Top 5 Dairy Free Cheese Alternatives (Healthiest AND Most Delicious)
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Just about every client I’ve worked with has cringed when I suggest giving up dairy. The most common response I get is, “but… cheese!” And I get it. Cheese is delicious. As a former cheese addict myself, I can completely empathize with the mourning process of giving up such a comforting and delicious staple. However, I can also attest to the fact that it is the greatest thing I’ve ever done for my health.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in removing dairy from your diet, as well. First off, congratulations! It can be challenging, but just about everyone I have ever known has seen drastic health improvements when removing dairy – even if they thought it caused them no problems at all to begin with. Second, and more to the point, it’s highly likely that you’re here to avoid wasting your time and money on vegan and non-dairy cheese alternatives that are gross. You’ve come to the right place.
Before I go on, let me take a minute to introduce myself. I’m Nicole, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist whose specialty is helping others live anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting, low-toxin lifestyles. If this resonates with you, then keep on reading.
When I first went dairy-free, the vegan cheese market was bleak. They weren’t very good (but I pretended lol) and they definitely weren’t healthy. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then. The taste, texture, and overall quality of vegan cheese has drastically improved in recent years. As a nutritionist, I believe the ingredients in these products are just as important to consider as the taste. You see, non-dairy and vegan cheeses have the potential to be loaded with tons of artificial additives and chemicals. I don’t want this for myself or my clients, especially when the purpose of giving up dairy is to be healthier.
So, with all that said, here are my top 5 vegan and dairy-free cheese brands. They’ve got the flavor you’re looking for and only necessary, high-quality ingredients.
Kite Hill creates dairy-free cheese, yogurts, dips, and even filled pastas! Focusing solely on cheese for today, these are my personal favorite alternatives for cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta. Their products are almond milk based and they use very minimal ingredients. I, personally, love that they use real food ingredients because I can use their products as staples instead of spending the money to only use it once or twice. ALSO, Kite Hill products are Whole30 approved, further pushing the point that their ingredients are minimal and real.
Click here for more on their products
Treeline offers artisan style dairy-free cheese alternatives. Their lineup includes soft cheese, cheese wheels, goat cheese (vegan, of course), cream cheese, and slices and shreds. I have thrown their soft cheese and cheese wheels on charcuterie boards, and I can say that they most definitely hold their own among traditional cheeses.
Their products are cashew-based and use minimal, real-food ingredients that you can feel good about putting in your body. Their website also offers a bunch of creative ways you can use their cheeses.
Click here for more on Treeline
Violife has a huge range of products from cheeses to spreads to non-dairy butter. As far as cheese goes, they offer dairy-free alternatives to cheese blocks, shredded cheese, sliced cheese, feta crumbles, and cream cheese. Personally, I go for the shreds for meals like pizza, tacos or nachos, and if I’m craving a sandwich I always go for their slices.
Unlike some of my other favorites, Violife cheese alternatives are also nut-free. Their ingredient list is minimal, which we love, and while it’s not as nutrient-dense as some of the other vegan cheeses on this list, this brand is definitely still a healthier non-dairy option than most other alternatives on the market.
Click here for more on Violife
Miyoko’s Creamery produces dairy-free butter (my favorite vegan butter, by the way!), mozzarella, cheese wheels, cream cheese, and spreads. Their cheese wheels are the perfect dairy-free addition to any charcuterie board and their mozzarella is unique in that it’s packaged as a wheel, not shreds, so you can peel it apart and make a traditional panini or margherita pizza!
Their products are free from GMOs, gluten, dairy, and soy. They’re cashew-based, organic, and only include real-food ingredients.
Click here for more on Miyoko’s Creamery
While Primal Kitchen is not a brand that focuses exclusively on dairy-free products, they are a brand whose products are made from real-food ingredients and are paleo-friendly and Whole30 approved. If you’re looking for a non-dairy cheese sauce to throw over pasta or a non-dairy queso alternative, I highly recommend giving them a try. Their sauces are creamy and rich and will give you that cheesy texture you’re craving without any of the bad stuff.
Primal Kitchen’s cheese alternative products are not only Paleo and Whole30 friendly, but they’re keto-friendly, vegan, gluten and soy-free, and sugar free.
Click here for more on Primal Kitchen
So, there you have it – the top 5 non-dairy brands I recommend for all of your cheese needs. Not only are these non-dairy cheese substitutes going to taste great, but they’re among the higher quality alternatives on the market and better for your health than many others. Removing dairy – especially to improve your health – is an amazing step to take, but it’s crucial to replace it with high-quality, healthy alternatives so you’re not swapping one unhealthy food trigger for another one that is going to be just as inflammatory.
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Until next time…
-Nicole