I am an unabashed lover of preshredded cheese, but in the test kitchen, we’ve long sung the praises of shredding cheese by hand (or in a food processor). Preshredded cheese is coated with additives such as cellulose or cornstarch to keep it from clumping, which can affect its mouthfeel and meltability. Still, preshredded cheese is an incredible shortcut: It saves time, it saves your hands from wrestling with a sharp grater, and it saves you from extra cleanup. It’s equally at home atop baked potatoes, nachos, and tacos; in cheese sauces and macaroni and cheese; and more. I’m not alone in my love for it. Americans spend more money on shredded cheese (including popular products such as Mexican, Italian, and multicheese blends) than cheese in any other form—by a long shot. Last year, shredded cheese beat out block cheese by more than $1 billion in sales, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm.
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