The Serra da Freita is good grazing country, and the cheese it produces — queijo de Arouca — is a semi-soft, slightly tangy sheep's milk cheese eaten young when it is soft and spreadable, or left to age until firmer and more pungent. It is not exported in any quantity; the best place to find it is the weekly market in Arouca or the small food shops near the monastery.
The farinheira de Arouca is the other product worth taking home: a pale, delicately seasoned sausage made from wheat flour, pork fat, and paprika that bears no resemblance to the heavier Spanish varieties. It is typically served sliced and fried as part of a petiscos spread or as a starter in local restaurants. Smoked chouriço, blood sausage (morcela), and cured ham (presunto) from the region are also good. The municipal market on Thursdays is the best single source for all of these.