With a house full of dietary restrictions, it can become difficult to keep a steady variety of tasty snacks. A common favorite for those on a low carbohydrate diet is cheese bites, but the options found in stores can be expensive.  

These baked cheese bites are an easy snack that can be customized with most cheeses and spices. 

Yield: 30-35 cheese bites 

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Cook time: 45-55 minutes 

Total time: 50 minutes- 1 hour 

Ingredients:  

4 slices of cheese provolone or cheese of choice; I recommend using pre-cut sandwich slices 

1 tablespoon complimentary seasoning of choice; I recommend garlic powder 

1 teaspoon black pepper 

Directions:  

Begin by preheating the oven to 250F and covering a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

While the oven preheats, use a butter knife to cut each slice of cheese into bite-size pieces, keeping the size of each bite as even as possible. 

Place the cheese bites on the baking tray, leaving enough space for the cheese to spread slightly as it cooks.  

Sprinkle a pinch of each desired seasoning over every cheese bite; for the best flavor, repeat the process on both sides. 

Pop the cheese bites into the oven to bake for 25 minutes. At this time, use a butter knife to separate any cheese bites that may have melted and cooked together. 

Rotate the baking sheet to ensure even cooking, then place the cheese back in the oven to cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has become golden brown and crispy. The cheese will continue to “stiffen” as it cools. 

After letting the cheese bites cool for five minutes, use a butter knife or small spatula to transfer the bites to a paper towel. This will allow some of the excess oils to be absorbed.  

Once the excess oil has been absorbed and the cheese bites have cooled completely, the bites are ready for the next snack break! 

Do you have a recipe that is perfect for college students? Send it to The Runner at [email protected] for it to be featured.