Register

Vegetarian cheese

Swap ideas and tips or ask advice about being a veggie.
User avatar
Posts: 2873
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:28 pm

Vegetarian cheese

Postby Dena » Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:22 pm

Could someone please give the the names of, and where to buy, some vegetarian cheese please. My son is giving a birthday bash for me soon and some of my friends are vegetarian and I want to make sure there is plenty for them to eat.

I put "vegetarian cheese" into the search facility of Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco - the mind boggles as to how and why their choice of vegetarian cheese computes.

User avatar
Posts: 3832
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby jeral » Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:04 am

Many if not most cheeses are vegetarian as standard (due to artificial rennet being more available than animal rennet) - only a small number are not available in veggie form such as Reg. Parm. or Roquefort (both accredited by origin) although similar V cheeses are available. Most if not all medium hard English cheeses are standard as V although I'm less sure about soft cream cheeses as I don't eat them. Greek feta, not sure now it's accredited, though feta lookalikes e.g. from Denmark are available as V. Halloumi is available as V. Gruyere and Emmental are both available as V but like feta and halloumi, not all brands are as standard. Mozzarella is available as V although it is "plastic cheese" so a rather different thing from mozarella balls.

I'm not sure how you'd know if buying over the internet except by viewing each product description. If buying in a shop, a magnifying glass is useful as sometimes the words "Suitable for vegetarians" is in very small print, or sometimes in a circle that's easy to miss or hard to read.

Does this help? I haven't covered where to buy as the answer is pretty much anywhere with a fridge. I'm wary if buying from a fresh deli counter for less common cheeses so I ask or ask them to check.

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:07 pm

The best way of buying vegetarian cheese is just to browse the display, choose cheeses as you would normally, and check that each one you pick is marked suitable for vegetarians as you go

It's something I have to do quite often and as at least half of all cheeses are now veggie, it is not a big deal

If you can get to a specialist cheese shop they will probably have put together a veggie cheese board before and can help a lot

If you want to browse a catalogue of cheeses clearly marked to show which are veggie, to make a preliminary selection, try Teddington Cheese. Be aware that the more traditional a cheese is, the less likely it is to use veggie rennet - for example I think all true Stilton is non-veg, but Stichelton (yum) is veg (Edited to say according to Teddington cheese ther is Veg stilton, so things are changin).

http://www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk/acatalog/Teddington_Cheese_Cheeses_3.html

Obviously - you could order from them too, but I don't think it is necessary to mail order to get a good choice of vegetarian cheses

User avatar
Posts: 2873
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:28 pm

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby Dena » Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:54 pm

Thank you both so much for the info. Feel better about it all now. I take it that all cheeses marked with a green V are now suitable for vegetarians - brilliant.

User avatar
Posts: 3832
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby jeral » Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:57 pm

If they are marked with the Vegetarian Society's stylised V, then they are veggie. However, a lot of the big companies including major supermarkets refuse to pay what they think are exorbitant fees just to display that V so theirs are marked "Suitable for Vegetarians" and, as I mentioned, usually in quite small print.

One or other of these standard markings is on all products if applicable, so including things like crackers, soups, yoghurts (re gelatine), gravies etc so it's a good idea to check that it's shown on the labels of everything processed you intend to serve :thumbsup

PS Edited for grammar. Doh!

User avatar
Posts: 2873
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:28 pm

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby Dena » Sat Aug 25, 2012 12:40 pm

Thank you jeral, I hadn't thought that far ahead.

User avatar
Posts: 3832
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Vegetarian cheese

Postby jeral » Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:56 pm

For forward planning, keeping a note of all ingredients in any food you prepare for veggies (including any bottled sauces or dressings), preferably from items in original packaging as the ingredients are listed of course. This in case you are asked, as some veggies are very strict even though some have a more cavalier attitude, plus it also helps as an aide memoire so as not to err unthinkingly. :)

Return to Veggie Chat

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests