{"id":159371,"date":"2022-12-16T01:47:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T01:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veganuary.com\/cheese-addiction\/"},"modified":"2025-05-21T11:00:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T10:00:27","slug":"cheese-addiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veganuary.com\/en-us\/cheese-addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"An Honest Guide to Swapping Out Cheese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trying to eat vegan but can\u2019t curb your cheese addiction? Here\u2019s how to swap out cheese<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Image Credit: AdobeStock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Cheese addiction is very real, and you may not realize just how<\/em> addicted you are until you try giving it up. You might even find that when you try ditching cheese, your cravings intensify. You might even start daydreaming<\/em> about cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not alone! For many people\u00a0going dairy-free<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0switching from veggie to vegan<\/a>, cheese presents a challenge. Some meals just don\u2019t feel complete without it \u2013 from mozzarella melted on pizza to Parmesan-topped pasta dishes. And if you\u2019re from a cheese-loving culture, going without it seems impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve heard countless people say, \u201cI could never go vegan because I can\u2019t live without cheese.\u201d But people do<\/em> get there in the end. And you can, too. Here\u2019s our honest guide to giving up cheese for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is cheese so addictive?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut why<\/em> am I craving cheese?\u201d we hear you ask. Cheese and other dairy products contain a protein called casein, which breaks down into compounds called casomorphins when digested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casomorphins can attach themselves to dopamine receptors in the brain<\/a>, which then releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in feelings of pleasure and reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we eat cheese and experience this release of dopamine, it causes us to crave it again in the future. You can read more about this in The Cheese Trap<\/em> by plant-based physician Dr. Neal Barnard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to stop craving cheese<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Quit cold turkey?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our community has two different stances on this one. Some advise that if you\u2019re constantly craving cheese, it\u2019s best to wean yourself off it instead of trying to quit overnight. Start by making small replacements, taking it one day (or even one meal) at a time. You may find it useful to have one cheese-free day a week, then two, then three, and so on. Meat Free Monday is a thing, so why not start Cheese Free Tuesday?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, others suggest taking the plunge and going cold turkey is the only way to stop eating cheese for good. After a month or two, exploring vegan cheese is a lot tastier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trying to go cheese-free overnight may make your cravings worse, which can leave you feeling like it\u2019s impossible. Make gradual changes and allow your body to adjust to meals that don\u2019t involve cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Avoid vegan cheese\u2026 for now<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When people transition from vegetarian to vegan or try vegan for the first time, they often realize that vegan cheese doesn\u2019t measure up to the real thing. Although\u00a0vegan cheese<\/a>\u00a0has come a long way, it\u2019s not always a like-for-like replacement. If you buy vegan cheese expecting it to taste the same, you might be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid vegan cheeses until you\u2019ve mastered eating meals that aren\u2019t cheese-based. Most people find that their taste buds adapt over time, so when you try vegan cheese in the future, it might not be a shock to the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top tip: Spreadable vegan cheeses tend to be similar to their dairy counterparts, so why not experiment with these, to begin with?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Replace cheese with something else<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Think about the dishes you typically enjoy with cheese and the attributes that make them particularly tasty. Is it the gooey texture of melted cheese? Or is it the thick, creamy quality it gives to a dish? You can recreate your favorite cheesy qualities with alternative foods that still hit the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider which meals or snacks it would be easy to remove cheese from and start experimenting with those. Then work your way up to replacing the foods you feel you can\u2019t live without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some alternatives to mimic the texture that cheese offers in different dishes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n