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Food


Any Guesses at Your State’s Favorite Organic Valley Cheese?


Thick Cut Sharp Cheddar
Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese Block
Finely Shredded 3 Cheese Mexican
Finely Shredded Mozzarella
Stringles

We ♥️ Cheese!

Cheese is … kind of a big deal. In 2022, the average American consumed nearly 42 pounds of cheese for the year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s almost 2 ounces per person per day, making it one of the most consumed dairy products.

USDA’s Agricultural Market Outlook projects annual cheese consumption could grow by 5 pounds by 2030 — that’s 5 more pounds of cheese per person annually.

The amount of cheese Americans are throwing back puts us as the 18th most cheese-lovingest country in the world. Who eats more? Believe it or not, many European countries eat even more cheese than Americans. The Danes of Denmark eat nearly double the amount of cheese than the average U.S. citizen yearly.

Despite that, we can all agree cheese is one of America’s favorite foods. It’s celebrated in regional favorites (Hey, Philly cheesesteaks!), tops classics like burgers and even has its own cake. Whether you slice it, crumble it, spread it or melt it, that deliciousness is worth its own food group if you ask us. Cheesy goodness even drove pizza to be Google’s second most searched food term in the United States in 2023.

Some more brie-lliant information from Google for the past year in cheese searches:

  • Cottage cheese had the biggest increase over 2022 across the country.
  • By population, North Dakotans searched for cheese the most and seemed to be hungry for cheese soup and ham and cheese sandwiches.
  • America’s favorite cheeses to search for: cream cheese, cheddar and ricotta.
  • Cottage cheese bread was a popular recipe search in 2023 thanks to TikToks shouting out its high protein status and the relative ease in making it.

In light of all this and because, well, we love cheese, we were curious and wanted to know the most popular cheese by state, Organic Valley-style.

5 Most Popular Organic Valley Cheeses by State

Cheese is foundational at Organic Valley. It’s one of the first products the cooperative put on the market more than 35 years ago. And now, Organic Valley has one of the largest organic cheese assortments in the U.S., offering approximately 40 cheese items.

Our cheese, like all of our products, is made without synthetic hormones or toxic chemicals. The quality we’re able to produce has led us to a long history of award-winning cheeses, both from cheese professionals and from consumer organizations.

Truly, though, that people keep coming back to buy their favorites is the best recognition. Here are America’s five favorite Organic Valley cheeses.

A man sprinkles organic mozzarella cheese on a dish.

5. Finely Shredded Mozzarella

(West) Virginia is for Finely Shredded Mozzarella lovers! This fine selection is tops with Organic Valley cheese fans in the Mountain State. In the warmth of any heating element, these shreds can melt into a tasty forcefield. Coming in a convenient 6-ounce resealable bag, these shreds are ready for pizza night or Grandma’s lasagna.

Dietitians from Eat This, Not That! also had great things to say about Organic Valley mozzarella cheese. In a recent article, it rated our Finely Shredded Mozzarella Cheese the No. 7 best mozzarella cheese. The site also rated Organic Valley pasture-raised Mozzarella Cheese its No. 1 favorite mozzarella cheese!

"This mozzarella is "low moisture," meaning that you can pair this cheese with your charcuterie board or melt it atop your favorite pizza without any sogginess. This cheese also boasts 7 grams of protein per serving to help keep your tummy satiated after your meal," they wrote.

A man sprinkles organic cheddar shredded cheese on a mac and cheese dish.

4. Thick Cut Sharp Cheddar Shreds

There’s no evidence to shred here, Mississippi really does favor Thick Cut Sharp Cheddar Shreds. This relatively new grade of shred is the boss of shredded cheeses. The cheddar is sharp and ready for your eggs or on that chili. It’s also great on a salad or as part of a casserole. Bonus: It’s vegetarian friendly.

A woman arranges cheese, crackers, olives on a board.

3. Raw Sharp Cheddar Block

The main event in Maine is the Raw Sharp Cheddar Block. It looks unassuming, but it’s been aged for six months and it makes an impression. If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and add this to your next cheese board between the dried apricots and the salami river. Guests will remember this white cheddar.

A package of Stringles organic string cheese on a blanket next to a picnic basket.

2. Stringles®

Shoppers in seven states made Stringles their top Organic Valley cheese. Even in Alaska! This snack-friendly form of mozzarella cheese is great for anyone looking to get a boost (7 grams of protein!) to their day, from small children to adults. Stringles are celebrated for being especially stringy and a really fun pull.

Good Housekeeping also likes Organic Valley Stringles. It chose Stringles in its 2024 Best Snack Awards as the best string cheese.

Seven packages of different types of Organic Valley shredded cheeses.

1. Finely Shredded 3 Cheese Mexican

All the other states (40 of them!) are in agreement: 3 Cheese Mexican Shreds organic cheese, whether thick or fine, are the absolute best. They are America’s most popular Organic Valley cheese! Cheddar, colby and Monterey Jack cheeses come together to form the perfect blend. These shreds are ready for taco night, nacho bar or your roommate from college’s quesadilla maker. Thick and fine both boast 6 grams of protein per serving. They’re great at melting. They’re great at standing on their own. Thick cut shreds are a great snack for the kiddos, too. Who doesn’t love three cheeses at once?

Try Something New

Be the first of your friends to try our new line of Flavor Favorite cheeses as they begin to hit shelves! Flavor Favorites include Smoky Cheddar, Spicy Cheddar, and Italian Herb Mozzarella. Maybe you will find these fun new cheeses listed on next year's favorite Organic Valley cheese map. With about 40 Organic Valley cheese items to choose from, being the favorite is no easy task.

If you haven’t tried all of these great cheeses but want to, check out our store locator. Can’t find it? You can always reach out to your store manager, too, and inquire about the possibility of adding products to their store shelves.

Our products are always organic and made with absolutely no antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or GMO anything. The milk used to make these cheeses comes from cows who eat as much fresh grass as possible and are treated humanely. Our farmers believe in organic from the ground up, and that’s reflected in the quality of our products.

*Top five cheese information based on SPINS data company store level distribution.

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