I used to be one of these people, cheese was my absolute favourite food and everyone who knows me knows that I was a total cheese freak. I would put it in everything, I honestly felt like a meal wasn't complete until it had cheese on it.
But since going vegan not only do I NOT miss cheese after finding out what actually happens to cows to produce it, I've strived to find the best vegan cheese because I feel so passionately about eating non animal products.
So what does happen to cows to produce cheese?
Every time someone says "the cheese though" I just think of that poor mama cow that gives birth to a calf after being pregnant for 283 days. Her calf if it is a girl will be taken away within the first 24 hours after birth, she will be taken to solitary confinement with barely any space to move and will call for her mother for days. After six months she faces the same fate as her mother by being artificially inseminated and her udders be constantly emptied in extremely harsh conditions so we can consume dairy products.
After 4 years of being constantly milked, these dairy cows are slaughtered. Cows should live as long as 20 years.
If the mother has a boy calf he will also be taken away immediately and either slaughtered there and then or sold to a meat farm where he will spend the next 6 months inside and then be slaughtered for veal.
Having these thoughts and being informed about the dairy industry helps me to come to terms with the fact that WE DON'T NEED COWS TO CREATE DELICIOUS CHEESE, the sooner we get our heads around this, the happier this earth will be.
So without further a do, here is a list of tried and tested great cruelty free vegan cheeses.
1. Bute Island Food Strong Cheddar
Without doubt the best vegan cheese on the market, not only does it look and smell like cheese, it tastes like it too. The best part about this vegan cheese is that is actually melts! No easy feat for a coconut based cheese but they somehow manage it.
2. Violife Cheddar
Violife does a huge range of vegan cheeses and this brand is found in more supermarkets in the UK than any other vegan cheeses so this is the one that you'll be able to track down with ease.
Although it doesn't melt as well as the cheese above it ticks all the boxes for taste, texture and it certainly looks a lot like cheese.
3. Sainsbury's Free From Cheddar
I bought this on a whim because I couldn't find any other vegan cheeses on one of my supermarket shops, I wasn't expecting much as it was a home brand and didn't have particularly nice branding. I was completely blown away by just how tasty it was though. It had great texture, it was really creamy and crumbled in just the right way when you cut into it.
Buy it here
5. Vilolife Parmigiana
This is a great alternative to a much loved parmesan cheese! Again, Violife have done a great job in producing a cheese that looks, feels, tastes and is shaped like the original. I use this vegan cheese to top off pasta and it adds just a hint of cheesy flavour to create that perfect Italian dish.
6. Bute Island Food Sheese Spread
I bought this cheese in week 1 of being vegan and it was the perfect introduction. This is the cheesiest vegan cheese on the market and is great for a wine and cheese night with the girls. Great for dipping or spreading with crackers but do be aware that you will finish it in one go!
7. Follow your heart Cheddar Vegan Gourmet Shreds
I had this at a friends house (thank goodness for friends that buy you vegan cheese) and loved how creamy it tasted. It is perfect on pizza, topping off pasta, in sandwiches or for the perfect cheese toastie.
Think farming in the UK is humane? Watch this and think again, this short film shows what happens to the animals in the U.K for us to eat meat and consume dairy products.
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