Fat Free Cheese

MamaFunky
MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have not bought Fat Free Cheese in years! It always tasted so rubbery and didn't melt right...if at all. Our family loves cheese, so we enjoying eating regular full fat cheese in moderation. However, I was just watching an episode of Hungry Girl and she made some Chicken Taquitos that looks awesome, but they had Fat Free Cheddar Cheese in them. Does anyone have a brand of FF cheese that they can recommend that actually taste good? maybe its better now than it was a few years ago?

I do not want to eliminate regular cheese from our diet, but if I can make a few things with some better tasting FF cheese for our tailgate this Saturday, then that would be great!
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Replies

  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I would use low fat cheese instead. I never found a fat free I liked but there are lots of good low fat cheeses out there.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I would use low fat cheese instead. I never found a fat free I liked but there are lots of good low fat cheeses out there.
    +1 on that. It only takes a little fat, but it does take a little. there are ones made from 2% that are pretty good. Also try substituting the lower calorie cheeses - I use mozzarella sometimes when other cheese is called for and it often is fine.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    Fat free cheese is an abomination, imo, but if you are looking for something try to pick one that's naturally lower in fat like mozzerella.
  • imhungry2012
    imhungry2012 Posts: 240 Member
    2% milk/reduced fat is a happy medium...I have not found a FF one that melts or tastes good enough to sacrifice the small amount of calorie difference.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    2% milk/reduced fat is a happy medium...I have not found a FF one that melts or tastes good enough to sacrifice the small amount of calorie difference.

    this
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    Fat free cheese is an abomination, imo, but if you are looking for something try to pick one that's naturally lower in fat like mozzerella.

    This.

    Try feta or mozzarella.

    Or use 1/2 of what the recipe calls for in full fat cheese. Aged, sharp cheddars -- blue cheese have HUGE flavor and you don't need a lot.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Ahh Hungry Girl, the queen of fake garbage food.

    Use real cheese

    Feta, mozzarella, Parmesan, all relatively lower in fat. Cheese is one of those things where it's better to not have it at all, than to have crappy substitutes.
  • MNTom
    MNTom Posts: 18 Member
    Some things should be banned as bad for the soul. Fat-free cheese and fat-free ice cream head that list.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    Thanks for all of your replies! We will stick with the regular cheese or maybe I will try the 2% cheese and see how it turns out.

    I have never been a fan of fat free cheese, ice cream, sour cream, etc.. either. I would rather have a little bit of the good stuff than some fake stuff that has no taste. I like some of "Hungry Girls" recipes, but just can't get into some of the fat free ingredients she uses.
  • Kadoober
    Kadoober Posts: 289 Member
    :(

    I just saw 'free cheese' and freaked out.

    Free cheese = awesome!
    Fat free cheese = the worst thing ever.

    If you want your soul to cry, eat the fat free. If you want happiness and joy, eat the full fat, in moderation.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Ahh Hungry Girl, the queen of fake garbage food.

    Use real cheese

    Feta, mozzarella, Parmesan, all relatively lower in fat. Cheese is one of those things where it's better to not have it at all, than to have crappy substitutes.
    Amen!
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Fat free cheese is an abomination, imo, but if you are looking for something try to pick one that's naturally lower in fat like mozzerella.

    ^^What she said. haha!
  • crackur
    crackur Posts: 473 Member
    I eat all cheese but cottage.......I'm going to try it again soon.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I made the mistake of using fat free cheese for a recipe once...ONCE. That and ground turkey are the only low fat/low cal substitutes that didn't make it through the healthier food transition in my house. Disgusting plastic abomination.

    For the most part I use fresh shredded parmesan or a 2% mexican blend but I've recently gotten into using feta more.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    Thanks again for all your replies! It reaffirms my dislike for Fat Free cheese and saved me some money too! :smile:
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    I made the mistake of using fat free cheese for a recipe once...ONCE. That and ground turkey are the only low fat/low cal substitutes that didn't make it through the healthier food transition in my house. Disgusting plastic abomination.

    For the most part I use fresh shredded parmesan or a 2% mexican blend but I've recently gotten into using feta more.

    :noway: Ground turkey is AWESOME! Especially when it make it into burgers and top it with feta (and roasted red peppers)!

    But I feel you on the disgusting plastic abomination part. :flowerforyou:
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    I like some of "Hungry Girls" recipes, but just can't get into some of the fat free ingredients she uses.
    Just sub in the real stuff, then. I do that all the time with cooking light recipes. (for margarine/fat free anything/etc). Recipes are adaptable!

    Goat cheese is another one that packs a lot of flavor in a little package, but it's not all that melty.
    ground turkey
    I made some ground turkey meatballs one time and they required a lot more binding than beef and more fat so they wouldn't stick to the pan.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    I like some of "Hungry Girls" recipes, but just can't get into some of the fat free ingredients she uses.
    Just sub in the real stuff, then. I do that all the time with cooking light recipes. (for margarine/fat free anything/etc). Recipes are adaptable!




    I do that all the time too. Its amazing what you can do with some of the high fat recipes you see on FoodTV...if you just alter a few ingredients it can come out great with a lot less fat and calories.
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    I use full fat cheese, always.

    But Cabot makes a 75% reduced and if you needed to be low fat, you could probably acquire a taste for it. I used in when I did WW because there was a lot of emphasis on low fat.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I made the mistake of using fat free cheese for a recipe once...ONCE. That and ground turkey are the only low fat/low cal substitutes that didn't make it through the healthier food transition in my house. Disgusting plastic abomination.

    For the most part I use fresh shredded parmesan or a 2% mexican blend but I've recently gotten into using feta more.

    :noway: Ground turkey is AWESOME! Especially when it make it into burgers and top it with feta (and roasted red peppers)!

    But I feel you on the disgusting plastic abomination part. :flowerforyou:
    Ground turkey comes in different levels of fat content and quality. The 99% fat free stuff is hard to work with and the cheaper brands tend to be grainy. But if you get good "mostly lean but still a little fat" ground turkey, it will make patties and meatballs just fine.
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
    Just use less normal cheese? If you eat the recommended potion size of cheese there is no reason to eat reduced fat cheese at all, just have a sprinkle and don't go nuts with it.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    Just use less normal cheese? If you eat the recommended potion size of cheese there is no reason to eat reduced fat cheese at all, just have a sprinkle and don't go nuts with it.

    Thanks for the advice. That is what we always do. I was just asking about FF cheese these days, since I haven't purchased it in years. Seems like it hasn't changed at all. I am surprised that stuff is still in the grocery stores as bad as it is!
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
    Yea I've tried vegan cheese before and I imagine its similar, horrible stuff! I'd much rather have less of something that tastes gooooooood :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I use full fat or low fat, but you'd have to pay me to try fat free cheese. Yuck.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    Lets get one thing strait.................fat free cheese is not cheese..........it's a marketing pitch.
  • AbbsyBabbsy
    AbbsyBabbsy Posts: 184 Member
    I don't mess around when it comes to cheese. The real stuff or nothing.
  • svsl0928
    svsl0928 Posts: 205 Member
    For my cheese fix, I eat the Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced cheese. In most cases, two slices of the thin is less calories and sodium then regular cheese. The also have a low sodium version.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    I made the mistake of using fat free cheese for a recipe once...ONCE. That and ground turkey are the only low fat/low cal substitutes that didn't make it through the healthier food transition in my house. Disgusting plastic abomination.

    For the most part I use fresh shredded parmesan or a 2% mexican blend but I've recently gotten into using feta more.

    :noway: Ground turkey is AWESOME! Especially when it make it into burgers and top it with feta (and roasted red peppers)!

    But I feel you on the disgusting plastic abomination part. :flowerforyou:
    Ground turkey comes in different levels of fat content and quality. The 99% fat free stuff is hard to work with and the cheaper brands tend to be grainy. But if you get good "mostly lean but still a little fat" ground turkey, it will make patties and meatballs just fine.

    I actually use 99/1 all the time. Like 2-3 times weekly. Low quality is definitely grainy - higher quality is not.

    The trick is not over cook it/cook it slow. For burgers, lightly oil the pan with olive oil on a paper towel and get it really hot over high heat (like to the smoke point), throw in the patties (which should be on the thicker side, I do about a quarter pound), turn the heat to medium and keep them covered until you flip and basically as much as possible. I leave mine one the first side 5 minutes and then flip. I leave them for 7-8 minutes and then check to see where I am with a meat thermometer. Usually they are around 155F, cover with cheese and peppers but the lid back on sit aside for 2-3 minutes. Check temp again, it will usually be 165F and you are set.

    In the case of meatballs, add one and a half teaspoons of olive oil per pound of turkey, 1/3 cup bread cumbs + spices and roll as usual. They will be "wetter" than beef and you may FREAK a little, but this is why you bake them (covered) at 350 for about 10-15 minutes until the internal temp is around 90-100. They will firm up so you can them brown them off in the pan without them falling apart. Which again, same method above, screaming hot pan with just a little oil and covered, then finish cooking them in sauce. In fact let them hang out in sauce for like an hour or two.

    But back to the topic at had, cheese making is an art -- fat free cheese isn't actually cheese. Just like most singles in plastic aren't -- if it's what you like, that is totally fine. If not, I wouldn't waste ANY calories of nonfat dairy!
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Some things should be banned as bad for the soul. Fat-free cheese and fat-free ice cream head that list.

    ^this..... and fat, especially from animals, IS healthy. But processed no-fat cheese? NO. Low fat? No to that too. (I can't wait until the fat phobia based on lies finally dies, once and for all...)
  • susieoj
    susieoj Posts: 181
    There are snack size chunks of regular cheddar that add up to like 100 calories and taste awesome, so many cheese options only add up to around 100 calories, so just use less and enjoy life :)

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