Most of us look back fondly at string cheese, a classic after-school snack that we enjoyed peeling into pieces as kids. But you should take another look at the lunchbox staple — it’s perfect for a cocktail party. The kid-friendly snack can drastically cut down your party food prep, and please the palates of your adult friends to boot. 

Unconvinced? Give your homemade pizza an instant stuffed-crust upgrade by rolling the edges of your dough over some string cheese, suggests the Daily Meal. Making bite size appetizers? Stuff your crock pot meatballs with a nub of string cheese for a melty surprise, skewer pieces with tomato and basil to make caprese kabobs, or fold chunks of string cheese inside wonton wrappers and bake for poppable, cheesy goodness.

Want your string cheese to be the star of the show? Consider a more gourmet variety, like braided string cheese with black caraway seeds, often called Armenian string cheese. It’s  milky, salty, and the black caraway seeds make for a stunning presentation. Looking for something with a little more kick? Try Chechil, a super smoky and salty string cheese inspired by the cheese snacks of Russia. Pair it with a beer — it is a party, after all.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Erica Mixon

Erica Mixon is an editorial intern at Culture. Mixon is also the arts editor of Emerson College's student-run newspaper, the Berkeley Beacon, and editor in chief of an upcoming human resources blog, HRTalentManagement. While Erica is not editing or writing, she enjoys spending time in her hometown of Ogunquit, Maine.