Need suggestions for cheese alternatives

Greek Yogurt can sometimes be a great alternative to sour cream. For block cheeses you can always pick up soy cheese instead. It's certainly not an identical taste, but you can get used to it.

As a genuine turophile, I have to say there is no substitute for cheese.

The only dairy substitutes I know of are soy-based, and they're an acquired taste to say the least.

What specifically are the recipes you're looking to modify? Maybe that would be easier to give advice on. I just don't think there's anything out there that tastes like cheese other than cheese, but maybe if you're looking for a particular creaminess or saltiness there might be alternatives.

Hi! If you are looking for a alternative that has a similar taste, texture, melts like cheese, etc., you may want to try Daiya. It's a cheese alternative. The shredded is readily available at stores in the US and Canada (not sure where your are though). They also make a sliced Daiya (a bit harder to find) and a cream cheese alternative (very hard to find). Tofutti also makes pretty good cream cheese alternative that seems easier to find. If you have a natural foods store near you- they likely will carry them.
Here's there website which includes a store locator: http://us.daiyafoods.com/

In my experience, there is no real solid substitute...nothing that tastes right or has the right texture. I'm a foodie so I take that pretty seriously.

For cheese, Follow Your Heart is really good. Daiya is kind of bland and tasteless. You can use nutritional yeast in a recipe to make mac and cheese.

No idea for sour cream, sorry. I haven't had any in ages.

Cream cheese, try Go Veggie. Depending on what you're looking for, Go Veggie has a lactose free line and a vegan line. Vegan is purple and lactose free is green packaging.

I know you didn't request these, but if you bake try using coconut milk. We bake homemade bread with Earth Balance and coconut milk and it still tastes great. Enjoy Life chocolate chips are vegan also.

Shredded cheeses - Shredded soy cheeses

Sliced cheeses - Sliced soy cheeses

Sour cream - Greek yoghurt (Most brands contain significantly less lactose than regular yoghurt, try Chobani) Plain greek yoghurt has a sour taste that is very similar to sour cream and is very high in protein.I love the stuff.

Cream cheese - Vegan Cream Cheese brand, like Tofutti

Try reading here: http://is.gd/PbqoO4

That may help some.

As a genuine turophile, I have to say there is no substitute for cheese.

Agreed! Yes I had to look up the word so don't judge.......LOL!!! :ohwell:

Sea Salt + Olive Oil

I also stay away from lactose. Parmesan in small quantities doesn't bother me, so I put that on pasta or veggies. I make tacos and quesadillas and sandwiches without cheese and sub avocado- still creamy. Same with dips- I sub avocado. I make pizza with TONS of veggie toppings and crumble drained can chicken all over the top and then a half cup of real shredded mozzarella for the ENTIRE large pizza- that way you don't eat a lot of it but it looks good and helps hold the pizza together. Avocado instead of cream cheese- spread it and add a slice of tomato or cucumber slices and salt and pepper to a bagel- delicious. Try your casseroles with red sauce instead of cheese. It sounds funny, but its tasty!

I don't think there are any vegan substitutes that match hard cheese in terms of texture, but for melting, stirring it into sauces (e.g. for mac & cheese), etc vegan alternatives such as Daiya should work quite well. There's also vegan parmesan (made from cashews or other nuts) for sprinkling over dishes.

I made my own vegan cheese this week using this recipe: http://www.maplespice.com/2012/11/vegan-unprocessed-cheese-slices.html

Unfortunately, it didn't gel with the agar agar I used, so it's got texture of cream cheese spread now, but the taste was pretty awesome. I used it for a pasta bake (diluted with a little oat cream and water) and it was absolutely perfect. If you use almond milk instead of soya, it's soya free as well, if you don't want to overdo the soya products. It also works out a bit cheaper if you make it yourself.

I am no longer trying to lose weight, and I eat Breakstone's Fat Free sour cream with impunity.

2 Tablespoons = 30 calories!

It's not perfect, but it is pretty good.

When I was dieting to lose weight it was a way to make the food I eat taste like the food I like to eat.

Shredded cheeses - Shredded soy cheeses

Sliced cheeses - Sliced soy cheeses

Sour cream - Greek yoghurt (Most brands contain significantly less lactose than regular yoghurt, try Chobani) Plain greek yoghurt has a sour taste that is very similar to sour cream and is very high in protein.I love the stuff.

Cream cheese - Vegan Cream Cheese brand, like Tofutti

Be careful with some of the Tofutti stuff. We went no dairy for awhile while my wife was breast feeding (kiddo had dairy allergies and is lactose intolerant). Living in NM we make quite a few traditional New Mexico foods which are often served with sour cream. I was buying Tofutti fake sour cream and cream cheese and came to realize that they use partially hydrogenated oils.

I would look closely at the label of any cheese alternative that would have a similar consistency to actual cheese...according to the Tofutti website, it is very difficult to make a cheese substitute without using partially hydrogenated oil (Trans-fat). A lot of dairy substitutes use partially hydrogenated oils.

For us...we just became accustomed to not eating dairy. My wife is no longer breast feeding and we do indulge in a little from time to time, but really...after months of no dairy we've kind of just gotten used to not having it or only having it in very small quantities. I used to scoff at a mere 1 oz of cheese...now I'm like, "holy crap...that's a lot of cheese."