15 extremely controversial thoughts about cheese

Mashable bites into a creamy, nutty, gooey, and sometimes stinky world during our first-ever Cheese Week.

I like pretty much every type of cheese imaginable. Burrata? Gimme. Manchego? With honey, please. Brie? Pour me a glass of Pinot to pair. 

Most of my cheese takes are pretty uncontroversial, but I do have one opinion that I generally keep to myself. It's embarrassing, and not something you would know about me unless we've ever been roommates. But I don't see a reason to hide it anymore: I love to eat shredded cheese straight from the bag, and I will not apologize for it. 

Shredded cheese is pretty much only good for specific situations: Melting into scrambled eggs, sprinkling on top of mac and cheese before baking it, crafting the perfect quesadilla. It's also really satisfying to eat alone, standing in front of your fridge, probably in the dark, and yes, with your hands. 

It turns out, a lot of people are hiding their weird cheese behavior. Read on for 15 brave souls' deepest, darkest confessions about cheese, ranked from least to most shocking. (You may even want to incorporate a few of them into your own cheese life.) 

The answers below have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Jamiee, 23

Cheese take: Port Salut from Trader Joes is better than expensive cheese from artisan shops 

Why? Port Salut is so cheap [Editor's note: generally around $5 a pop] and tastes like expensive cheese, for those of us balling on a budget. If you take the label off, you can’t even tell it’s cheap.

Hudson, 22

Cheese take: Kraft singles are one of the best cheeses 

Why? Kraft singles are single-handedly the most versatile cheese. Grilled cheese? Done. Cheeseburger? Done. 3 a.m., coming home from the bar and need a snack but don’t want to order food? Done. Plus, they keep so much longer than “fancy cheese,” so they're perfect for when you don’t remember you have any cheese in the fridge. I rest my case.

Jordan, 23

Cheese take: Biting string cheese

Why? When you eat the little strings, you can't really taste the cheese. If you bite it, you get the full flavor. 

Ryan, 24

Cheese take: None of the three shredded cheeses in taco mix belong in tacos

Why? How is cheddar one of the three choices they came up with to put in Mexican food? It's probably a conspiracy built around excess cheddar and pepper jack in the factory. I guess Sargento isn't going to invest big money in Oaxaca cheese to sell to people shopping at Kroger. 

Greg, 23

Cheese take: Goat cheese is better than cow cheese

Why? It's healthier for you than cow cheese and has much less lactose, so it’s easier to digest. Also, the texture of goat cheese—softer, creamier, and slightly gritty—really has no competition in the world of cow cheeses. 

Hannah, 23 

Cheese take: Popcorn with melted butter and shredded cheese 

Why? At first, I was skeptical, but it’s so good. It just gives it an extra oomf. I always pop popcorn on the stove and melt butter on top of it, but adding shredded cheese on top of that and melting it just makes it even more salty and delicious.

Lisa, 25

Cheese take: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese on spaghetti with red sauce 

Why? Melting a layer (or two) of shredded cheese on your spaghetti is next level. I melt it for a few seconds in the microwave. I feel like it’s the combo of cheese, beef, and sauce. It’s like having a cheese sandwich on top of noodles. 

Ben, 31

Cheese take: Roomano (candy cheese) is an A+ dessert

Why? I got this cheese on a whim. I thought was Romano, but it was Roomano, which is like candy cheese. It's aged Gouda that has sugar crystals in it. 

Susan, 26

Cheese take: American cheese on ramen

Why? I am prepared to die on this hill. I love American cheese on ramen because it makes it super creamy. I know people will drag me for saying this, but I think it mimics Tonkotsu ramen broth because it makes it taste richer and creamier.

Leah, 27

Cheese take: Cheetos dipped in peanut butter

Why? When I was growing up, I ate a lot of PB&Js with Cheetos. The peanut butter changes the flavor of the Cheeto. It makes it taste nostalgic and brings me back to those days. [Editor's note: Cheetos aren't really cheese. They're probably more cheese-adjacent. We're talking about things that are beyond the realm of normal cheese, though, so all bets are off.]

Lauren, 28 

Cheese take: Peanut butter and cheese 

Why? I used to put a slice of cheese in my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also used to dip a cheese stick in peanut butter. I haven’t had it in a while, mostly because of the shame and judgement, but it’s not a bad combo! My mom even started making these sandwiches for me for my lunch at school.

Kenzie, 22 

Cheese take: Cottage cheese on pasta

Why? It tastes good to eat hot noodles with a nice, cold, milky cheese on top. Cottage cheese is the most versatile. It can be good on fruit or pasta, sweet or savory. 

Elvie, 25 

Cheese take: Cheese in bubble tea 

Why? It's similar to the art of eating cheese with sweet things. The texture isn't a problem at all. It's usually cheese that is frothed or shredded in a milky drink, and it produces that same savory and sweet effect! It kind of makes it a sweet yogurt, in a way. 

Coleman, 24

Cheese take: Most cheese is gross

Why? I like queso, pizza, and macaroni. I really just don’t like deli cheese. I never get cheese on sandwiches, hamburgers, and would never eat a piece of plain cheese. I just think the texture is really gross, it smells weird, and doesn’t taste good. 

Lauren, 22

Cheese take: Cheese is overrated 

Why? I honestly don’t like cheese. I see people obsessing over it and see all different kinds of strange cheeses coming out, like beer-infused cheese or cheese taco shells. I think it gets out of hand when we have cheese in a can, powdered cheese, vegan cheese, or viral trends of throwing cheese on babies. 

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