While an investment for a successful college graduate may involve buying stock in a cheese company, it is more likely that an investment for college students involves deciding between canned cheese and the kind you grate.
UW-Madison senior Sierra Ghassemian said she believes certain ingredients demand higher quality than others, and thus spends her money accordingly.
""I feel like I spend most of my money on really good cheeses, but I'm usually pretty happy with frozen veggies so long as I prepare them correctly,"" she said.
Ghassemian admitted to using Kraft shredded cheese on occasion, but to add a distinct flavor and texture to a meal, sometimes cheese quality must be considered.
Chris Luken, the cheese and beer manager of the farmers' market-style grocery store Brennan's Market, 5533 University Ave., explained the difference between a mass-produced cheese and its higher-quality counterpart as ""kind of like national beers.""
""When you get into a smaller producer, just like a microbrewery they're going to emphasize characteristics of the milk or what the animal is eating,"" he said. ""They want to emphasize the flavor more than the shelf-life.""
Regarding the prices of these more flavorful cheeses, Luken explained you may pay the same price for a quarter-pound of Havarti as you do for a pound of generic white cheese, but the extra flavor compensates for the decrease in quantity.
For those intimidated by the cheese section, Luken suggested researching flavor profiles. As for personal recommendations, he also suggested trying a Havarti for a mild cheese, an aged Swiss or Gouda for a firmer, more aged cheese and a two-year-old Parmesan or Asiago for a hard cheese for shaving.
UW-Madison senior Katy Bailey said she generally spends her cash differently than Ghassemian.
""I put the most money into whatever is my main ingredient of the meal,"" she said. ""I try to keep my food simple and let that good, really fresh ingredient kind of speak for itself.""
Though not a vegetarian, Bailey said she thinks the summer months beg for impeccable fresh vegetables to take meat's role on the dinner plate.
Food Fight, a company that owns and manages favorite Madison eateries such as Delmonico's, 130 S. Pinckney St., must remain profitable while still serving high-quality foods.
Food Fight owner Monty Schiro said Food Fight's restaurants can boast high-quality ingredients because ""we can buy in big quantities and that affords us some price bargains.""
He suggested college students do the same—whether it's cheese, olive oil or even portabella mushrooms, buy in bulk. By getting together with roommates or like-minded aspiring cooks, he said, students can get discounts and delivery services for large purchases.
Schiro emphasized ""dining within your means,"" but when the time comes to celebrate, trade in the canned tuna for lobster.
That is, unless you are like UW-Madison senior Marcela Caceres, who said investing in food during college is ""What? Is that even an option?"" While she needs to eat, Caceres said tuna fish will serve her fine until her funds will support both her gin-and-tonic need and her fine-food want.
Rather than spending money on fine cheeses or seasonal ingredients, Caceres said she prefers staples such as tuna with ""whatever is at Walgreen's or that fruit stand on Library Mall.""
Walgreen's may not be Brennan's, but for Caceres, it keeps her belly full and palate satisfied. Personal preference is, after all, what Luken deems central to deciphering which ingredients to spend a little extra money on.
But how does one determine a good cheese (or oil or fish)? Luken leaves it to famous cheese-maker Myron Olson to explain what makes a quality product: ""It would be a cheese that once you take a bite you would want to eat it again.""
