Cheese

A piece about the size of two thumbs, roughly 30 g, is a useful starting portion for a sandwich or snack. That provides 100 kcal and 6.2 g protein.

You can freeze firm cheese, but it may turn crumbly after thawing, so it is best used grated in cooking. Wrap it tightly, freeze in small portions and thaw overnight in the fridge; soft cheese usually loses more of its texture.

Chill soft or semi-firm cheese in the freezer for 15–20 minutes first, then use the large holes of a box grater. For a food processor, cut the cheese into small pieces and pulse rather than running the blades continuously.

Grate mixed odds and ends into macaroni cheese, a savoury tart or an omelette. A little blue cheese works especially well stirred into a sauce for pasta, while hard cheese rinds can flavour soup as they simmer.

Paneer is a fresh, unripened cheese that holds its shape when cooked, so you can cube it and fry or grill it. It has 26 g protein per 100 g, compared with 21 g in cheese.

Many people who avoid lactose find aged hard cheeses easier to manage than fresh cheese, because much of the lactose leaves with the whey or is used during ripening. Cheese is still a milk product, so choose only types you know you tolerate.

A small bite of plain cheese is not toxic to most dogs, but cheese is rich and some dogs do not digest lactose well. Avoid blue cheese and cheese containing onion, garlic or other seasonings; keep portions small.

Yes: keep cheese chilled and wrapped so it does not dry out or take on other smells. Bring only the portion you plan to eat to room temperature, and return the rest promptly to the fridge.