Kraft Philadelphia Extra Light

What a coincidence; it was just this week that I first purchased Kraft Philadelphia Extra Light cheese spread, so what better opportunity will I have than to share my experience of this product with you now?!

Why Did I Purchase?
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There are two main reasons why I initially purchased the cheese. The first of which is that I have recently become quite addicted to the Kraft Splendips products (little snack pots with various dips, including a cheese option). I fell in love with the Philadelphia cheese at first taste, and wondered whether it would taste as glorious when bought in a tub, unaccompanied. In order to settle my curiosity, I began to sway slightly towards purchasing.

Another reason for my buy focuses more so on the health factor, rather than the tempting taste. I adore cheese in any shape or form, though I don't tend to buy it that often as it's generally exceptionally high in fat. Although I had managed to trace a low-fat grated cheese product, I was still in search for a healthier soft cream cheese. You can imagine how thrilled I was to discover the Philadelphia Light range, and finally made a decision to buy a tub!
Time to try...tasteful or terrible?
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Before I went totally crazy and started attacking my sandwich with the cheese, I decided it would be a sensible idea to do a 'finger-test' beforehand. After prising off the incredibly tight plastic lid, followed by the foil cover, before me I revealed a tub filled with the most glorious looking soft cheese; a perfect shade of white. There was a slight 'cheesy' essence emerging from the container, but nothing too strong or over-powering, no nasty pongs or whiffs!

Dipping the end of my pinkie into the cheese, I retrieved a dollop of the soft cheese and placed it into my mouth. Its texture was unbelievably creamy and light, just as I had hoped for! My taste-buds began to tingle as they did their work, examining this new delight. Surprisingly, it did not taste overly similar to the Philly cheese found in the Splendips, though it was just as appetising nevertheless. Needless to say, it tasted of cheese! It had a slightly tangy experience to it too, a real pleasure for the tongue! I had just discovered the most perfect-tasting soft cheese on the market!

Without hesitating, I layered the spread onto my bread, creating the most glorious cheese and ham sandwich imaginable (what a fantastic combination!). Munching away, I was filled with a satisfying feeling, and a delightful lunch!

Quick Facts
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Packaging; tough plastic lid, little foil top
Appearance; white and smooth
Smell; mild cheese, not too whiffy!
Texture; smooth and creamy, soft
Taste; mild yet tangy
Price; £1.28 from Asda

Health and Nutrition
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This is clearly a healthy alternative to most cheese spreads, but that could mean anything! Curious to find out just how good this cheese was, I gave the contents a closer inspection to make my verdict!

100g of the spread contains;
111 calories
5g carbohydrates (5g sugars)
4.7g fat (3.2g saturates)
0.4g fibre

The main ingredients include; pasteurised milk, Stabilisers (locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan), Citric Acid.

Considering the recommended portion size is 30g, I am truly amazed at how low everything is! Looking at the ingredients, I can see not much has been added, which makes me feel more at ease about consuming too! In all, I am completely satisfied with the contents of this healthy cheese spread!

How does it compare?
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I've sampled my fair share of cheeses in my life, and have become quite fussy as to which I prefer. Especially with cheese spread, texture is very important to me. Unlike many soft cheeses, this one is incredibly easy to spread onto my bread (or in my Dad's case, a buttery), and thins out nice and evenly. This is a very rare benefit, which I have only ever come across before in the form of Primula cheese. However, Primula cheese is packed with fat and calories, so Philly won that one!

Laughing Cow cheese spread triangles may be incredibly low in fat too, though they are an impossibility to spread onto bread; the bread buckles and crumbles at knifes' touch. Also, it tastes nowhere near as delectable as Philly!

Philadelphia Extra Light Cheese certainly comes top of the 'cheese board' in my books, and I'm sure it will be incredibly difficult to find a product as perfect as this!

Practicality
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I first sampled this in the form of a cheese and ham sandwich, a meal I find most filling and delicious. However, this is not the only way you can enjoy the creamy cheese! As mentioned previously, my Dad enjoys it on an Aberdeen buttery, but they are much too salty and fattening for my taste.

I've also tried this product mixed through in mashed potato, creating the most gorgeous creamy mash around, and devoured the lot! If you are a fan of cheesy mashed potato, then I'd recommend you add a scoop of this option to it; a real meal from heaven!

My most recent use for the cheese was discovered only last night, when I decided to have a hotdog sandwich for tea. Normally, I'd use cheese slices with my hotdogs as apposed to a spreadable option, though I was prepared to give this a go. Fortunately, I was not disappointed! The heat from the hotdogs melted the cheese slightly, leaving it with a satisfyingly stringy and oozing texture, combined with the superb taste from the tangy tomato sauce. I was thrilled with this!

I have yet to try a dollop of this with pasta, but that is my next plan. If that goes down well, who knows what I might venture to next?!
Would I Recommend?
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As I am very pernickety with my cheeses, I do not recommend every product that I try. Nonetheless, Philadelphia gets a massive thumbs up from me, and makes it to my recommendation list! Not only does it have a mild and tangy taste, and an incredibly smooth and creamy texture, it is also practical and can be consumed in many ways.

Although it is not as cheap as stores' own brands of spreadable cheese, this one is exceptionally healthy; low in both calories and fat. It is the perfect way to enjoy a cheesy snack or meal, without left with that regretful and guilty feeling! Anything that fits that bill is a winner in my book!

If you enjoy any of the other Philadelphia products, or simply like cheese, then this product is certainly worth trying.
*****
Although this cheese does taste slightly different to that in the Splendips, I am delighted with its glorious taste and have experiences several different cheesy meals with just this one product. Highly practical and completely edible, I feel I shall be continuing to purchase Kraft Philadelphia Extra Light cheese spread!

© Amy 2008

*To find out more about Kraft Philadelphia products, visit www.philadelphia.co.uk.