I need cheese alternative suggestions

My favorite cheese alternative is Lisanatti almond milk cheese -- use for shredded, sliced, etc. http://www.lisanatti.com/


Sour cream -- it's been 5 years and I still haven't found a substitute. However, if you're using it in recipes, you can try making your own cashew cream. It behaves the same way.

Cream cheese - if using in recipes, then try Vegan Gourmet. It's very OK. Otherwise, use cashew cream with less water.

http://talronnen.ca/recipes/cashew-cream/ <-- cashew cream

Only one I have for ya is sub plain Greek yogurt for sour cream. I've swapped it out in baking, dips, and on the table for taco night with no complaints from my family. I realize this is still dairy, and I'm not sure if you've given it up for a dairy intolerance or because of going vegan, but my hubby is very dairy intolerant and can still do yogurt without an issue.

Just get a good quality yogurt, preferably not fat free - the Fage full fat or 2% is nice and creamy.

these taste very close to the real thing and can be found at a regular grocery store:

cream cheese - tofutti "better than cream cheese"
sour cream - tofutti
shredded cheddar - diaya - this melts like real shredded cheddar, too

this isn't exactly the same as the real thing, but good:
parmesan substitute - try sprinkling on some nutritional yeast

I have not yet found a dairy free sliced cheese that is even close to tasting good. I have made a couple of soft "goat cheeses" from cashews and they are pretty aweseome.

Avocado
Olive oil and salt
Pine nuts

There's an ingredient added to dairy/meat substitutes called carrageenan which is an intestinal irritant. So you might want to be aware of that in your quest to overcome digestive issues. One of many articles:
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/carrageenan-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet

Silken tofu!

I wouldn't try to find a substitute the cheese item for item, but try to recreate the flavor profile in another way. For instance: cream cheese is fatty, tart and smooth. Try working with a puree of navy beans, lemon juice, salt and olive oil to create a similar flavor profile. Use as a spread on toast, dolloped on omelets, and blended into savory dishes like soups and casseroles.

Nut butters will work well as substitutes for cheese in both sweet and savory dishes. Almond butter is my favorite for cookies and brownies.

There are, of course, soy versions of most dairy products, but I don't recommend them. Those items are highly processed and are now being researched as having negative health impacts similar to trans fats.

Some foods are just going to have to be drastically altered. Pizza is pretty good w/o cheese when drizzled with olive oil and herbs.

Here's a cream cheese recipe I LOVE, it's totally vegan.
1 1/2 C Pine Nuts
1 1/2 C raw sunflower seeds (the hulled ones)
3/4 C fresh lemon juice
3 Cloves Garlic
1 3/4 tsp salt (I much prefer the unrefined salt!!)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soak the nuts/seeds overnight. Drain. Use a good blender. blend all ingredients until very smooth, adding a bit of water if necessary.

I gave up dairy a few months ago due to health reasons. I've been reducing slowly since the summer, but my new year's resolution is to have absolutely no dairy. I've found that cheese substitutes are unsatisfying and mostly devoid of nutritional value.

Soft silken tofu works well as a substitute for ricotta cheese in tofu - plus, it doubles as the protein source. I suppose this could be used instead of many other soft cheeses, but I haven't tried it.

Cutting out shredded and sliced cheeses has helped my weight loss/maintenance efforts. Question if you really need to replace them with processed, often high-fat alternatives.

I've never been a big sour cream fan, but since many people use (Greek) yogurt, I suppose you could get some plain non-dairy yogurt to use; some brands like So Delicious and Silk make Greek varieties.

I put peanut butter on my whole wheat bagels instead of cream cheese. It's high in protein and healthy fats. But bagels are a rare treat for me. Soft silken tofu may work here too, but you'd probably want to add some sort of flavor - whatever you like in your cream cheese!

I'd also like to share that raw vegan pesto is the best thing that's happened to me since I gave up dairy. Whole Foods carries the Seggiano brand one with only four ingredients that I am obsessed with - olive oil, cashews, pine nuts and basil.

If a recipe calls for it, I wouldn't use it. A lot of people just replace what they took off their plate with something similar but in a lot of cases that can run up your grocery bill and your calories. I would just suggest going without. However, if you need to there are milk substitutes like soy, hemp, rice, and almond and they are usually very delicious. Also there is dairy free sour cream, cream cheese, whipped cream, shredded cheese, sliced cheese, yogurt, basically anything dairy. You should be able to find it in your organic section of the grocery store. For things like parmesan and stuff you can use nutritional yeast powder. Check out some vegan recipes for cheese sauces and things of that nature. They will have boatloads of recipes for homemade faux dairy items.