Discover the Ultimate Guide – Can You Freeze Queso Cheese Dip? Get All the Tips Here!

What do Americans find strange about the UK?

Condiments/Flavors/Spices. People don’t really eat Applesauce, Peanut Butter, Hot Sauce, or various other condiments the way Americans do. They’re also (according to my grocery shopping experiences here) generally not as adventurous flavor wise, and don’t seem to embrace as many ethnic cuisines as we do in the States. People here sometimes find it appalling when I put hot sauce on the majority of my food. Also things from the grocery store considered “spicy” here are incredibly mild for my taste, but then again I grew up in So-cal with all of the best Mexican food.

Driving/Public Transport/Walking. I don’t have a car here, because quite frankly I’m terrified of driving on the other side of the road. Most of the streets are freakishly steep and the people walk them every day. You get used to it but it’s a bit of a game changer at first. (Really tones the calves and thighs) I also think it’s great that more people use public transportation like Trains and Buses than we do in the US. But I also kind of miss the freedom of driving anywhere at any time. Even if that means being lazy and going through a drive thru. Haven’t seen a lot of that here. I mean just look at these old people trekking up that hill. Something you’ll never see in America.

Fashion. Women seem to prefer a more played-down, demure, modest fashion sense DURING THE DAY here. Any time I wear a bright lipstick or fashion forward outfit during the day I get some strange looks in public, versus where I’m from in California, people generally embrace it when you add some funky new look into your routine. However this all seems to change AT NIGHT. If you go out on a weekend in England, you will see women wearing some of the most “daring” clothes and high heeled shoes I’ve ever witnessed. They seem to be mostly young women going on girls night outs or hen-dos. These women also seem to not notice the FREEZING weather at all while this is happening. The wind can be blowing freezing ice and they just act like they’re weather confused and don’t notice they’re in a mini skirt and 10 inch heels stumbling down a cold wet road at all. Men here seem to care a lot more about their overall appearance than American men. Their hair is always well coiffed, and a lot of the men have their own style and stick to it, like preppy, or athletic, or posh, and most of them wear pretty well put together outfits. Shoes seem to be pretty fashion-wise important to men and women here alike.

Their “Celebrities”. They consider people famous or a celebrity who are just flat out talentless, and are maybe only known for some small reason like a brief stint on a reality show, soap opera, or for dating a footballer (WAGS?). I know we do this on some scale with people like the Kardashians, but it seems to be on a much larger scale over here. Also, they take our Z listers and attempt to make them A-listers. You can keep Speidi guys.

Customer Service, or Lack Thereof. I worked many part time retail gigs throughout college, and let me tell you, if I had behaved the way store associates here in the UK do, I’d have been fired in an instant. Sure, everyone in Customer Service/Retail is typically disgruntled in some regard, but let me tell you, these people SHOW IT. In America, it would be preposterous to sit in a chair throughout your shift as a grocery store checkout clerk. Everyone stands, whether it’s a 4 hour shift or an 8 hour one, whether you’re a 60 year old woman with severe arthritis or an 18 year old with a spring in your step. These UK cashiers have no idea how good they have it. Also in America, the key to customer service is smiling, engaging with your customers and asking them about their day. But nope, these people sit in chairs, with a depressed look on their faces for the entirety of their shift. (I’ve had one or two sweet cashier checkout experiences, but it’s incredibly rare) The whole thing is just crazy to me. Also what’s up with having to purchase a grocery cart (trolley) to use? That’s just insane.

Public Bathrooms/Restrooms. I went to the Durham Miner’s Gala today and this one hit me as I was desperately searching for a toilet. In America, we offer public restrooms practically everywhere, and you never have to pay to use them. Every time I search for one in public here it’s a complete hassle to find one that doesn’t cost 50 pence or require that you buy something to use it. Pretty inconvenient when you’re about to pee yourself.

Different names of things. For example: I was looking for isopropyl rubbing alcohol at the chemist (pharmacy) today. I Googled it, and it turns out the UK thinks people might drink it, so it’s labeled as “surgical spirits” instead. I walked right by it on the shelf, none the wiser. A while back I was attempting to make southern style corn bread muffins for my in-laws. We call the flour used to make this bread “corn meal”, UK calls it “polenta”. How the heck was I supposed to make that connection? Cream Cheese isn’t labeled Cream Cheese, it’s labeled “soft cheese” which is really confusing because many cheeses are soft. Thank goodness they have Philadelphia here which saved me the confusion. Also there are the ones that don’t cause me trouble while grocery shopping but still came as a surprise, “hoovers” (vacuums), “plasters” (bandaids), “rubbers” (erasers WTF), “jumpers” (top/sweater), “car parks” (parking lots), “pavement” (sidewalk), “trolley” (grocery cart), “nappies” (diapers), “sarnies” (sandwiches), “mobiles” (cell phones), “flats” (apartments), “lift” (elevators) and so on so forth. A lot of these I now use without thinking twice because they are typically a lot shorter than the American alternatives.

Things I want but just can’t find at all. Had to include another food section being a huge foodie and all. Here are some foods that I have discovered through sudden cravings don’t exist or are extremely difficult to find in the UK that exist in the USA: processed yellow/orange cheese such as American cheese slices/Velveeta/queso dip, graham crackers, certain salad dressings like ranch dressing (I’m really sorry British people, but “salad cream” is nasty AF), candy corn, American style red licorice (Redvines), caramel apples, white marshmallows, American bacon, particularly honey or maple flavored bacon, Cheetos/Fritos/Bugles various other chips especially spicy flavors, fresh bagels, corn dogs, Miracle Whip, Old Bay and Lawry’s all purpose Seasonings, Hostess/Little Debbie snack cakes, Bisquick (instant pancake mix that is NOT CREPE consistency), Girl Scout Cookies, PAM cooking spray, Refried Beans, Pillsbury biscuits/croissants/rolls/cookies that are in refrigerated cans that you pop open right onto the baking tray, canned pumpkin/sweet potatoes, low calorie powdered drink mixes like Crystal Lite (squash doesn’t count). Yes I realize most of this is total junk food and I don’t need it, but god dammit, I’m human and get a craving for something I grew up with once in a while. You may also notice American chocolate is not on the list. That is because American chocolate is cheap and gross and tastes like it should be used for making candles, not eating. I acknowledge this fact.

THINGS ARE JUST MORE EXPENSIVE!!! I miss paying 10 bucks for a pair of pants at Walmart. I don’t care that the pants were made in China and will fall apart in 2 months. 10 dollar pants.
I’ll add more as I think of them. Also, this is just MY experience living in North East England (County Durham), if you disagree, maybe you’ve just had a different experience.
Side note: People need to stop getting butt hurt about my answers. I mean sheesh. The question asked what I found STRANGE about living in the UK. It did not ask what I found delightful, fun, interesting, or superior to the US. If you’d like me to fill in those details, which I easily could, (I wouldn’t continue planning my life here if I hated it) why don’t you make a separate question, and perhaps I will answer it.

FAQ

Can you freeze cheese dip?

So, if you have made too much of cheese dip for a party, you can definitely choose to freeze it and enjoy it later. Though the quality of the frozen cheese dip might not be as high as how it was when fresh, still you could store it safely for a few months. The higher the fat content in the cheese dip is, the better that it will freeze.

Can you freeze chile con queso dip?

FREEZE: You can freeze this Chile Con Queso dip for about 2-3 months. Once the dip has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. REHEAT: Thaw the dip in the refrigerator overnight. Place the dip in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the queso is heated through. Is queso a Texas thing?

How long does queso last in the freezer?

This will save you time as smaller amounts will be quicker to defrost. It will also save you from potentially wasting food. Once in the freezer, queso can keep for up to 6 months (so it will definitely be ready for your next party). As with most foods, especially ones that contain a lot of dairy, you need to be careful of how you defrost queso.

What cheese goes with queso dip?

Pepper Jack is another great cheese to use that will add spice to the dip. If you want more of a white queso dip, try white cheddar cheese combined with Monterey Jack cheese. Depending on how spicy you like your queso dip, you may want to add some of the jalapeno ribs or seeds to the dip.