The Best Supermarket Cheeses and Why Each One Is Worth Buying

In an ordinary US supermarket, those labels separate a cheese worth buying from a block that is only cheese-shaped.

The cheap everyday blocks are covered by the cheapest cheeses guide, which is led by price per pound. This page is led by flavor and the reason behind each pick, so it leaves cheddar's basics and the big-volume staples alone and looks at what else the case offers.

The best supermarket cheeses compared

This table compares the best supermarket cheeses by what to buy, what to look for on the label and the best use.

The best supermarket cheeses, with the reason for each

The best supermarket cheeses below each get the mechanism behind the flavor, what to buy and the weak spot.

Extra-sharp cheddar with an age on the label

Extra-sharp cheddar is a good supermarket buy because age is where cheddar's flavor comes from. US rules define only the name "cheddar cheese" and cap it at 39 percent moisture, according to 21 CFR 133.113; the words "sharp" and "extra sharp" are not defined, so they mean whatever the maker says. A stated age is more useful. The aged vs. young cheddar page shows roughly what each age tastes like. Weak spot: old cheddar can turn grainy in a sauce, so use it for snacking and blending.

Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge

A Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge is the one imported cheese that most supermarkets stock and that is worth the money, because the rules behind the name are strict. It is a protected cheese aged at least 12 months, and the rind carries dotted lettering. Domestic "Parmesan" only needs to be cured 10 months with 32 percent moisture or less, so the name on the rind is your guarantee. See how to buy Parmigiano-Reggiano. Weak spot: a cut wedge dries out, so wrap it tightly.

Aged Gouda

Aged Gouda is worth a look because time turns a mild cheese into a caramel-sweet one with crunchy crystals. Only Gouda Holland and Noord-Hollandse Gouda are protected names, so plain "Gouda" can come from anywhere, as the Gouda page explains. Buy one labeled aged or over a year old, not the young, waxed round next to it. Weak spot: young and aged Gouda share a name and little else, so read the age.

Brie, as a whole wheel

Brie is a good supermarket cheese because its white rind ripens the cheese from the outside in, and a whole wheel gives you a soft, creamy center at a fair price per party. Ripe brie bulges slightly at the cut edge and smells of mushrooms, not ammonia. See the guide to choosing a ripe brie. Weak spot: it is perishable, so buy it close to the day you serve it.

Manchego

Manchego is a good supermarket cheese when it carries the marks of the real thing: a woven pattern on the rind, a casein plate stamped D.O.P. Queso Manchego and a numbered back label. It is made only from the milk of Manchega sheep in La Mancha, and it ages from 30 or 60 days to two years, which gives you a range from mild to nutty. Weak spot: a young wedge tastes mild, so check the age.

Jarlsberg or Emmental

Jarlsberg and Emmental are the supermarket Swiss-style cheeses that melt well and please nearly everyone. Jarlsberg is a Norwegian cheese developed in the 1950s, while Emmental is the Swiss original, a raw cow's milk wheel ripened at least 4 months under the protected Emmentaler AOP name. Both get their holes from bacteria that release gas during ripening; see the Emmental page. Weak spot: both are mild, so they will not stand up to a strong sauce.

A plain goat cheese log

A plain goat cheese log is a cheap, tangy cheese that lasts when sealed and spreads on toast or crumbles over salads. Buy the plain one and add your own honey, herbs or pepper, since flavored logs cost more. Weak spot: once opened it keeps only a week or two, so use it up.

What most supermarket cheese advice gets wrong

Most supermarket cheese advice says to buy the most expensive wedge, but the label tells you more than the price does.

A fancy label is not an age

A fancy label is not an age: words like "artisan," "reserve" and "vintage" are not defined in the federal cheese standards, so look for a number of months. The cheese label guide covers the words that do have legal meaning, such as the names of the standardized cheeses.

Protected names are your shortcut

Protected names are the shortcut in a case full of unfamiliar wedges: a name like Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego or Emmentaler AOP means a rulebook stands behind the cheese. See what PDO and PGI labels mean before you pay extra for them.

Look at the whole case, not only the shelf

Look at the whole case, not only the shelf: many supermarkets keep their best cheeses in a deli or specialty section near the olives, and a counter will cut a small piece and let you taste. Ask for 4 to 6 ounces of anything unfamiliar.

Questions about supermarket cheeses

These are the questions readers ask most about supermarket cheeses.

What is the best cheese to buy at a regular supermarket?

The best cheese to buy at a regular supermarket is a Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge with dotted lettering on the rind, because it is protected, long-lived and gives a lot of flavor per ounce. Aged cheddar and aged Gouda are close behind.

Are supermarket cheeses good quality?

Supermarket cheeses are good quality when you read the label, since the same shelf holds both mild blocks and aged, protected cheeses. Look for an age, a protected name or a country of origin.

Is supermarket brie any good?

Supermarket brie is good when it is ripe, and a whole wheel gives a better result than a pre-cut wedge. Only Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun are protected, so plain brie is a style, not a place.

Is pre-grated Parmesan a good supermarket buy?

Pre-grated Parmesan is a poor supermarket buy compared with a wedge, because you cannot see the rind and anticaking agents are allowed in grated cheese; a wedge is more reliable and keeps flavor longer.

How to find the best cheese in a supermarket?

To find the best cheese in a supermarket, start by looking in the deli or specialty case for wedges with an age or a protected name, then asking the counter for a small taste or a cut-to-order piece.

Your supermarket cheese shopping list

Your supermarket cheese shopping list is an aged cheddar, a Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge, an aged Gouda and one soft cheese for the board. If you want to buy in larger amounts, the warehouse cheese guide covers Costco and similar stores.