Poppin’ the Cheese

I think it’s safe to say that most people like cheese. It’s a universally loved food that can single handedly change a dish from something bland to something wonderful.  And as a quick snack, cheese rates right up there among the best of them. But cheese isn’t always as portable as we’d like it to be. While you can carry cheese around with you, it’s not the same as keeping almonds in your purse or desk for those times when you have no options. I throw the almonds in my purse or glove box and forget about them until I need them. This isn’t something you can really do with cheese, unless you like cheese that could use a shave and a haircut. But you can carry a stash of Just The Cheese Popped Cheese with you. No refrigeration or razors required.

I first tried Just The Cheese products a few months ago and I was impressed.  The Popped Cheese line comes in handy little bag just right for your briefcase, glove box, lunch bag, or a larger purse. Made from real cheese, Popped Cheese is high in protein and calcium and has a carb count totaling a whopping 1 gram.  With just over 3 servings in a bag, you don’t have to worry about losing control and blowing a whole day worth of carbs, unlike the issue with nuts.  In fact, I found I couldn’t finish an entire bag in one sitting… and I tried.  These little morsels of cheesy crunchiness are very filling. I found they make a great replacement for chips or crackers with a meal. If you miss having popcorn as a snack, this may be a good substitute as well. According to the package you can put these in the microwave for a warm, crunchy snack. While I admit I haven’t tried them that way yet, it does sound good. Another delicious way to enjoy these Popped Cheese snacks would be sprinkled over a salad in place of croutons.

I like the texture and the crunch of these snacks. You can choose between Cheddar, Butter Flavor and Lower Salt . The Lower Salt flavor has the least ingredients, which simply consists of semi-soft cheese. The other two flavors have a somewhat lengthier ingredient list due to the flavorings (onion and garlic powder, a variety of cheeses in the blend, etc.) Over all I’d say this is a good product that will fit the needs of many low-carbers who desire convenience as well as healthy options. This should be an acceptable snack on any phase of a low-carb plan, but remember the some plans limit cheese to a few ounces a day and this would certainly need to be a part of that limitation.

Each serving of Cheddar or Butter flavor contains:

Calories: 75

Fat: 6.5 g

Cholesterol: 25 mg

Sodium: 300 mg

Carbs: 1g

Fiber: 0 g

Protein: 5 g

The Low Sodium package is the same, with the obvious exception being the sodium, which comes in at 225 mg per serving.

Disclosure: I was provided this product free of charge in order to review it. It in no way effected my opinion of the product.