Animal Rights Community Online

[Nicomachus]

 Vegan cheese?

[panthera]

Hi Nicomachus! Uh, are you sure you want a vegan cheese? They're generally pretty nasty things. People usually just give up on eating "cheese" by itself, or melting it on things. There are cheesy sauces are pretty good, though.

I've made a really popular ricotta cheese using tofu, olive oil, salt, roasted garlic, lots of nutritional yeast in a blender.

This is also really popular as a very light sort of cheese spread: Raw Cashew "Cheeze"

The sauces here are pretty good, even without all the spices. COK's Easy Vegan Recipes Moo-Free Cheese Sauce

If you really want a retail product, try Daiya, Teese, or Follow Your Heart. I used to hear a lot about Sheese in Europe.

Hope that helps!

[Veganista]

Hah, I totally agree with Panthera. Your best bet is to avoid any kind of fake cheese. The only fake cheese that is even remotely edible to me is Daiya, but I can't eat too much of it. I am not sure if they have Whole Foods in the UK, but you can get Daiya there.

Good luck!

[sutchapants]

yeah, I just avoid it completely. it always turns funky colors after a few days, for me at least. o_O
I never really liked real cheese though.

[Beardy]

Not sure I agree with those comments, some of the vegan cheese isn't so bad in my book. I don't tend to buy it because it is expensive, but occasionally get it at other people's houses.

I'm terrible at remembering brands, but i you're in London, try health food shops, Holland & Barratt etc. There are spreads, processed cheese slices and lumps for you to cut. Or as these guys say, just eat other stuff.

[terri]

I also haven't had the luck to find a tasty vegan cheese. Actually I don't search for new once anymore as I am always terribly disappointed afterwords.

[panthera]

I've discovered Daiya for myself, and I do like it! I've started putting it on foods the way I used to do with regular cheese - on sandwiches, pasta, burritos, etc. and pizza, of course...

[sutchapants]

^ I'll have to find that stuff! boy, do i miss pizza

[Yukarangz]

There is a cheese called 'Cheezly' in the UK, made by Redwood foods, which I have found to be OK. It's not earth-shattering, but it does melt and taste a bit like cheese. It was far better than I expected! All I can say is - try it and see, if you don't find one you like you can use other things. Good luck

[panthera]

Doesn't it come in a packet? Like a powder?

[Yukarangz]

No, it comes in a block like regular cheese.

[P.A.Woodburn]

I am trying to become vegan

[panthera]

Cheese is one of the dairy cow's problems, too!

Seriously, it's one of the toughest parts for sooo many vegans/potential vegans. I used to love cheese and just about every other dairy product! I just kept reminding myself of the cow from whom they came, imagined her asking me if I was doing anything to help her. And I didn't try to find cheese substitutes, because they were all woefully bad.

Have you heard that cheese contains a lot of casomorphin, an opioid? You may actually be addicted, so you're feeling the effects of withdrawal. The good news in that is that once you get past that, it's easy! It won't always be so hard. In fact, the hard part of it will be just finding food that doesn't contain it!

It's great that you're trying to go vegan. Keep reaching out for support; you can do it!

[teddy bear]

I also liked the taste of cheese once, but now I am totally indiferent towards it. You just have to find a good enough reason to make a decision and then stick with it.

[Horsefriend]

When I find out how a product is morally wrong, it loses any appeal to me. I loathe it deep inside. I haven't really had trouble with cravings. I really admire those who have a harder time being vegan but stick with it anyway.