I Asked 5 Food Experts To Name the Best Cheddar Cheese—They All Said the Same Thing

This is the go-to for snacking and recipes.

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Some people dream of candy and cupcakes; I dream of dairy. I love cheese and ice cream and milk and yogurt. So you can imagine my disappointment a couple of years ago when I found out that I’m lactose intolerant. Now when I eat a bowl of ice cream or drink a glass of milk, I’m popping lactase pills beforehand to prevent a stomach ache.

Luckily, I’ve discovered that not all dairy products are a problem. As a gal whose love for cheese is not always reciprocated, I am grateful for a classic block of aged cheddar. I know that, with its low lactose count, it won’t hurt my belly. So cheddar cheese is something I like to grab when I’m stocking up on groceries for the week.

Yet, with so many options at the grocery store, how does one know which cheddar is the best of the best? I want a cheddar for both snacking and recipes, so it has to be high in quality, taste great, and melt well. While I’ve had the opportunity to try many different cheeses in my day (again, big cheese girl here), I was curious to know which cheddars other food experts recommend. I wasn’t surprised when they all pointed me in the same direction. To be honest, I couldn’t agree more with their answer.

The 5 Food Experts I Asked

• Amy Goodson: Registered dietitian, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook
• Erin Clarke: Founder of Well Plated and cookbook author of Well Plated Every Day
• Toby Amidor: Registered dietician and author of 10 cookbooks, including The Healthy Meal Prep and Up Your Veggies
• Melinda Keckler: Founder and recipe developer at Crinkled Cookbook
• Angela Luk, RD: Registered dietitian and co-founder of Food Mysteries 

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The Best Cheddar To Buy, According to Experts

Next time you’re at the grocery store and need to pick up a block of cheddar, experts agree that the best cheddar cheese to buy is Tillamook Medium Cheddar. A farmer-owned creamery based in Oregon, Tillamook is known for high-quality, healthy dairy products—ice cream, yogurt, sour cream, butter, and frozen meals, as well as cheese—all made from milk without artificial growth hormones (rBST).

“Its cheddar is aged for up to 10 years,” Goodson explains, “which enhances flavor and complexity while reducing lactose content, making it more tolerable for those with lactose sensitivities.” Thank goodness! Then there’s its wonderful taste. “Tillamook has a reputation for consistently producing rich, creamy, and flavorful cheddar,” she adds, “making it a favorite among cheese enthusiasts.”

Clarke is among them. “Tillamook’s medium cheddar is buttery smooth and has a nice balance of sharpness and richness,” she says. It’s a go-to when she’s making her chicken broccoli rice casserole because “it melts nicely and doesn't overpower the other ingredients.”

“The Tillamook brand can’t be beat. I’ve been cooking with it for years,” says Keckler. She uses the cheddar for everything, from hearty dishes like butternut squash mac and cheese and twice-baked mashed potatoes to lighter fare such as English pea salad. “It’s also fantastic served simply with a plate of crackers and slices of crunchy vegetables.”

But the cheese is not only delicious. Amidor points out that cheddar like Tillamook's provides 14 percent of your daily protein intake per serving and 20 percent of your daily recommended daily calcium , so it’s a great, nutritional choice to add to your meals.

Want your Tillamook Medium Cheddar to last even longer? Luk’s trick is to toss a block of it in the freezer! “Yes, I freeze cheese. It lengthens the shelf life and decreases food wastage,” she explains. I’m trying that at home now, too, so I can indulge my cheddar urges any time I want.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.