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11 best cheese slices for your BBQ burger
Save yourself time in the kitchen with one of these pre-sliced packs
With all the taste of mature cheddar but conveniently pre-sliced ready for your next BBQ, we’ve found the best cheese slices to add to your next burger.
Aside from BBQ season, these time-saving slices are also an excellent choice for kids’ pack lunches, and can be relied upon for effortless cheese on toast.
Some brands will offer a strength rating, normally from 1-5, where one denotes the mildest, creamy cheeses and five is reserved for crumbly, full-strength vintage cheddars. This will differ from brand to brand, but should give you an indication if you’re unsure.
Vegan cheese won’t have quite the same sharpness as regular cheddar, however if you’re avoiding dairy, it’s a great alternative. Made from coconut oil, you can expect a rich and creamy texture which will make a delicious topping to your plant-based burger.
How we test
Our trusted panel tested a total of 15 cheese slices, including vegan options for a plant-based feast. They were looking for those that delivered the sharp flavour of mature cheddar in the convenience of a slice, with a creamy but crumbly texture, punctuated with delicious decadent salt crystals.
These are the ones your burger deserves…
Score: 83/100
With a subtle sharpness and well-rounded creaminess, our winning cheese slices are sure to be a family favourite. Some would have preferred a slightly sharper note, but overall this well-priced pack took the top spot.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Barbers Cruncher Cheddar Slices 150g
Score: 79/100
Our runner-up cheese is crafted in Somerset, by the award-winning Barber’s (England’s oldest cheddar maker), exclusively for Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range. Expect crumbly, mature cheddar slices with a sweet fruity flavour, and delicious crunchy salt crystals.
Score: 78/100
These slices are pretty thick and quite crumbly, so you might find they fall apart a bit as you get them out of the pack. Logistics aside, our testers loved the sharp bite and nutty flavour, which finishes with a rich, salty kick.
Score: 77/100
Asda’s Red Tractor-assured cheese slices come with the guarantee that this product has been produced to a high standard, from farm to shelf. Our panel was pleased to discover a lovely sharp cheddar with a complexity that belies the price, including a delicate fruitiness.
Score: 77/100
Although described as a mature cheddar, on test we found these creamy British slices to be particularly mild, making them a great choice for children. Perfect for pack lunches or cheese burgers, the milky flavour and gentle saltiness isn’t too overpowering.
Score: 76/100
Just as you’d expect from a mature cheddar, this cheese is especially crumbly. The flavour is spot on too, with the perfect salt to sharpness ratio. Add a slice to your burger for a well-balanced flavour boost.
Score: 76/100
Cheese slices can sometimes feel a bit processed, so we appreciated the natural-looking curved sides in this pack. Sadly, we were less impressed by the excessive plastic sheets in between each slice. However, we’re willing to overlook that, as the flavour was fantastic — sharp but perfectly balanced, with delicious salt crystals that would be right at home on top of a burger.
Score: 73/100
This West Country cheesemaker dates back to 1952, and in that time they’ve picked up many awards. Although not hugely aromatic, our testers found these slices had an slightly smoky BBQ flavour — which is ideal if you end up having to cook indoors instead.
Score: 72/100
Proving it’s not just the frozen aisle Iceland has mastered, these deliciously creamy cheddar slices have a good sharp flavour, and pleasing well-balanced tartness that should appeal to all.
Score: 72/100
If you’re looking to cater to fussy eaters, this delicately creamy and mildly tangy cheese should win them over. It doesn’t have the punchiness you’d expect from a mature cheddar, however the gentle acidity and subtle grassy note adds interest, while remaining smooth and creamy.
Violife Non-Dairy Cheese Alternative Slices 200g
Score: 72/100
Free from dairy, gluten and soya, this Greek vegan cheese is an excellent alternative to standard cheddar. Although not quite as sharp as the real deal, our panel found these mild slices rich and creamy. Add a slice to your favourite meat-free burger for a fully plant-based feast.
Food and wine enthusiast Alex joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2015 following seven years in the wine trade. In addition to her passion for oenology and Diploma in Wine & Spirits, she is a dedicated home cook and baker with skills learnt whilst working alongside the likes of Michel Roux Jr and Antonio Carluccio.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
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