Searching for a costume idea this Halloween? Look no further.

Dairy-themed costumes offer ample amusement and ease for the less-invested October 31st partakers.

Halloween-themed cheese plate

If you celebrate Halloween, you might be familiar with the yearly self-imposed pressure to up the creative ante. The coveted “best costume” award can only go to Donna and Joe’s Pulp Fiction cosplay so many times…right?

If you’re at all like me in this way, you may want to think outside the box this spooky season. To do this, try thinking inside the box — the cheese box, to be exact.

Yes, cheese costumes are a thing, and they prove to be more clever than one might expect. Also, there are way, way, more cheese(y) costumes out there than I thought there would be.  

Dubious? Try typing any of the following “costumes” into Google:

Mac n cheese, cheese ball jar, hot Cheetos bag, cheesehead, cream cheese tub, cheese whiz canister, mouse and cheese, cheese grater, queso jar, charcuterie board, or, simply, milk carton.

Each one of these cheese-related items can be bought as a ready-made costume. My personal favorite is the Kraft Singles outfit, found at HalloweenCostumes.com. What’s scarier than the pretend version of what our cheesemakers spend their lives crafting to perfection? (I’m artisan-loyal until it comes to grilling out; what else can go on a proper American cheeseburger but a perfectly thin and square Kraft Single?)

If you’re a DIY’er, there are step-by-step guides for making some of these costumes by hand, too.

You might not win an originality contest with a cheese-themed piece, but you’ll surely monopolize crowd appeal. The Dairy Reporter cited that 96% of Americans eat cheese (a third of whom include it in 21 meals per week), and The Food Institute estimated that global cheese consumption will reach a record high by the end of 2024.

Needless to say, you’ll find no judgment from the Creamery Notes creators re: triangle cheesehead suit. After all, it’s our job to love cheese. But just know, if you opt to flaunt your dairy pride, you may find yourself in an unmatched altercation with some boxed soy milk party goers.

If costumes and ghouls and haunted houses aren’t your thing, cozy up near an open window with a curated cheese board and watch the Hallow’s Eve shenanigans from afar. Cheese’s truest strength, after all, is its inalienable comfort.