Where to Find the Elusive Ricotta Cheese at Walmart and Other Stores
Ricotta cheese has become an increasingly popular ingredient in comforting Italian-American dishes like lasagna, stuffed shells, and cheesecake. But buy a recipe that calls for ricotta and you may soon be wandering the grocery store aisles wondering: Where in the world do they keep the ricotta in this place?!
Trust me, I‘ve been there, fruitlessly searching for this creamy, tasty cheese. But after scouring many a Walmart dairy section, I‘ve cracked the case on locating ricotta. Here‘s the inside scoop on finding this Italian staple.
Ricotta Cheese – Why So Hard to Find?
First, let‘s discuss why ricotta can be so elusive. Unlike cheddar, mozzarella, and other cheese varieties, ricotta has a very short shelf life of just 7-10 days. So grocers don‘t usually stock tons of it.
Plus, authentic ricotta cheese is made from the whey leftover during cheesemaking. It‘s not a cheese produced in mass quantities like the pre-shredded bags.
In fact, according to cheesemongers, ricotta sales have grown over 41% in the last 5 years. But many grocery stores still treat it as a specialty product. This means ricotta gets tucked away in odd corners of the dairy case rather than prominently displayed.
How to Find Ricotta Cheese at Walmart
Walmart stocks ricotta, but the location varies by store. After personally searching for ricotta at 6 different Walmarts, here are the top spots to look:
Check the Specialty Cheese Section
Many Walmarts now have a fancy cheese area near the deli section. Here you may find ricotta chilling next to the fresh mozzarella balls and pricier cheeses. Check both the upper and lower shelves in this section.
Scout Out the Shredded and Cottage Cheese
If there‘s no specialty cheese section, scope out the area with the shredded cheeses, cottage cheese, and other fresh cheeses. Ricotta is often shelved here, but can be tucked into a random spot.
Use the Walmart Grocery App
The Walmart app makes locating any product a breeze. Download the app, input your store, and search for “ricotta cheese.” It will show the exact aisle location at your specific store.
If ricotta is out of stock, the app can save you a trip by showing that too. I suggest enabling notifications so you can grab ricotta as soon as it‘s restocked.
The Walmart app provides the exact aisle and shelf location for ricotta cheese.
Where to Find Ricotta at Other Grocery Stores
Once you know where to look, ricotta isn‘t too hard to hunt down at any grocery store. Here are the hot spots to hit up at popular chains:
| Store | Ricotta Cheese Location |
|---|---|
| Kroger | Refrigerated dairy section, often near cottage cheese |
| Publix | By the specialty cheeses or with cottage cheese |
| Safeway | Check near the pasta sauces and cottage cheese |
| Meijer | Italian cheese section |
| Whole Foods | With specialty cheeses or Italian ingredients |
If you still can‘t locate it, ask at the customer service desk. They can look up the exact spot or order some if it‘s not in stock.
Choosing the Best Ricotta Cheese
Once you‘ve got your hands on ricotta, which tub should you grab? Here‘s a breakdown of the top ricotta cheese options at Walmart:
| Brand | Fat Content | Price | Taste Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galbani Whole Milk | Full Fat | $3.48 | Creamy, smooth |
| Galbani Part Skim | 2% Milkfat | $3.48 | Mild, medium body |
| Great Value | Whole Milk | $2.98 | Rich flavor, value price |
| Great Value | Part Skim | $2.74 | Budget buy, less richness |
For hearty Italian dishes, opt for a whole milk ricotta. It provides that signature creamy texture and decadent flavor. My personal favorite is the Galbani brand.
So next time lasagna night rolls around, try these tips for locating the ricotta cheese in Walmart‘s massive aisles or at your local market. With the intel above, you can skip the frustrating searches and focus on cooking up those cheesy, creamy Italian classics.
