[IMG_1150] * Trader Joe's stocks its shelves with almost entirely name-brand products. * Some of those name brand products are imported cheeses it sells at a price that is much better than regular grocery stores. * Cheese expert Liz Thorpe told Business Insider that at least seven of the cheeses are must-buys. Americans love cheese. Per capita consumption of the dairy product grew from 14.3 pounds a year in 1975 to 36.9 pounds in 2017 — a 158% increase. At the same time, the nation's palate has expanded far beyond the rubbery yellow singles that are synonymous with American cheese. According to the 2019 U.S. Food Market Outlook from market research firm Packaged Foods, retail sales of natural and specialty cheeses — aka non-processed cheeses — reached $16 billion in 2018. That number is expected to exceed $18 billion by 2023. Despite the growing market for it, artisanal cheese can be overwhelming for consumers. To help sort through the many varieties, we tapped Liz Thorpe, a cheese consultant, to pinpoint the cheeses with the best flavor at the most affordable price. Thorpe told us when it comes to accessible, high-quality cheeses, Trader Joe's is hard to beat. "Trader Joe's is a curator," Thorpe said. "They differ from a traditional supermarket in that they're not worried about having everything. Instead, they focus on the best performers with the best flavor profile. This translates into great value on items that tend to be more expensive or rarer in other mainstream retailers." Here are Thorpe's top picks at Trader Joe's. THE MINI BASQUE IS AN IDEAL INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE. Tami Brehse/Business Insider Thorpe was quick to sing the praises of Trader Joe's sheep's milk cheese selection. Sheep produce rich, fatty milk for a shorter period of time than cows or goats, which makes their milk — and the nutty, delicious cheese that comes from it — more expensive. Thorpe said consumers can get the most bang for their buck buying sheep's milk cheese at Trader Joe's. "Because they do such high volume on a more limited selection, they are able to offer much more competitive prices," she said. Try the Mini Basque, a firm, buttery cheese made in the French Pyrenees that Thorpe said is a universal favorite at an unbeatable price. "It would be hard to find this in your local supermarket, and if you did it would probably be $25 per pound. At [Trader Joe's] it's usually between $12 and $14 per pound," she said. REAL FETA CHEESE IS NEVER MADE FROM COW’S MILK. TRADER JOE'S AUTHENTIC GREEK FETA PASSES THE TEST. Tami Brehse/Business Insider There's a key difference between authentic feta cheese from Greece and American-made feta: the authentic kind is made exclusively with sheep or goat milk. Thorpe said most of the feta we buy in America comes from cow milk and is radically different than the real thing. Trader Joe's Authentic Greek Feta is made from sheep's milk and packed in brine. "It's the real deal and it's so much better than cow's milk feta," Thorpe said. "The price is comparable to most supermarket feta or maybe $1 more per unit." THE TRIPLE CRÈME DÉLICE DE BOURGOGNE IS VELVETY SMOOTH. Tami Brehse/Business Insider Break out this decadent brie-like cheese at your next party and watch it quickly disappear. Added cream gives it a rich, buttery texture that pairs perfectly with crusty bread or crackers. For snacking, remove this cheese from the fridge ahead of time to allow it to soften. SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * I ate at a fast-growing fried chicken chain from Korea and it was maybe the best fried chicken I've ever had * The top 10 toys of the holiday season sold at Walmart, Amazon, and Target according to experts * I ate chicken wings from 5 major chains, and a little-known newcomer beat out all the classics SEE ALSO: 29 PRODUCTS TO BUY AT TRADER JOE'S — AND 12 YOU SHOULD AVOID AT ALL COSTS
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