I typically eat leftovers or cold meat sandwiches for lunch. We have a gas station, with a decent deli, in the closest small town to us, that we frequently shop at. Deli purchases are expensive. 5 pounds of meat and cheese is usually $35.00 to $60.00 plus dollars.

Last year I started occasionally shopping in Yutzy’s Cheese House, a couple of towns over. A few weeks ago I noticed that they had a basket in the display case with small packages of wrapped meat. I found out that they were deli ends and only $2.99 a pound, for meats that sell for between $6.99 and $18.99 a pound. Deli ends are probably bad for you, but man the extra spices and flavorings on them make them taste good. They are excellent in sandwiches and salads.

They sell cheese the same way, including the extra slices, they cut off when trying to make weight. They have over 30 varieties of cheese.

Deli meat ends are sold in packages of one type. Cheese ends have 5 to 10 plus types per package.

Since then, if I'm over that way, I stop in and clean them out. Yesterday, I stopped in right at closing and purchased over 10 pounds of meat and cheese ends. I put some in the fridge and froze the rest.

If you like cold meat and cheese, especially lots of varieties, its definitely worth asking about ends at your local deli.

Keith

When I was a kid my mom worked for a cheese shop. They made 100s of gift baskets for people. She always bought ends and trimmings that cost a fraction of what they sold cheese out the door for.
I actually ate so much cheese one time got really sick. Took me years to actually eat cheese again.
Wife and I buy lot of our cheese from the Amish now and always priced better than other stores.

Mac

Thank you, K. C. , for this info. I will keep it in mind and ask next time I'm in town.

Yep, we buy ends and pieces all the time at the local cheese store. Also the expired cheese.

You could make an excellent charcuterie board with deli meat and cheese ends. In the 10 plus pounds I bought yesterday, I probably got a combination of 30 plus different meats and cheeses.

One of the end meats I have been buying and really like is dry beef. I had never tried it before and at $16.99 a pound, likely never would have.

Keith

I like smoked salmon. I buy the ends and partial slices at half price from a local grocer.

Ends and pieces are a great deal, but I really don't like it when they mix the meats and cheeses together in the same bag

Always called these belly buttons. As a starving college student, a deli would give me a 20# bag for $5. Would make huge omelets out of ham, salami, and bologna. Mac and cheese out of the cheese.

Up on my trap line there is a small deli that I stop in and cheese ends are $2.50 a three pound bag. All mixed up types. Cant beat that......jk

Take some of that dried beef and make you some "SOS". Chipped beef on toast.We ate a lot of that back in the day.

You can get the Bacon ends the same way as all that other stuff. BACON !!!!

A friend of mine used to buy big boxes of bacon ends near the Northwest, Ohio border near Indiana. I've never been able to find anyone near me that sells cheap bacon ends.

Keith

Yesterday, the guy, working the counter at the deli, said that the cheese mixes made great macaroni and cheese. We will have to make some macaroni and cheese made that way.

Keith

John F Martin bacon is good stuff. Find their ends and pieces. Around here about $3.70 lb. Cheaper in bulk

Best store bought bacon you can get in my opinion.Thats the kind I buy when Im out of my own.

Thank you for sharing, Keith C.

You're welcome Run.

Keith

• Deli meat ends
• Cheese ends
• Bacon ends

The prices sure tend to mess with a low sodium diet.

Save alot had them here keith in 20 pound box before covid. When u go to produce auction by mt victory go into kenton to save alot or bellefountaine save alot and ask.

Thanks Steve. I'll check with Save-A-Lot for bacon ends.

I have not been up to the produce auction yet this year, but have been thinking of going up to get a load of strawberries. Do you go to the Scioto Valley Produce Auction too?

Keith