In 2022, the classic line of Daiya Shreds was officially retired. The company is now focusing all of their cheesy energies on the Daiya Cutting Board Shreds.
Not to be confused with the newer Daiya Cutting Board Shreds, the classic line of Daiya Shreds has been around for many, many years. It’s been reformulated on several occasions, but still comes in two traditional flavors that can be found in many grocers.
Dairy-free cheese is a very particular thing. Many tasters will covet a certain alternative while others may loathe it. But love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny the mainstay popularity of Daiya Shreds dairy-free cheese alternatives over the years.
Daiya Shreds are the Classic Dairy-Free Cheese Alternatives
As one of the few top allergen-free alternatives, the Daiya Shreds received our top pizza-performing rank. Also, it does add easy, cheesy appeal to many recipes. It whisks into sauces and despite its rather staunch appearance, it actually melts atop many dishes with relative ease. You can see how Daiya Shreds melt in my “Irish Nachos” photo below.
But let us know what you think of them. Leave your own rating and review below! It helps others make an informed purchasing decision.
Mozzarella Style
Ingredients: filtered water, tapioca flour, expeller pressed non-GMO canola and/or safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavours, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (vegan, for flavour), titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral).
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup): 90 calories, 6g fat, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein.*
Cheddar Style
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup): 90 calories, 6g fat, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein.*
More Allergen Notes
The following information is from Daiya Foods:
We have our own dedicated production facility except for Daiya pizzas, Cheezy Mac, Cheezecakes and dairy-free Dressings to eliminate any chances for cross-contamination. Our pizzas, Cheezy Mac, Cheezecakes and dairy-free Dressings are manufactured in another facility where we have an allergen program in place to prevent any cross contamination with dairy ingredients.
Discontinued Flavors
The Pepperjack and Classic Blend (mozzarella-cheddar combo) of Daiya Shreds were discontinued. However, they do offer a Monterey Jack variety of the Daiya Cutting Board Shreds.
More Facts on Daiya Shreds
- Price: $4.99 per 8-ounce bag
- Availability: Daiya Shreds are sold at major grocers, like Whole Foods, Safeway, and Walmart, in the U.S. and Canada.
- Certifications: Daiya Shreds are Certified Kosher Parve and Certified Vegan. The have been going through Non-GMO verification and do use only non-GMO ingredients.
- Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Daiya Shreds are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
- For More Product Information: Visit the Daiya Foods website at daiyafoods.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
Average Reader Review
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What Others Are Saying ...
It’s not
When melted, the texture is that of mucus. Disgusting!
The most disgusting thing I’ve ever put in my mouth
This tastes like snot. I have to be dairy free, unfortunately but I’d rather not eat cheese again I’d this is my choice. Nasty. It melts but it’s sour like vinegar with zero taste. Worst vegan cheese ever. It literally made me gag.
HORRIBLE
would not even give it one star if I could. Horrible on pizza. Never buy it again. Waste of money!
never again..
i wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. do. not. get. the. cheddar. cheese. YOU HEAR ME??
Gross and never would spend 8.99 on it again!:(
I tried it with my egg sandwich and I kept eating it to see what it really tastes like….I tried tasting it cold and hot by itself and it does not melt, it literally look like it has dripping sweat on it and the taste is like if your eating strong strong fake cheddar cheese. It makes me not want to eat it no more. The smell is not bad but, if I wasn’t lactose interrelate, I would rather prefer the real cheese my guy, like….. I think its best to stay what you have and look good with these types of food because its hard for me to not eat cheese because I LOVE CHEESE but, it does not go well in my stomach. Also, the smell did not hit as much as the taste. I would not recommend Daiya at all.
The Best
I have been using Diaya cheese shreds for quite a while and love the way they taste and the fact that they melt like traditional cheese . I’ve tried other brands but none of them compare.
Cheese or gummy glue??
I ended up scraping it off my omelette after a few bites because I couldn’t deal with the texture or taste (mildly salty gummy glue…I’m still shuddering). When I went to scrape it, it all ended up peeling straight off into a horrifying grey brown blob with nothing left behind. I may have nightmares about this. Going to keep looking for an alternative, but at this point I’d rather not have cheese at all.
Taste: 0
Smell: 0
Appearance: 0
Resemblance of slime: 10
Delicious
I wasnt quite sure at first, but I was able to digest it well. The grilled cheese was excellent. No complaints at all. So happy there is a cheese alternative.
Melted Snot
It melts great but tastes disgusting. I’ve gagged trying to eat it. The cheddar is o.k. but the parmesan is like melted snot. Is there a negative 10?
My number one cheese
I love love the American slices, the mozzarella shredded cheese and the provolone slices. It melts down like real cheese. I have my whole family eating this cheese.
19 Comments
Thanks for your review. After being dragged kicking and screaming to a vegan Mexican restaurant recently, I (with much chagrin) fell in love with vegan cooking. I wanted to try and replicate a dish I had at the restaurant, so on your review I picked up some Pepper Jack Daiya shreds. I love the stuff! I like how it melts and stays melted. Best if all is how it kind of sticks to your teeth like real cheese does. I didn’t mind the mild taste, as I brought a lot of flavor into the dish.
That’s great! I’m so glad it worked out well for you Joshua and happy I could help.
Yuck, I am not sure why everyone loves this stuff. My husband is allergic to dairy but after trying Daiya slices and shreds, we are both begging for real cheese. The cheddar slices tasted so awfully fake, but they did have a slight melty consistency that looked good. They were edible but I definitely won’t buy them again. The pepperjack shreds completely ruined the tacos I put them on. I wasn’t expecting them to taste like real cheese but I at least hoped they would be palatable. Pretty disappointed and if this is the best option I am feeling discouraged.
These two options are more popular ->
https://www.godairyfree.org/product-reviews/field-roast-vegan-chao-cheese-slices
https://www.godairyfree.org/product-reviews/follow-your-heart-cheese-alternative (NOT the vegan gourmet line)
Very tasty I was skeptical I didn’t think it would taste that good but it’s very very good and I recommend this to anybody who needs a dairy alternative
Thanks for sharing this Rebecca!
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I had to go dairy-free because I’m allergic to casein. Daiya shreds do not melt. I’ve tried it and it does not melt. It releases an oil and oily flavour and that’s it. It tastes horrible. I had to scrape it off my pizza. Maybe it’s the Daiya in Canada that’s so gross? I don’t know. Daiya slices for grilled cheese on the other hand is amazing!
They have new shreds coming out Yasmeen that do melt! You can see the details on all of the new products here -> http://www.godairyfree.org/news/daiya-grilled-cheese-bagel – the new shreds will be a completely separate line, called “Cutting Board Shreds”. They should start hitting shelves within a few months.
Would be good if you would leave a comment on what stores carry this.
That would be far beyond the scope of what I can cover! They have a store locator here (sold at thousands of stores) – http://daiyafoods.com/find-us/where-to-buy/
Since going dairy-free, my kids have really missed pizza. We’re going to have to try the Daiya shreds on a homemade (gluten free) pizza. Thank you.
This is my go to cheese for everything. It melts to stringy and is easily available where I live and the other brands are harder to find
Perfect for pizza! Melts well and tastes delicious. I can hardly tell it’s not real cheese. Even my non-vegan boyfriend couldn’t tell the difference. I highly recommend this product.
This is my go to cheese for EVERYTHING. Since removing dairy from my diet, I have missed cheese. Now that I’ve found Daiya, my life is changed for the better! 🙂
Love this stuff!
So glad it’s filling the void for you Jen!
We have been using Daiya dairy alternatives for a few years now and they were a life-saver when we first needed to ditch gluten and dairy! My son has a VERY selective palette and his meals of choice were dominated by pizza, mac and cheese and nachos – hmmm….can you see an issue? Anyway, Daiya products offered us the opportunity to make delicious alternatives and therefore survive moving to a new dietary lifestyle! We have used most of the shreds, wedges and spreads and enjoyed them immensely.
That does sound like a clue 🙂 I’m glad you have found some alternatives that work so well for you and your son.
Thanks for the great review. I absolutely love Daiya Vegan Cheese Alternative. I’ve tried several brands but this one is my favorite. I also love how it’s soy free since I can’t have soy and so many other brands have soy in them. It also melts really well. My favorite flavor is the pepper jack. Mozzarella is the most versatile and can be used in so many dishes from pizza to lasagna.