Trader Joes

The Trader Joe’s Dairy-Free Cheddar Style Slices earn a rating of 3 out of 5 green leaves on our cleaner food options scale. This product provides a dairy-free alternative for those seeking to avoid animal products or who are lactose intolerant, using a base of water and cashews. The inclusion of coconut oil helps to replicate the creamy texture typically associated with cheese, while the use of nutritional yeast adds a savory, cheese-like flavor and enriches the product with B vitamins.

Despite these positive attributes, the product is not organic, and there is no clear indication that it uses non-GMO ingredients. This impacts its green leaf rating. The presence of additives such as natural flavors and modified food starch further reduces the product’s score. These ingredients are often scrutinized for their potential health impacts and their ubiquitous nature in processed foods.

The use of annatto extract for color shows an effort to maintain a natural approach to achieving the cheddar-like appearance without synthetic dyes. The inclusion of lactic acid and yeast extract contributes to the product’s tangy flavor and could be part of the fermentation process to develop a cheese-like taste.

The inclusion of various B vitamins, such as niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, and vitamin B12, is a noteworthy aspect of the nutritional profile, as it enhances the overall value of the slices for those who may have dietary restrictions.

While the Trader Joe’s Dairy-Free Cheddar Style Slices offer a plant-based cheese alternative that incorporates nutritional yeast and B vitamins, the lack of organic certification and the presence of certain additives weigh down its overall score. The product strikes a balance between offering a dairy-free option and adhering to some clean food principles, yet it has room for improvement in terms of ingredient sourcing and transparency.