The Best And Worst Grocery Store Chains For Buying Cheese, According To Customers

Cheese is so much more than what you find in the heavily processed, mass marketed plastic packages hanging on the standard cheese wall at the grocery store. We love a good Kraft Singles grilled cheese or a handful of shredded cheese straight from the bag as much as the next guy. However, the world of cheese is a vast place ripe with funky smelling bombs of flavor — you just have to find it. A specialty cheese shop is the best place to explore this world of cheese, but not everyone has the time or close vicinity to hit the cheese market regularly. Luckily, there are some grocery stores that take cheese very seriously and are the next best thing for cheese lovers.

For every grocery store that is curating a collection of imported cheese, there is another that slaps a label on an orange square and calls it cheese. We dove into the craters of some of the most popular grocery store chains' cheese blocks to find the very best and the very worst to purchase cheese from. Cheese from these grocery stores will either make one killer cheese board, or make even the fanciest cracker look bad — follow along as we separate the good from the bad.

The worst thing about the cheese section at Trader Joe's is that there aren't enough of them, with the beloved grocery store sparsely scattered throughout the U.S. A lot of the items, cheese included, are the Trader Joe's brand and cannot be purchased from any other store. For these reasons, the resale market for Trader Joe's items can get out of hand at times. However, if you have one of the stores close enough to you, Trader Joe's offers consumers the rare combination of affordability and quality. Yes, even for cheese lovers who like the stinkiest of cheeses.

You're not going to find a wall of bagged shredded cheese at Trader Joe's, which is a great sign for those who are serious about their cheese. While you will find a few of these as options, you'll mostly see individually portioned cheese that range from a mild burrata to a strong and funky Roquefort in the cheese section. Cheese lovers who have never been to a Trader's Joe's may be overwhelmed with all the new options they're presented with. This is a great problem to have, and preferable to a lack of cheese variety.

Ultimately, it's the return policy that seals the deal on Trader Joe's being arguably better than Whole Foods or other great cheese positive grocery options. Simply not liking a product is a valid reason for a return here, and we love that for cheesemongers looking for their perfect match.

Is it really a surprise that Wally World doesn't make the cut when it comes to high quality cheese? You may save some cheddar here, but your taste buds will beg you to splurge for some stronger Gouda. Unsurprisingly, Walmart doesn't splurge for a local cheesemonger. A professional cheese lover would go to waste here anyway, seeing as the chain doesn't carry many specialty cheeses. There is an international cheese section in some stores, but it's also in a sad state.

Not only does Walmart mostly carry mass produced cheese brands, but its Great Value brand is commonly referred to as an affront to cheese everywhere. In fact, one Reddit user compared Walmart's Great Value cheese to something you'd find in a dollar store if it sold cheese. This idea is supported by many reports of the supermarket's cheese being rubber-like and nearly impossible to melt (much like the unmeltable Great Value ice cream sandwiches).

One small, cheesy point gets awarded to Walmart for having a deli. Customers can request freshly sliced cheese here from the Prima Della brand. That's not saying too much, though, because Prima Della doesn't have great reviews, even on Walmart's own site. Over 50% of the Swiss cheese reviews from the brand are 1-star.

Wegmans is known for its quality in pretty much all departments, but the grocery giant goes above and beyond when it comes to cheese. Wegmans has its own cheese caves in New York, where it ripens cheese from all over the globe. This dedication to the craft of cheese is unique to the family owned and operated grocery chain. A good amount of cheese found in one of this grocery store's locations won't be recreated elsewhere. Some of the stores themselves have a special misting in the display cases that recreates the environment of the aging caves.

The immense effort Wegmans puts into offering high quality cheese is not lost on customers. Wegmans is frequently lauded as having some amazing cheese. The chain also boasts knowledgeable employees that offer samples and help walk customers through all the different flavors and varieties. This resource is valuable, as you wouldn't be able to eat your way through all the different cheeses for quite some time and they range in both taste and texture.

Brie lovers in particular will rejoice at the enormous variation of this style of cheese present at Wegmans. In fact, the store's cheese cave features an entire room of brie. Other beloved cheeses at Wegmans include a tasty marinated sheep and goat cheese and an extra-aged Gouda.

In the family of grocery stores, Whole Foods is the seemingly picture-perfect eldest child whose shadow all the other shops live in. The types of customers who shop at Whole Foods care about health and put value on higher quality groceries, and it's no different when it comes to cheese. This popular, high-end supermarket doesn't have just a few beloved cheeses, but customers seem to favor quite a bit of its selection. From strong and meaty cheddars to salty sheep milk cheeses, all ranges of taste are available for cheese enthusiasts to enjoy.

The downside of Whole Foods is the price. While the quality of this food store is consistently high, you're pretty much paying luxury prices here. In a lot of ways, though, cheese is a luxury food. Luckily, Whole Foods offers smaller chunks of specialty cheeses in its scrap basket. This allows cheese lovers to try different types of cheeses for just a few dollars each. Whether you're on a budget or trying to find your perfect cheese match, the bit bin should be your first stop in Whole Foods.

Meijer is largely considered a Midwest thing, and most of the stores are located in Michigan and the Great Lakes region. Considering the dairy industry is booming in that area, with Wisconsin being the second largest dairy state, you'd think Meijer would be solid in its cheese offerings. While some of the cheese may quite literally be solid, the quality is lacking stability.

Customers and employees alike have expressed concerns over many aspects of the cheese quality from Meijer. From packing issues in the warehouse to spoiled food returns at the service desk, employees have reported a slew of problems with the edibility of the cheese and food in general. Customers have seen a decline in the cheese quality, specifically calling out the texture and meltability. One reviewer on Meijer's own website calls out the house brand's shredded cheese, with the customer saying they were not happy with the departure from good, dependable cheese.

It's not just Meijer's base brand that seems to be lacking. True Goodness, despite being one of the best grocery store brands you've likely never heard of, is Meijer's organic house brand and seems to also have some quality issues when it comes to its cheese. Another customer review of the sliced cheddar cheese cites a repeated texture issue.

The best thing about shopping for cheese at Publix is the enormous selection. Yes, you can find the typical wall of mass produced shredded and sliced cheeses that practically every other supermarket has here. In addition to this cheese section, Publix boasts a well of specialty cheese and an in-house deli for freshly sliced cheese. As far as the deli goes, you'll find more affordable Publix brand cheeses as well as Boar's Head cheeses. Customers have been pleasantly surprised to be presented with such a large array of cheeses in a popular supermarket not particularly known for their cheese.

With so much selection, it could take some trial and error to find one you adore. Locations don't have a cheese specialist or cheesemonger on staff, but the deli workers are a great resource. Reviews from cheese lovers are a great place to start as well, with Garlic and Herb Bellavitano and Beemster Gouda cheeses being among the many customers have raved about. Publix also rolled out a few of their own branded imported specialty cheeses, including a French Brie and a Spanish Manchego.

Publix may have a world of cheese under its roof, but they also occasionally release trendy cheeses. Their recent limited edition Carolina Reaper Monterey Jack cheese was a hit with both cheese fiends and heat seekers. Considering Publix's wide range of offerings, there's a cheese here to sate even the most demanding of palettes.

There's no deli counter, cheesemonger, or oversized floor display of cheese blocks at Aldi. The German grocery store is a simple place, with a business model built to save customers money. The quality at Aldi, though, is surprisingly high for the low prices, making it fall on the "best" side of this list. You won't find a lot of the brands found in many other grocery stores, and instead either curated cheeses or flavors from its own brands are available for purchase.

Aldi can come out and compete with some of the very best grocery stores in terms of cheese. True value, it seems, is found in the cheese aisle of Aldi. There is no one right answer when it comes to cheese at Aldi, because quite a few of them are customer favorites. Year round, you can find a range of cheeses on the back wall of Aldi, a lot of which combine flavors. Dill havarti, truffle cheddar, and cranberry cinnamon goat cheese are all examples of cheese flavor bombs. Aldi also releases an encouraging amount of seasonal products, cheese being one area customers scout for. Eggnog and gingerbread flavored goat cheeses, as well as balsamic and onion cheddar are interesting seasonal cheeses available at the chain.

Lidl and Aldi have some differences, despite often being compared as German grocery stores with similar business models. One of these is cheese quality, in which Lidl is like an unfortunate foil to Aldi's success. Where Aldi offers a wild range of products that play off of interesting products while earning customers' satisfaction, Lidl raises eyebrows in a not-so-good way with its cheese flavors. Lidl customers did not appreciate the chain's wasabi cheese, likening it to something from Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham."

Of course, Lidl cheese isn't expected to stack up to more expensive specialty cheese, but it should still stand out enough to warrant a purchase, right? When customers compared even the best Lidl cheese to other stores' cheeses, Lidl noticeably fizzled out. Whether due to its texture issues or a lack of strong flavor, Lidl was placed below its competitors on more than one occasion.

Another mark against Lidl's cheese is that it really isn't much more affordable than others. Lidl and Aldi are both typically expected to save the consumer a few bucks here and there, but Aldi tends to be more affordable than Lidl now. Customers have noticed the disparity in price and quality, and are turning to Lidl's cheese section less often.

Cheese, in general, is as delectable as it is pricey. Large families of cheese enthusiasts can spend a pretty penny on the grocery item alone, but buying in bulk can certainly help. As far as bulk grocery stores, Costco is the leader in all things cheese. Blocks the size of your head can be found in the cheese fridges, and their size isn't the only thing that's impressive. The quality of cheese here is larger than life, and worth the annual membership cost alone.

Costco's own house brand Kirkland has a lot to do with why the bulk store is one of the best in not only the cheese game, but many other food departments too. Kirkland has rigorous quality standards and its products are typically made by name brand companies. Kirkland's line of cheeses are made by different cheese companies, a lot of which are imported from countries known for their cheese. The Kirkland French brie is reportedly better than more expensive bries and the block of Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano is hard to quit, according to customers.

If you are going to buy in bulk, you should make sure what you're buying is to your liking, because it may be a while until you're free of it. Sam's Club is one warehouse grocery store you may want to avoid if you're looking to fill your fridge with a ton of cheese. Sam's Club is just Walmart on steroids, so it's no surprise that the bulk food store finds itself on the "worst" side of cheese.

There's nothing flashy about Sam's Club, which is its own vibe to appreciate. The cheese here reflects this habitual normalcy that the store gives off, which is not in character for a flamboyant food such as cheese. Flavorful, tangy, pungent cheese should never be described as "just cheese," and that's the best compliment Sam's Club customers can give it. It's nothing special, and there aren't many specialty cheeses even present to make reviews on. When put up against the stiff competition of imported cheeses ranging in flavor profiles and textures, Sam's Club does not stack up.

Walmart may be the country's biggest grocery store chain, but Kroger is near the top of that list as well and has a lot more going for it in the cheese department. Not only does this major supermarket have the typical brands most other major chains carry, but a heaping floor cooler of specialized cheeses. Some Krogers also feature an in-store cheese shop, fit with a trained cheesemonger to fit customers with their dream cheese.

Kroger has been a leader in grocery store cheese for quite some time, especially since going all-in with Murray's Cheese in 2017. The acquisition helped establish Kroger as a great place to sift through blocks of cheese of all sizes and of many origins. Those who haven't stepped into a Kroger in a while have been shocked to see the massive amount of cheese wheels and blocks stocked.

You don't have to look further than Murray's brand to find a solid selection, but Kroger has so much cheese that you absolutely can if you desire. A solid bonus is the scrap cheese bin, where bits of cheese are wrapped for purchase at low prices — the perfect foundation of a killer cheese board.

In order to determine the validity of whether a popular grocery store was a good spot for cheese shopping, we considered a few factors. The most important of these was, of course, the taste of the cheese carried by the stores in question. To determine this vital factor, we looked at a slew of online customer reviews. We found these in one-off articles or blog posts, Reddit threads, and even grocery store product pages. When looking through reviews, we considered both the positive and negative feedback, including any quality issues and perceived value. We also paid special attention to reviews on stores' house brands, using the default brands as a marker for what kind of quality cheese to expect from the store chains.

Outside of customer cheese reviews, we considered what each store had to offer patrons in the various cheese departments. Chains with dedicated cheesemongers and large quantities of different specialty cheeses gained merit, as was reflected by customers' satisfaction with their experience in stores.