Why There's Simply No Need For Pre-Shredded Cheese Anymore

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Shredded cheese is convenient — we're not going to argue with you there. When the craving for a midnight cheese quesadilla strikes, or when you feel the sudden urge to eat it straight from the bag like a hungry raccoon, you're probably not going out of your way to pull out a box grater and shred your favorite type of cheese with it. But aside from the convenience factor, pre-shredded cheese will always be inferior to the variety that you shred yourself. 

For one, shredded cheese often contains fillers. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese may contain wood pulp, and because of this and other fillers, pre-shredded cheese tends to sit on top of dishes rather than melt into them. These fillers prevent the cheese shreds from balling together in the bag, but they can also impart a dusty taste or non-melty consistency to your recipe. Avoiding that alone makes shredding worth the extra time and effort. Block cheese is also a better option than pre-shredded when it comes to cost savings. You'll get more shreds by volume from a 1-pound block of cheese than you would if you bought a 1-pound bag of pre-shredded cheese, making it more affordable in the long run, especially for recipes that require a ton of cheese.

Of course, the major gripe that people have with non-pre-shredded cheese is just that: They have to shred it themselves. However, there are numerous tips and tricks to make the shredding process as seamless as possible. One of the absolute best ways to grate cheese (and to save your knuckles) is to lay your box grater on its side rather than standing it up vertically on the cutting board or counter. This will give you more leverage when you go to grate your cheese block. You can also spray your grater with cooking spray beforehand (just watch for slippage) so that the shreds will pass easily through the grater and onto your awaiting cutting board.

There are also several hands-off ways to shred cheese. If you have a KitchenAid, you can look for specialized attachments that will make your life easier, like this KitchenAid slicer and shredder attachment. For a crumblier texture, you can also use a food processor — this makes quick work of shredding, allowing you to spend more time on preparing the rest of your recipe. No matter how you choose to shred your cheese, its improved taste and texture will be worth taking the extra step.