When baked into breads or incorporated into coatings or dressings, cheese lends foods a provocative taste, satisfying texture, and rich, smooth mouthfeel. From a nutritional perspective, meanwhile, those pressed curds of milk add plenty of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D.
For these reasons and others, cheese has long been among the most popular meat accompaniments—and the most popular meat substitutes. Even the most devout hamburger junkie or chicken sandwich devotee won’t likely turn up his nose at the thought of a grilled cheese sandwich, a slice of cheese pizza, a bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo, or a salad topped with blue cheese crumbles. In almost every instance, cheese imparts a heft and depth that somehow seems to make meat unnecessary.
The ability to displace meat is an asset that shouldn’t be overlooked or undervalued in an era when more young consumers—the ones with perhaps 70 to 80 years of restaurant patronage still ahead of them—are interested in meatless dining.
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