Let’s be honest: No cheese is as beloved as cheddar. After all, it was declared America’s favorite cheese in a 2021 YouGov poll. Even the Brits, who are plagued with rumors of having an unsophisticated palate, agree that cheddar reigns supreme. In fact, cheddar cheese was ranked Great Britain’s favorite cheese in a recent survey by Branston. Considering this cheese has been around for well over 800 years, it’s no surprise that it still satisfies an array of palates around the world. And that can be credited to the various types of cheddar that are readily available for consumption. From extra sharp to mild, it’s important to remember that the aging process affects the amount of sharpness cheddar cheese will have. Luckily, there are plenty of popular cheese brands that offer an assortment of different cheddars. While some brands produce delicious iterations that are perfectly sharp with an incredibly crumbly texture, others are severely lacking in both the flavor and texture departments. One brand that’s guilty of the latter is Lucerne.
Lucerne’s extra sharp cheddar cheese is so mediocre that it was ranked the worst store-bought cheddar cheese by the Tasting Table staff. Despite it being one of the cheapest brands at various supermarkets — it usually costs less than $6 at retailers like Tom Thumb and Safeway – it completely fails to deliver the flavor it promises on its packaging. Labeled as an extra sharp cheddar, this cheese lacks the signature sharpness cheddar is known for. In fact, it has a very mild flavor, which honestly doesn’t taste bad. However, that flavor profile would be more acceptable coming from a cheese that’s labeled as mild.
Why are you better off not buying Lucerne’s extra sharp cheddar?
Compared to other cheddars, the texture of this one completely misses the mark. Instead of having a nice crumbly texture, Lucerne’s cheddar has a creamy, almost wet consistency that isn’t normally associated with sharp cheddar. This peculiar texture means this cheese can only be used with specific meals. For example, it will still provide a ooey-gooey cheesy blanket of savory goodness on a cheeseburger or a platter of perfectly fried French fries. It would also be a great addition to mac and cheese. However, both its flavor and texture wouldn’t pair well with spicy foods or citrus fruits.
Made with a combination of cultured pasteurized milk, enzymes, added color, and salt, this cheddar cheese features no added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. However, it has a decent amount of fat. For reference, each package of Lucerne’s cheddar cheese, which is roughly a pound, has 16 servings in it. The exact amount depends on how you plan on cutting and using the cheese. Each serving has 110 calories, 9 grams of total fat, and 6 grams of saturated fat, which is about 30% of your daily value of saturated fat. It also has 30 milligrams of cholesterol and 180 milligrams of sodium.
Depending on your personal preference, that mild flavor might come as an unexpected yet welcomed surprise, especially if you hate strong-tasting cheeses. Hence, the mixed reviews. While some patrons think Lucerne’s extra sharp cheddar cheese is perfect the way it is, others noticed the lack of sharpness and greatly missed it. Although this cheese is known for being affordable, it’s no secret that other brands make a better, flavorful extra sharp cheddar cheese.
