Leerdammer Lightlife Reduced Fat Cheese Slices

I love cheese, especially those continental style cheeses with holes in. While travelling around Europe some years ago, I rarely went a day without consuming at least one slice of Emmental, Jarlsberg or Leerdammer.

These cheeses might be full of holes, but since they're hard cheeses, they're still high in fat and calories. If you love cheese but want to lower your fat consumption or calories, reduced fat cheeses generally have around 30% less fat than the original.

Lower fat alternatives to continental cheeses are few and far between though. Dutch cheese, Edam, is slightly lower in fat and calories and Baby Bel Light cheese is even lower.

However, Leerdammer, also a Dutch cheese, does have a reduced fat alternative which is every bit as tasty as the full fat variety. Incidentally, Leerdammer and Baby Bel are both made by the Bel Group in The Netherlands.

Leerdammer Lightlife cheese slices have 50% less fat than Cheddar cheese and 39% less fat than Leerdammer Original cheese slices. It has a smooth, mild and creamy flavour which is best enjoyed at room temperature. The slices are ideal for sandwiches, crackers, wraps, melting under the grill on a slice of toast or just to nibble on its own.

Leerdammer Lightlife is sold in 160g packs with 8 slices.  Each 20g slice has 55 calories and 3.4g of fat, giving it a medium fat content.

Leerdammer Lightlife Cheese Slices

Slices aren't individually wrapped, but the pack doesn't specifically state they have to be eaten within X number of days after opening. I've eaten it over a week later and didn't suffer any ill after effects. However, these days, most cheeses seem to recommend eating it within 7 days after opening so it's probably safest to finish it sooner rather than later.

Leerdammer Lightlife is widely available in supermarkets.

Nutrition Information per 100g: 273 calories, 30g protein, <0.1g carbohydrate, 17g fat, 990mg calcium.




© Diets and Calories 2012