DAIRY
It's amazing how many additives show up in dairy products. Milk itself usually only has Vitamin D added but yogurt is rarely just yogurt, cream is almost never just cream, and most cheeses are now made with enzymes (which break down proteins to produce the equivalent of MSG) rather than real animal rennet. Fortunately the best quality cheeses tend to be made naturally, as they have been for generations and they are worth searching for. Here are some great MSG-free dairy products.
Eby Manor Golden Guernsey Balkan Style Yogurt
Ingredients: WHOLE MILK, ACTIVE BACTERIAL CULTURE.
This is currently our favorite yogurt. We get it from the Sustainable Market, which we would highly recommend for many reasons - please check it out if you live in the area!
Astro Balkan Style Yogurt (Original or Organic)
Ingredients: ORGANIC SKIM MILK, ORGANIC CREAM, ACTIVE BACTERIAL CULTURE
Great tasting yogurt, and widely available, not over-priced, and one of the only ones with no processed ingredients (such as pectin, agar or modified milk ingredients), no additives and no added sugar! Especially good with frozen berries, grated fresh ginger +/- honey. Note: the organic version of the original Balkan-style yogurt (same ingredients, just not organic) is fairly new and actually tastes quite different (my family likes it better and I will hopefully like it once I get used to it!) There are many benefits of going organic, particularly when it comes to dairy.
Oikos Greek Yogurt
Ingredients: SKIM MILK, CREAM, ACTIVE BACTERIAL CULTURES.
Smooth, creamy, delicious Greek yogurt with no additives!
Harmony Organic Whipping Cream
Ingredients: UNHOMOGENIZED ORGANIC CREAM
Our favorite cream - great quality, pure organic whipping cream. We get it from the Sustainable Market which you should definitely check out if you're in our area!
Hewitt's Whipping Cream
Ingredients: CREAM
Great quality pure whipping cream. Pure indulgence with no additives. Not organic but consistent good quality at a good price.
Hewitt's Sour Cream
Ingredients: CREAM, ACTIVE BACTERIAL CULTURE
Hewitt's turns great cream into the most delicious sour cream, and it's the only one available here that does not contain processed free glutamate or additives.
Liberté Butter
Ingredients: ORGANIC CREAM
This is great butter and in addition to having no added ingredients, it's certified organic.
Gay Lea Butter
Ingredients: CREAM (MILK)
Unlike many brands of butter this one has no added color, flavorings or preservatives.
Arla Organic Cream Cheese
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED ORGANIC CREAM AND PARTLY SKIMMED MILK, SALT, BACTERIAL CULTURES
​Awesome organic cream cheese made with just four ingredients. I used to love the leading brand of cream cheese until one day I couldn't have it anymore (they changed their ingredients without changing the ingredient list - "modified milk ingredients" can be modified in different ways apparently). Arla's cream cheese isn't exactly the same but it is delicious as a spread.
Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED CULTURED MILK AND CREAM, GRANULATED GARLIC, SALT, WHITE PEPPER, PARSLEY, CHIVES* (*DRIED)
Deliciously versatile flavored cream cheese with no hidden MSG or additives!
Krino's Bulgarian White Cheese (Feta)
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED SHEEP'S AND COW'S MILK, SALT, BACTERIAL CULTURES, RENNET; IN BRINE (WATER, SALT).
The version of this cheese that comes in the metal can does not contain processed free glutamate or additives. It can be a little difficult to get out of the container but the extra work is worth it for such a delicious cheese made the traditional way. Works perfectly crumbled as feta cheese and it's especially great served with warm pita and toasted walnuts!
Asli Paneer
Ingredients: FRESH MILK, VINEGAR
Perfect paneer. Works great for Indian dishes and we also grate it and mix with cheddar cheese to use instead of mozzarella on pizzas (the only brands of mozzarella we have found that do not have processed free glutamate are very expensive fresh mozzarellas that are not readily available).
Igor Gorgonzola
Ingredients: PASTEURISED MILK, SALT, RENNET, GREEN/BLUE MOULD
Creamy flavorful blue cheese, great for home-made blue cheese dip or on its own.
Saint Andre Brie
Ingredients:
Awesome melt-in-your mouth decadent deliciousness. Better than any other brie we've tried and one of the few without processed free glutamate.
Le St. Aubin
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED MILK, BACTERIAL CULTURE, RENNET, CREAM, SALT.
This is one of our daughter's favorite cheeses. Creamy, smooth bloomy rind soft cheese, especially perfect with a fresh baguette!
Fontina
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, BACTERIAL CULTURE, RENNET. TREATED WITH RED SMEAR CULTURE.
I'm not sure exactly what's in the red waxy coating but once you take that off this cheese is additive free and delicious. It's one of the few mild, chewier cheeses that does not contain hidden MSG or other additives. As such, it works well for melting (i.e. in place of mozzarella or for grilled cheese sandwiches).
Mountain Oak Cheeses
Mountain Oak makes several great cheeses that are made the traditional way with rennet and cultures (and a few that are not). They happen to be local for us, which is even better! If you're looking for something a little different try their fenugreek cheese or their cumin mild cheese which is one of our favorites (caution though - the aged cumin cheese might have different ingredients so check carefully).
Emma Manchego
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED MANCHEGAN SHEEP'S MILK, SALT, RENNET, CHEESE CULTURES
Delicious Spanish sheep's milk cheese.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Ingredients: UNPASTEURIZED MILK, BACTERIAL CULTURE, SALT, RENNET
Parmigiano Reggiano (real Parmesan cheese) is one of the few types of cheese you can count on to be made the traditional way, and it is therefore always Before Natural. There is in fact a consortium (the Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Consortium) which was established in 1934 to guarantee exactly that. The same cannot be said for other "Parmesan" cheeses in North America (in Europe they're not allowed to call cheese Parmesan if it is not Parmigiano Reggiano). While Parmigiano Reggiano is high in natural free glutamate, it does not contain artificially produced free-D-glutamate and I have never had a problem eating it. Please see here for more information regarding natural vs. processed free glutamate.
President's Choice Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients: UNPASTEURIZED MILK, BACTERIAL CULTURE, SALT, RENNET
Great cheddar cheese with no processed ingredients and no coloring. This is one cheese that we can't live without and we always have a few extra blocks in our fridge just in case!
Jarlsberg Cheese
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, RENNET AND BACTERIAL CULTURE
Awesome Swiss-style cheese from Norway.
Chevretine
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED GOAT'S MILK, BACTERIAL CULTURE, SALT, RENNET
This soft goat's cheese is versatile and delicious! Goat's cheese can be particularly difficult to find without enzymes (i.e. hidden MSG) so if you see this one and you like goat's cheese, pick up a few!
Chavrie
Ingredients: PASTEURIZED CULTURED GOAT'S MILK, SALT
This is another favorite of mine although this brand seemed easier to find in Europe than here!
Snofrisk Cream Cheese
Ingredients: 80% GOAT'S MILK, 20% COW'S CREAM, SALT, CULTURE
Smooth, creamy spreadable goaty cheese.