Emporium Selection Shredded Parmesan Cheese

This post contains affiliate links.

Cheese is a versatile food. It can stand on its own as a snack. It can serve as a foundational ingredient, like it does with most lasagnas and pizzas. It can add to an existing entrée, turning a burger into a cheeseburger. It can pair with other things, as it does with hors d’oeuvres or with wine. It can even serve as an accent, topping a salad or adding flavor to chili. Cheese is fair game for meals at all times of the day.

If you need shredded cheese, you have some options. Most foodies will tell you the best option is to shred your own. Not only is block cheese usually cheaper than store-bought shredded cheese, but store-bought shredded cheese requires an extra ingredient, cellulose, to keep it from clumping together in the packaging. You can accomplish your own shredding with a grater, or using other tools in a pinch.

Shredding your own cheese does have challenges, though. It takes time and effort, and there are some little hassles to get around. For that reason, our family still uses store-bought shredded cheese in some instances. We figure many other shoppers are the same way. Aldi sells blocks of cheese if you want them, but the German supermarket also stocks its share of shredded cheese. That includes cheddar, mozzarella, and yes, even Parmesan.

Emporium Selection Shredded Parmesan Cheese is an Aldi Regular Buy, which means you can find it in stores all the time. Emporium Selection is a private label that is exclusive to Aldi. You can find this small plastic tub in the grocer’s refrigerated section. The exact location can vary by store, either with the other cheeses or among specialty deli items.

The packaging states that this cheese should be kept refrigerated when not being used. Be sure to make note of the best-if-used-by date, which I usually find on the lid.

At the time of this post, the 5-ounce cheese container costs $1.99. That comes out to just under 40 cents an ounce.

According to the lid and tub, this shredded cheese takes its “inspiration from Italy,” which I take to mean that it’s not from Italy. I’m not sure where it was made, but the lack of a country of origin suggests it was probably processed somewhere in the United States.

Our family really likes this cheese and uses it for a variety of purposes. We sprinkle it on salads and use it to top pastas, including spaghetti and fettucine. My wife will also put it on sliced zucchini before baking it. We like the distinctive flavor of this cheese, which adds a rich taste to the things we use it with.

Nutritionally, it is like most shredded cheeses. Of note: potato starch and cellulose are added to prevent caking, and Natamycin is added used to prevent mold formation.

Nutrition and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

The Verdict:

Emporium Selection Shredded Parmesan Cheese is a useful option if you need shredded Parmesan. It tastes like Parmesan should and can be used in a variety of ways. It’s more expensive than shredding your own, though, and there are some extra ingredients to help it maintain its consistency and texture in the tub. That said, if you need something easy to use, Aldi has a little tub of it.