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Pimento Cheese

Traditional Southern Pimento Cheese is creamy, tangy, spreadable, and best served cold on a club cracker, if you ask me! Before you opt to buy it pre-made at a grocery store, you’re going to want to try my super easy recipe made with just a handful of simple ingredients: sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped pimentos, and a few pantry seasonings. That little jar of pimentos might not regularly grace your pantry shelf, but it’s easy to find with the other canned veggies at the grocery store, and it gives this classic cheese spread its signature sweet pepper flavor and pretty red flecks!

Creamy Pimento Cheese Dip

If I had to list the top foods I associate with Southern living, traditional pimento cheese would be close to the very top. It’s truly a classic! Sometimes called the “pâté of the South,” pimento cheese is a creamy, cheesy spread that’s just as good with crackers as it is tucked into sandwiches, spooned onto burgers, or served with crunchy vegetables for parties, potlucks, and game days.

The biggest debate with pimento cheese is whether you should use cream cheese or no cream cheese, and I landed right in the middle for this version. Some recipes skip it to keep the cheddar flavor front and center, but I like using a little because it makes the spread smoother, creamier, and tangier when scooped straight from the fridge. Using just 4 oz. keeps the sharp cheddar from getting buried, so you still get a bold cheesy flavor with a softer, more spreadable texture. It also helps the spread melt nicely if you want to use it beyond crackers (like in the pimento grilled cheese I make in our homemade mayo video on YouTube!)

Shred the cheese yourself. Freshly shredded sharp cheddar gives pimento cheese the best texture and flavor. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but it’s usually coated with anti-caking ingredients that can make the spread taste a little drier and less creamy.
Make sure the cream cheese is softened. Room-temperature cream cheese blends much more smoothly with the mayonnaise. If it’s too cold, you’ll end up chasing little cream cheese lumps around the bowl instead of getting a creamy base!
Fold in the cheese and peppers. Once the cheddar and pimentos go into the bowl, switch from beating to gently folding. This keeps the cheddar shreds and pimentos intact, so the pimento cheese is creamy but still has the classic chunky texture.
Customize the heat. I add cayenne pepper for a little warmth without making the spread too spicy. For more kick, add 1-2 tsp hot sauce (any brand), increase the cayenne to ¼ tsp, or fold in 1-2 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeños with the seeds removed. Start small, taste, and add more if you like it spicier.
Taste before adding salt. I don’t add salt because cheddar, cream cheese, and mayonnaise already bring plenty of seasoning. Give it a taste after you mix everything, then add a pinch of salt if you need it.

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Pimento Cheese

This Southern Pimento Cheese recipe is creamy, spreadable, and full of sharp cheddar flavor with sweet pimentos and simple pantry seasonings!

Course Dip

Cuisine American

Total Cost $5.74 recipe / $0.71 serving

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings (¼ cup each)

Calories 266kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Hand Mixer

Ingredients

8 oz. sharp cheddar shredded, $2.24*
4 oz. can pimentos chopped and drained, $1.78
4 oz. cream cheese room temperature, $0.98
½ cup mayonnaise $0.61**
¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
½ tsp garlic powder $0.03
½ tsp onion powder $0.03
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper $0.03

Instructions

Gather your ingredients.
Shred the sharp cheddar and drain the jar of pimentos.
Chop the pimentos into smaller pieces.
Add the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise to a large bowl. Beat using a hand mixer until smooth and combined.
Add the shredded cheddar, chopped pimentos, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to the whipped cream cheese mixture. Fold to evenly combine.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

* I prefer freshly shredded cheddar for the best flavor and consistency. Sharp cheddar gives this pimento cheese a bolder, cheesier flavor, but mild cheddar will also work if you prefer a softer flavor.

**I use Duke’s mayonnaise, which is a classic Southern mayo with a rich and tangy flavor. You can use any mayonnaise you like or already have on hand.

Nutrition

how to make Pimento Cheese step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make southern pimento cheese.

Gather all of your ingredients.

A bowl of shredded cheddar and drained pimentos.

Shred the cheese and drain the pimentos: Shred 8 oz. sharp cheddar, then drain one 4 oz. can of chopped pimentos really well. I like shredding the cheese by hand here because it gives the pimento cheese a softer, creamier texture once I mix everything together.

Hands using a knife to mince pimento peppers.

Chop the pimentos smaller: Finely chop the pimentos so they spread evenly through the cheese mixture. This gives you little pops of sweet pepper flavor throughout instead of big pieces in only a few spots.

Mayo and cream cheese in a bowl with a hand mixer.

Whip the creamy base: Add 4 oz. room temperature cream cheese and ½ cup mayonnaise to a large mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture looks smooth and mostly lump-free. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so no thick pockets of cream cheese are left behind.

Shredded cheddar and minced pimentos adds to a bowl of combined mayo and cream cheese.

Fold to combine: Add the shredded cheddar, drained chopped pimentos, ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper to the bowl. Fold everything together gently until the cheddar is coated in the cream cheese-mayo mix and the red pimentos are evenly scattered throughout.

Serve or chill: This pimento cheese can be served right away, but it gets even better after chilling in the fridge for an hour or so, as the flavors have time to settle in. Enjoy!

Side view of a bowl of southern pimento cheese dip with a hand dipping a cracker in.

Serving Suggestions

Pimento cheese is obviously great with club crackers, butter crackers, saltines, pretzels, celery sticks, cucumber slices, mini sweet peppers, or any veggies you’ve got. It IS made for dipping after all! Add it to a snack board for parties, potlucks, tailgates, holidays, or casual weekend get-togethers, or turn it into an easy meal. Spread it onto toast for a quick lunch, tuck it into a sandwich, melt it into grilled cheese, or spoon it onto hamburgers for a cheesy topping. My daughter also loves it mixed into scrambled eggs for breakfast!

This recipe, as written, makes 8 servings (¼ cup each) and is very easy to double or halve depending on how many people you’re serving. Just adjust the servings in the recipe card above, and the ingredient amounts will update automatically.

Storage Instructions

You can store leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It actually gets even better after a little time in the fridge because the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and pimentos have time to mingle with the creamy cheese base! Let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving again so it softens slightly and becomes easier to scoop. Give it a good stir before serving to recombine.

You can freeze homemade pimento cheese spread in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months, but I don’t usually recommend it because cream cheese and mayo can separate and turn grainy once thawed. If you do freeze it, stir it really well after thawing in the refrigerator and use it in something melted, like grilled cheese, where the texture changes won’t be as noticeable.

Try These Cheesy Dip Recipes Next!

This 5-Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce uses real cheddar and pantry staples, so it’s a budget-friendly upgrade from the jarred stuff.
If I had crackers and veggies to use up, our Garlic Herb Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip would make a really easy snack plate.
Spicy Chorizo Cheese Dip is a great game day option because it stays creamy when kept warm and reheats well in the microwave!

Overhead view of a bowl of Southern style potato salad.

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A Year Later: SNAP Update

Since we published our article in August 2025, the changes we warned about have begun rolling out across the country. A year ago, over 42 million Americans were receiving SNAP benefits. Today, it’s closer to 38.5 million. That’s roughly 4 million people who were getting food assistance who now aren’t. For many of them, nothing changed in their lives, but the rules changed around them. What was once theoretical is now hitting families hard.

We accept EBT sign in a barrel of squash at farmer's market

4 million Americans lost SNAP benefits in the past year since our last article due to stricter work requirements and $187 billion in federal funding cuts.
The House Farm Bill (passed April 30th, 2026) does nothing to fix this crisis; it locks in the cuts.
The Senate will vote on its version in late May, early June, and this is your chance to make a difference if the SNAP program is important to you.
Call your two Senators at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to vote NO on any farm bill that doesn’t reverse SNAP cuts and roll back new work requirements.
Your calls and emails get logged and counted, and high call volumes influence senators’ votes. Your voice matters!

Who Lost SNAP Benefits and Why?

Since we published our previous article in August of 2025, the changes we warned about have begun rolling out across the country and may now be impacting you or your neighbors. The situation appears to be worse than we anticipated.

If you’re between the ages of 55 and 64, homeless, a veteran, or a parent with a teenager 14 years of age or older at home, you used to be exempt from work requirements. Now you’re not. For the parents and caregivers out there, this means if your youngest kid just turned 14 and you were previously exempt from work requirements, you now must meet the 80-hour work/training per month requirement, or you will lose your SNAP benefits after 3 months. A year ago, having any minor child under 18 at home kept you exempt.

If you’re struggling to find work, or if you’re dealing with health issues that are debilitating but not severe enough to qualify for a disability exemption, you can easily fall through the cracks with these new changes. 80 hours per month works out to 20 hours a week, which is essentially a part-time job and not extreme under normal circumstances, but it can be a real obstacle for people in more trying situations:

Americans in their late 50s or 60s who have physical limitations that don’t qualify as a formal disability, but still make regular work painful or difficult.
Living in areas with very few job opportunities (and don’t get me started on the excruciatingly low minimum wage in most states or the price of gas right now if finding work requires that you commute.)
Homeless and dealing with practical barriers that come with that. (Finding and keeping a job when you don’t have a permanent address, a reliable phone, or a place to shower before work is significantly harder than most people realize.)
Veterans managing service-related health or mental health issues that aren’t classified as disabling. (PTSD, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain from service—these are real and often debilitating, but they don’t always meet the narrow definition of “disability” that qualifies for exemptions.)

woman shopping at grocery store looking at a pack of cheese

The Burden of Paperwork

The requirement isn’t just “have a job”; you must also document and prove you’re meeting the requirements, which adds the burden of paperwork, having dependable internet access, and the time to complete it on top of everything else.

You must document and prove you’re meeting the requirements. That means:

Collecting pay stubs or employer verification letters
Gathering receipts or certificates from training programs
Submitting paperwork to your state agency
Having internet access to upload documents or use state portals
Finding the time to complete all of this while working or searching for work, and caring for dependents, etc.

If you’re juggling a part-time job (or multiple part-time jobs), have transportation challenges, health issues, struggling with childcare, or homelessness, the new work requirements and the paperwork burden add another layer of difficulty on top of everything else when you’re just trying to feed your family.

This shift affects real people in real situations.

The SNAP participation decline is accelerating beyond initial projections. SNAP participation has declined by approximately 3.5 million people over the last year. This includes the vulnerable populations we warned about; the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that expanded work requirements will lead to more than 1 million older adults ages 55 to 64 losing their food assistance.

The law reduced federal funding for SNAP by $187 billion through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. This is the largest cut to food assistance in history.

If you’re subject to the new work requirements, track your hours religiously. Keep:

Recent pay stubs
Employer verification letters
Training certificates
Job search documentation
Volunteer hour logs
Anything that proves you’re meeting the 80-hour requirement

States are overwhelmed and slow to process paperwork. If there’s a problem and you have to fight to get your benefits, having records shows what happened and protects you.

This isn’t just about work requirements anymore, it’s about devastating underfunding.

Beyond work requirements, 18 states requested and received approval to further restrict SNAP-eligible products to address nutrition concerns, with restrictions covering products including soda, desserts, candy, and certain processed foods, applying to roughly 31 percent of SNAP participants. These restrictions limit food choices and create additional complexity for families already struggling.

Let me put it this way: If you live in an area where there is very little available as far as grocery options go, or you don’t have transportation to get to a grocery store, you may end up relying on the closest walkable place to get food for yourself or your family.

If you’ve ever gone into a tiny, rural gas station in the middle of nowhere, you’ll have seen that there are very few “healthy” whole food options there. When you restrict the food that qualifies for SNAP, you might be taking away the highest-calorie choice someone has based on what’s available closest to them. It also suggests that people who rely on SNAP benefits don’t know how to make good choices, which is insulting and fundamentally wrong.

Most people on SNAP are doing the best they can with what they have available—and if this were truly a concern, why would the government cut SNAP Education in their sweeping budget cut?

The food insecurity crisis is worsening, and we are pulling the rug out from underneath our neighbors who need help. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security report, published in December 2025, revealed that nearly 48 million people were in food-insecure households in 2024, even as the number of people receiving SNAP has shrunk.

These former SNAP recipients have not been “lifted” out of poverty; they are still struggling to feed themselves, and they just can’t adjust to the new requirements and lack of help.

What’s with the Farm Bill?

The Farm Bill was supposed to be an opportunity to fix SNAP’s problems. Instead, it became a disappointment.

In the early hours of March 5, 2026, after two days of debate, House Agriculture Committee members voted 34-17 to advance a new farm bill. On April 30, the House passed the 2026 farm bill, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026” with a 224-200 vote.

Here’s the disappointing reality: the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 fails to reverse the deeply damaging $187 billion in SNAP cuts, as well as other harmful changes that will further weaken the program. Despite months of advocacy and pleas from hunger relief organizations, the House version does nothing to restore SNAP funding or roll back the expanded work requirements.

The House did make one minor change that’s positive: the House passed an amendment (384-35 vote) allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chickens with their benefits. While any expansion of food choices is welcome, this modest change does not address the core problems created by the massive funding cuts and expanded work requirements.

The Senate has yet to introduce its version of the farm bill, but Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) has indicated he intends to release a draft in the coming weeks. This is where hope remains: the Senate still has an opportunity to take a different path and address SNAP’s crisis.

The Senate farm bill vote is critical, and it could happen as soon as LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE. There’s still time to change course.

This is where YOU come in!

The United States Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request. For example, when I call, I tell them I am from Tennessee, and ask to be connected to Marsha Blackburn’s office. Then, I leave my message for Blackburn and call back and ask to be connected to Bill Haggerty’s office next. Every state has 2 Senators, so make sure you call twice so you can leave messages for both of the individuals who were elected to represent you!

Here’s a short script that will work for you no matter where you live when you call your Senators to tell them how you feel about SNAP:

“Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [YOUR CITY/STATE/ZIPCODE].

I’d like to share my thoughts with Senator [NAME]’s office about the upcoming Farm Bill vote:

I’m calling to urge Senator [NAME] to vote in favor of protecting SNAP funding in the Farm Bill. SNAP keeps families fed and strengthens our economy. Every dollar spent on SNAP generates economic activity in our communities, and cutting this program would hurt families.

Please vote NO on any farm bill that doesn’t reverse SNAP cuts. Please pass legislation that restores SNAP funding and rolls back the harmful work requirement changes.

This program is essential for food security and shouldn’t be a political bargaining chip.

I hope the Senator will vote to maintain or increase this critical program.

Thank you for taking my call.”

Be respectful: You’ll be talking to staff or leaving a voicemail, you won’t be speaking with the Senator directly.
Be specific: Mention you’re calling about SNAP in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Be brief: 30 seconds is perfect (you may be timed if it’s a voicemail.)
Get confirmation: If you do speak to a person, ask if your message will be logged or recorded. (This is a good thing! You want them to log your opinion and message.)

What to expect:

You’ll likely reach a staff member answering phones or be sent to voicemail.
Give your name, address, and the topic you wish to weigh in on. (In this case, that’s SNAP funding in the Farm Bill.)
Your message gets logged in a tally of constituent calls.
Quantity matters — High call volumes influence votes!
Consider also sending an email or letter for the official record. Many offices track contacts by method.

grocery ingredients in front of woman cooking in the background

Join and Support SNAP Advocacy Organizations

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) is working to ensure Congress passes legislation to strengthen SNAP. Join the FRAC Action Network to help end hunger in America and receive updates on legislative opportunities for action. Visit FRAC.org to use their easy action network and send messages to your Members of Congress with just a few clicks.

OTHER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS:

Alliance to End Hunger
Feeding America
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Bottom Line

Four million Americans lost SNAP benefits in the past year. The rules changed, not their circumstances. As we head toward the Senate’s farm bill vote, there’s still an opportunity to reverse course and protect food assistance for the millions of Americans who depend on it. But that won’t happen without pressure. It won’t happen without you making phone calls, sending emails, volunteering, and telling your story. The fight for SNAP isn’t over, in many ways, it’s just beginning. Your action matters more now than ever.

woman buying produce from a man at farmers market

Sources:

box of pantry items being donated to food bank

Shelf-Stable Strategies: Preparing for SNAP Disruptions

woman comparing two cans of tomato sauce at grocery store

Smart Grocery Shopping Tips When You’re Already Pinching Pennies

Blueberry muffins in a freezer bag with article title text overlay.

10 Foods I Freeze to Save Money and Reduce Waste

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

I used to be a “seasoning packet” junkie. Store-bought packets of taco seasoning seemed so easy. But really, if you have a decently stocked spice cabinet, making your own Homemade Taco Seasoning takes just a few minutes and costs less. I’ve experimented with different combinations of spices for this seasoning over the years, and I think I’ve found the winner! One batch of this super tasty homemade seasoning is roughly equal to one store-bought packet and it’s 10 times more flavorful. You can even mix up big batches of it and store it pre-mixed in an airtight container for quick use later!

“My husband and I go through a ton of this, I make a 24x batch at a time now so I don’t have to make it every other week. Super tasty and easy!”
Catherine

Why make homemade taco seasoning?

While it’s easy to just buy a pre-made mix, making this homemade taco seasoning means I can control the ingredients, freshness, salt level, and flavor every single time. I keep the base simple with chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper, so it’s warm, smoky, and spicy while giving me room to adjust as needed. I purposefully left out garlic powder and onion powder here because I usually add fresh onion and minced garlic when I’m cooking taco meat, beans, or veggies. Leaving those powders out gives me more flexibility and keeps those flavors from doubling up. Of course, that’s the great thing about homemade seasoning blends! If I’m not using fresh garlic or onions, I’ll just add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or ¼ teaspoon onion powder to bring those flavors back in.

But above all else, the number one reason I love making this recipe at home is how much money it can save me, especially if I can get a good deal on spices in bulk! This means I can cut some costs, better control the quality of my ingredients, and still tweak the blend to fit whatever I’m cooking. That’s a budget-friendly win-win if I ever saw one!

Uses for Taco Seasoning

You can use this simple recipe anywhere you’d normally use a store-bought packet, especially in taco meat, beans, soups, rice, casseroles, and skillet dinners. This batch makes about 2¼ tablespoons, which is roughly the same as one store-bought packet. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use this seasoning to inspire you:

Tostadas: Taco seasoning cooks with the onion, jalapeño, pinto beans, and water, giving the mashed bean base a smoky flavor before all the fresh toppings go on!
Burrito Bowl Meal Prep: The seasoning simmers with ground turkey or beef and a little water to create saucy taco meat for these easy make-ahead bowls.
Baked Beef and Black Bean Tacos: I cook the seasoning with a beef and onion mixture, then add canned beans to build a savory filling for my crunchy baked tacos!
Taco Rice: Swap this homemade seasoning in place of the chili powder, cumin, and oregano to season the rice as it toasts with the onion and garlic, giving you a budget-friendly base for burrito bowls or tacos.
Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas: Taco seasoning gets mixed right into the black bean, corn, and cheese filling, so every quesadilla is flavorful before it even hits the skillet.

Here are a few substitutions and add-ins you can use to customize your taco seasoning to fit your budget and supplies:

Cornstarch. If you like your taco meat to have a slightly saucy consistency, add ½ tsp cornstarch to the spice mix, then stir in ⅓ cup water when you add the seasoning to the skillet. The cornstarch thickens the water as it simmers, creating a light taco-flavored sauce that helps the spices coat the meat or beans instead of staying dry.
Make it mild. If heat isn’t your jam (this seasoning does have a spicy kick to it!), simply reduce the cayenne or leave it out for a milder blend. Chili powder can also vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so if you’re using a new one or cooking for spice-sensitive eaters, I’d start with a little less (½ Tbsp) and add more after tasting.
Smoked paprika: I really think smoked paprika is worth using here because it adds a deep, smoky flavor that makes this blend taste closer to a store-bought taco packet. A little goes a long way because the smoke flavor is concentrated. Regular paprika will still add color and mild paprika flavor, but the final blend will taste a little softer and less smoky.
Low sodium. Feel free to reduce the salt content to meet your sodium needs. Just keep in mind that salt helps the other spices taste more pronounced, so a lower-sodium version may taste a little softer overall.
Garlic powder and onion powder. When I make taco meat, I generally add a diced onion and a clove or two of minced garlic, so I didn’t include any garlic powder or onion powder in this mix. If you’re not using the fresh stuff, add ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, or both. Some readers add both even with fresh garlic and onion, so this is an easy place to adjust the blend to taste!

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

This is the BEST homemade taco seasoning recipe. It's fast, easy, and can be made with just a few ingredients from your spice cabinet!

Course Seasoning

Cuisine Mexican, texmex

Total Cost $0.67 per batch

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings recipe (about 2¼ Tbsp)

Calories 42kcal

Author Beth Moncel