Sargento Reduced Fat Cheese

Good, flavorful cheese to suit all tastes.

Pros

Cons

Cheese is one of those high-fat foods that's hard to live without. On the plus side, cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium; on the negative side, it's high in calories, fat and cholesterol. So what's a cheese lover to do? Don't waste your time on fat-free cheese. It has a rubbery texture and doesn't melt, which is understandable, given the lack of milk fat.

Fortunately, there's reduced-fat cheese. Bear in mind that the "reduced fat" label doesn't mean it's low fat or low calorie. Reduced-fat cheese is made with 2 percent milk. It has at least 25 percent less fat than regular cheeses, and anything from 10 to 33 percent fewer calories than regular cheese.

Some people steer clear of reduced-fat cheese because the texture is still "different," and it still needs gentle handling when melting. But there are some very good reduced-fat cheeses out there, including those from Sargento.

Sargento offers a range of reduced-fat shredded cheeses that melt nicely, a selection of thin-sliced cheese for sandwiches and topping lean burgers, and two varieties of handy cheese sticks for picnics and lunch boxes.

The Colby Jack slices are both creamy and tangy, and just the right thickness (or thinness!) to add flavor to any sandwich. The medium cheddar is pleasingly creamy. We especially enjoyed the flavorful shredded Italian blend cheese, which melted nicely on top of a baked chicken and tomato dish, and also in an omelet.

I highly recommend these cheeses.