better than “cheese” in a can!
I’ve been busy freeze-drying my own. I get the large bag of shredded cheese from Sams Club, and put it in my Harvest Right freeze dryer. Comes out great every time.
So glad to hear you’re getting a lot of use out of that freeze dryer!
Lucky person as those are very expensive, thousands of dollars!!!
One thing you didn’t mention that I really need is how do I rehydrate my freeze dried cheese. I have some in a can and I have some I freeze dried myself and I don’t know how to rehydrate it so in isn’t mushy and I can use I do like fresh cheese. We sprinkle ours on beans and use it as a topper on tacos among other things and would like to reconstitute the freeze dried to use in that way as well as in casseroles, etc.
I, too, would like to know how you rehydrate cheese from my freeze dryer.
Thank you!
You rehydrate cheese the same way you do any other freeze-dried food. Just soak it in room temperature or warm water for a few minutes. Drain well, and then use in your cooking.
Question: How much does cheese shrink when you freeze dry it? For example, if I shred a 5-pound block of cheese and freeze dry it, how much will it make?
When freeze-dried, cheese doesn’t shrink! I buy it from Thrive Life, and the measurements are the same for fresh cheese. It even looks exactly like shredded fresh cheese. If you have a home freeze-dryer, I suggest checking their website for information about freeze-drying cheese or freeze-drying a small amount and then storing it at room temperature to see for how long it stays fresh tasting and smelling. The oil in most cheeses will become rancid over time.
The pizza recipe mentions 1 tablespoon of clarified butter but no olive oil in the ingredients and olive oil but no clarified butter in the directions. Do you need both? How much olive oil is needed?
Joan, that isn’t my own recipe! I’ll try to track down Beth Buck and see if she can clarify this!
Can sliced cheese the freeze dried?
If you have an actual freeze-dryer, yes.
Hello!
I shredded my own Gruyère cheese, and it felt greasy after freeze drying. I am not sure how safe this is. My dad thinks because it is high in fat, but I have freeze dried pre shredded Gruyère that had nothing else on it from containers and it came out fine. Anything like this happen to you as far as the cheese feeling “wet” or greasy? Any solutions? I really hate to freeze dry cheese just to stick it in the fridge and take up room as the entire point was to not take up room in the fridge! Lol thanks!
Have you freeze-dried other cheeses with any success other than the pre-shredded cheese you mentioned? One of my friends has successfully freeze-dried cheddar, mozzarella, and Colby but then adds an oxygen absorber in a vacuum-sealed bag or jar. Even with that and because of the oil, it will go rancid fairly quickly. Personally, if you love cheese like I do, I’d buy freeze-dried cheese from Thrive Life and avoid those issues.
Have you ever freeze dried the whole grilled cheese sandwich after it is grilled? Then how would you reconstitute it?
I would never suggest that! To reconstitute, you have to soak the freeze-dried food in water and that would ruin the bread!
I was so sorry to go onto the Thrive Life web site and see that they’re going to be closing down on August 31. Do you have another source for freeze-dried cheese that you like? I’ve looked at Amazon reviews, but don’t consider them reliable.
Thanks.
In the past I purchased foods from Augauson Farms, Honeyville, and The Ready Store. I’m going to circle back to those companies and any others that might be new in this market, and look for those with comparable quality and pricing.