I started this thread to point out a change in the fat requirements for cheese as listed in the new plan. I believe it is an important change and one that I have not heard mentioned before.
In the color plans (blue, red, purple, etc), the specification for cheese was “lite or reduced fat.”
In the new numbered plans, the description is changed to “cheeses with 3 grams of fat or less per ounce.”
Here is the problem as I see it. I have been searching for hard cheeses that meet the new description and so far I have not been successful. Note: I am in Wisconsin which has a reputation as a “Cheese State”. Example: I find that Kraft Natural Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese made with 2% milk still has 6 grams of fat per ounce.
Last time I visited my COD, I told my counselor that I was having trouble finding a cheese that meets the new requirement and the answer was maybe you have to look at white cheeses. I thought farmers’ cheese? So I looked at white cheeses and did not find any that meet the requirement.
I was also told not to use ricotta cheese because I am not a vegetarian and it is not going to help me lose weight because ricotta has low amounts of protein.
If you have searched and found a cheese or cheeses that meet the requirement, please share that information with us. For those who, like me, wish to use cheese in our menus, I believe we have to use it sparingly.
One other change in the cheese usage is that the classification of cheese depends on the serving size. 3 oz of cheese counts as a protein, while 2 oz of cheese is counted as a dairy.