Here's Why We Think Trader Joe's Makes The Best Store-Bought Cheddar Cheese

When you walk through most grocery stores, there are almost too many brands and varieties of cheddar cheese to buy for your cheeseburgers or salads, so the choice can be overwhelming. Out of the many options, our ranking of store-bought cheddar cheese resulted in a definitive choice that's simply the best, but there's a specific store you must shop at to procure it. Perhaps you've guessed, but we simply think the best option is Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar.

Out of the 10 store-bought cheddar cheeses we tasted, Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe's stood out for more than one reason. First, we found the cheese's slightly-crunchy texture to stand out from the creamier options you might be more accustomed to eating. That harder texture comes from the aging process, but melts away to a more creamy consistency according to Trader Joe's. Then there's perhaps the most important factor: taste. Unexpected Cheddar is sharp without being too overpowering like some other similar cheeses, per our review.

As a Trader Joe's aficionado, I strongly agree with our research because I've enjoyed Unexpected Cheddar in a variety of ways (more about that later). It's certainly a sharp cheddar, but also reminds me of high-quality Parmesan (which TJ's claims for itself).

It's not just us who think Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar reigns supreme, because there are many other favorable published reviews of the product for both its texture and taste. Just Google it yourself if you require further convincing before you pick it up during your next TJ's haul. And like many other popular products from the California-based grocery chain, there are Reddit threads littered with comments raving about the cheese and giving unique options to use Unexpected Cheddar in a variety of ways.

The cheese is delicious on its own, so you can easily add it to your next charcuterie board, which I've done a few times. Another way I've used the cheese is in macaroni and cheese, and it works wonderfully, so test it out with our simple mac and cheese recipe. Its slightly sharp flavor also lends itself to sandwiches, elevating our easy smash burger or Cajun Turkey po'boy-ish paninis recipes. As a final option, make our bacon jalapeño pineapple cheese ball with Unexpected Cheddar. Trader Joe's advertises the product with a cheese ball, after all.

To try it yourself, it's $3.99 for a 7-ounce block — but we recommend you buy a couple, or it might be gone quite quickly. Trader Joe's also sells an Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread and Shredded Unexpected Cheddar Cheese that's worth a try, too.