Cheese ball

The name can mean crunchy, puffed savoury snacks or a soft cheese spread shaped into a ball. Crunchy cheese balls are usually made from a cereal base, such as maize, with cheese flavouring; check the ingredient list if you need to know which grains they contain.

Seal the packet tightly or transfer them to an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry cupboard. Avoid the fridge: moisture can make them go soft.

Spread them in a single layer on a baking tray and warm them in an oven at 150 °C for about 5 minutes, then let them cool before eating. This works best for plain, crunchy snack balls, not soft cheese mixtures.

Crunchy cheese balls work well with a cool dip such as yoghurt mixed with herbs, or alongside raw carrot and celery sticks. For a party snack board, add olives and sliced vegetables to balance their salty, savoury flavour.

They are similar puffed cheese snacks, but shapes and textures vary by product. Cheese puffs have 546 kcal per 100 g, compared with 373 kcal in cheese balls.

Yes, crush them finely and use them as a savoury coating for chicken, fish or vegetables. Press the crumbs on after dipping the food in beaten egg, then bake until the coating is golden and the centre is cooked through.