When we heard that the best sellers at Cabot—makers of the award-winning Vermont cheddar—were the Light varieties, we were surprised. Cabot is possibly the best cheddar one can buy in the supermarket; and certainly, we reasoned the market for good regular cheddar must be larger than that for reduced fat.
After we ran out and to purchased the two varieties of Cabot Light, 50% Light and 75% Light (50% less fat and 75% less fat than regular cheddar, respectively), we discovered what all those buyers already knew: how amazingly good a reduced fat cheese can be. Both have excellent flavor and texture: full-strength cheddar flavor, nothing artificial, nothing rubbery. Real cheese.
This review can be brief because we have just two points to make:
Both cheeses are top-notch: we used them melted in grilled cheese sandwiches, grated onto chili, and as snacking cheese; and were 100% happy substituting them for everyday, full-fat cheddar.
There’s not much discernable difference between the 50% and 75% light in terms of flavor or texture: you have to concentrate hard to detect the subtleties. In terms of hard science, the chart below shows the comparison on a one-ounce basis; as well as the tally if you ate the entire 8 ounces. If your goal is to save on fat, the bargain is the 75% Light (see the chart below).
We especially loved the Light Garlic & Herbs Cheddar and the Light Jalapeño Cheddar: the latter has become a staple in our home. There’s so much flavor, you need do nothing more than slice and melt to make a dynamite grilled cheese sandwich.
Cooking tips and recipes are on the website; but if you don’t get there, here’s one to start:
Light Plain Cheddar. Serve with grilled bruschetta or pumpernickel rounds topped with sliced sweet Vidalia onions and capers; pair with a Vouvray. Make a spinach bread by splitting a round of focaccia; fill with cheese and baby spinach and melt in a hot oven. Serve with a Hefe-Weizen beer.
Light Garlic & Herb Cheddar. Serve with crunchy Italian crostini and a Rioja. Or, make a sandwich of thinly-sliced slice cheese with Black Forest ham on multi-grain bread, with coarse-grain mustard.
A lean scallion sirloin burger with Cabot’s reduced fat Jalapeño Cheddar is a gourmet delight.
Light Jalapeño Cheddar. Pour some Rosé and serve with mini johnnycakes or cornbread or melt and serve with corn chips and salsa. Serve with India Pale Ale and blue corn tortilla chips: shred cheese on top of the chips, stick under the broiler to melt, and serve with lime wedges. Serve with American Pale Ale and a pepper jack burger: melt over scallion-flavored grilled burgers and top with tomato slice. Use for spicy grilled cheese sandwiches. Or, serve with crunchy apples.
Cheese board, sandwich board, grated, or incorporated into more complex dishes: you can’t go wrong with these reduced-fat wonders.
After we ran out and to purchased the two varieties of Cabot Light, 50% Light and 75% Light (50% less fat and 75% less fat than regular cheddar, respectively), we discovered what all those buyers already knew: how amazingly good a reduced fat cheese can be. Both have excellent flavor and texture: full-strength cheddar flavor, nothing artificial, nothing rubbery. Real cheese. 
