This New $4.99 Trader Joe’s Find Is a Taste of Iowa—It’s So Delicious

Among Iowa’s many claims to fame—like the butter cow or fresh summer sweet corn—is the award-winning Prairie Breeze cheese. Made by Milton Creamery with milk from local family farms, it blends the sharpness of aged cheddar with the creamy, crumbly texture of a Parmesan.

Milton Creamery is a family-owned artisan cheese producer located in Iowa, founded through a partnership between the Musser family and local Amish and Mennonite dairy farmers. Committed to quality and tradition, the creamery uses milk from small, family-run farms that follow ethical and sustainable practices. Its cheeses are handcrafted and aged with care.

As an Iowan, I was so proud when I heard that Trader Joe’s started carrying Milton Creamery Morning Harvest cheese nationwide. Prairie Breeze is Milton Creamery’s most famous cheese, but Morning Harvest is delicious and versatile in its own right.

Why I Love Milton Creamery’s Morning Harvest Cheese

Morning Harvest is a semi-hard, small-batch cheese made with milk from small family farms in Iowa and Kentucky and aged for at least seven months. It’s smooth and nutty with just a hint of tang, like a cross between a mild cheddar and a Gouda. It’s meltable, similar to Havarti or Fontina. The flavor, texture, and meltability make it an instant standout. 

How I Use Morning Harvest Cheese

The cheese melts beautifully, achieving a smooth and creamy texture without becoming oily. This makes it incredibly versatile in the kitchen. I particularly love using it in a grilled cheese sandwich. It turns a simple classic into something special. The cheese is also good with crisp apple slices and roasted almonds for a snack.

Beyond snacking and sandwiches, this cheese shines in cooked dishes as well. It’s delicious melted into mac and cheese, adding a velvety consistency to the sauce. It would also make an excellent addition to breakfast dishes—grated over scrambled eggs or folded into an omelette with spinach.

The best way to store a cheese like Morning Harvest is to wrap it tightly in wax paper and store it in a zip-top bag. It’ll stay fresh for at least a week or two, though honestly, mine rarely lasts that long.

Morning Harvest brings a rich flavor that’s easy to love. It’s a little taste of Iowa—and I’m thrilled more people are getting to taste it.

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