Southern Living: We Tasted 9 Cheddar Cheese Brands—And This Was The Winner

Say (Cheddar) cheese

There’s much more to Cheddar than meets the eye. Not only does a good Cheddar cheese make or break a perfect grilled cheese, but it’s also important to have around for the occasional charcuterie board or snack.

We gathered Southern Living staffers to test different brands of Cheddar cheese. We tasted sharp Cheddar cheese, specifically, because it’s what we typically us for our super Southern recipes like pimiento cheese.

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How We Tested

To conduct this taste test, we purchased nine brands of store-bought sharp Cheddar cheeses that are found at most conventional grocery stores. The cheese was removed from the packaging and cut into cubes for testers to taste without any identifiable packaging.

The Contenders

• Kirkland Signature Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Costco
• Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Publix Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Great Value Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Walmart
• Happy Farms Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Aldi
• Good & Gather Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Target
• Member’s Mark Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Sam’s Club

How Each Brand Scored

Kirkland Signature Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Costco

“It’s firm and has a sharp bite to it, which is what I look for,” said one editor. A number of editors noted that this cheese was “pleasant” and “firm” yet “mild.” This cheese crumbled and flaked easily, making it a good contender for breaking into rustic crumbles or shredding on a box grater—say, for pimiento cheese.

Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Editors appreciated the smoothness and creaminess of this Cheddar, which held together nicely and carried a strong sharp bite til the end. “Nice sharpness without being too much,” said one editor, while others felt it wasn’t as sharp in flavor as they’d like. Still, the majority of testers found it to be balanced and consistent throughout.

Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Testers commented on the even, smooth texture of this cheese, and the strength of its flavor. “Soft and creamy in texture but a little sharper than the others,” said one editor, while another tester suggested it might be good on nachos. “It leans a little nacho cheese, but I don’t mind,” they commented.

Publix Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Testers found this cheese to be more mild tasting than the others, with a subtle sharpness and savory taste. Overall, it felt like a great standard option, and several editors felt it would be a great melting cheese for grilled cheese or hot sandwiches. “This is a good reliable Cheddar,” they said. “Taste is balanced and texture is firm enough but will melt.”

Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Tasting notes ranged widely for this cheese—one taster called it “garlicky” while another felt this Cheddar was “a little sweet.” It’s flavor was divisive, but editors appreciated its softness and smoothness as a snacking cheese.

Great Value Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Walmart

One editor called this Cheddar cheese “Velveeta-y,” and several others noted a similar chewiness and bounce, similar to American cheese. “This is very soft,” said another editor. “I think it would be great for shredding.” Other editors felt similarly, noting that it would melt well into dishes like macaroni and cheese.

Happy Farms Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Aldi

This Cheddar cheese was on the firmer, thicker end of things, reminding one of our editors a lot of Parmesan. “Slightly buttery and mild,” said one taster on its flavor. While most testers felt it was more mild than sharp, at least two editors found it to be very slightly nutty.

Good & Gather Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Target

This Cheddar was perhaps the most unexpected of the bunch, with all sorts of comparisons to other cheeses from multiple different editors. One taster noted a “hint of citrus,” while another compared its flavor to Colby Jack cheese. “Sort of tastes like mozzarella string cheese,” said another. While it didn’t have as strong of a Cheddar flavor as other cheeses in this test, editors liked its texture and felt it would melt well.

Member’s Mark Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Sam’s Club

“Good classic flavor,” commented one editor, and others tended to agree. While this cheese was not notably sharp compared to others, tasters still felt it fit the bill for a classic Cheddar, calling it “tangy” and even very subtly nutty—notes of annatto, the seasoning that gives yellow cheddar its color, truly comes through.

The Winner

Of all the cheeses, Tillamook was the winner, with Kraft coming in a close second. Both cheeses were extremely balanced, checking all the boxes for texture, flavor, and suspected meltability. But Tillamook was especially popular—it is sharp without being overwhelmingly so, and the texture was consistently creamy yet firm throughout. Kraft was similar, yet not quite as sharp, but editors found that both were perfect for a range of applications, from snacking to melting and beyond.