Pro tip: Switched from buying pre-shredded cheese to a block 6 months ago, my weekly grocery bill dropped by almost $12. | Budget Friendly Meals - HW Forums
Yeah, because they coat that pre-shredded stuff in potato starch or cellulose to keep it from clumping. You're paying cheese prices for wood pulp. A block and a decent grater is the only way to go, the melt is completely different too. It takes maybe an extra minute of effort for way better quality and actual savings. The math on that stuff never adds up unless you're literally in a rush every single time.
My friend's restaurant switched to grating their own cheddar and their nacho sales jumped 20%. Amy's right about the melt, but have you considered how that weird coating messes with the whole flavor balance in a dish? It's not just about saving money, it's about the food actually tasting right.
Yeah, "the math on that stuff never adds up" is pretty much how I see most convenience products. It's like people pay a premium to get a worse result and call it practical. Same thing with buying pre-cut veggies, you're paying double for limp carrots that go bad in two days. Or those single-serve coffee pods, you spend way more per cup than just grinding your own beans and the coffee tastes like hot brown water. People get stuck thinking they're saving time but really they're just losing money and quality.