Cheese is one of the things we think of giving up when we think of reducing our calories. There is good reason for this; a 1 oz chunk of cheddar cheese (which is approximately 1 inch squared) will run you 120 calories! Not a lot of bang for your buck if you ask me… So if you’re looking for a good alternative, I recommend giving the following low-fat cheeses a try: Allegro 4% MF skimmed milk cheese or Dama 12% MF light brie. Both of these cheeses can be found at stores such as IGA or SaveOn Foods and will only run you 50 to 60 calories for the same1 ounce serving.

A good rule of thumb for any cheese is to keep the percent milk fat (%MF) to 15% MF or less. Cheeses that fall into this category are: Low-fat feta, ricotta, low-fat bocconcini and partly skimmed mozzarella cheese. It is always a good idea to choose light cheeses even if you are choosing something like a cheddar or Havarti which will not fit into the 15% MF or less guideline even in the light form. So if you do go for these higher fat cheeses, make sure you choose the light version.  You will be saving yourself on calories and saturated fat without giving up cheese completely… bon appétit!