Is Philadelphia cream cheese worth it?

[JollyPearlShaker]

Be honest, mums - is Philadelphia cream cheese actually worth the extra money? I keep going back and forth! Trying to decide if it's a worthwhile treat or just clever marketing

🤔

i think so! It’s one of the few branded products I’ve continued to buy after trying a few alternatives.

I was going to give you my cream cheese based experience but see you only want to hear from Mum's so I'll keep my advice to myself

It is considerably better than the supermarket own brand versions imo. But it pisses me off that we can't get proper, firm block-style cream cheese in the UK. So many US recipes call for it and British cream cheese is too soft.

For spreading and eating yes but not for making a cheesecake or similar.

No I don't think so plus it's got more crap in it than supermarket own brands.

I rarely buy it. I enjoy it. But no matter how carefully I serve it out of the container it always goes mouldy and I end up throwing a good percentage of it out. And I'm talking about it being well within its bbd.
I certainly wouldn't pay full price for it but have been tempted when it's on offer.

Me too. I'll also keep the Paysan Breton to myself.

"you only want to hear from Mum's so I'll keep my advice to myself."

Needlessly snippy!

Anyway, yes OP - home brand cream cheese is never as nice as Philadelphia. Philly is far superior imo.

This. It used to come in a block wrapped in foil like butter when I was a kid and had a completely different texture.

That said, Philadelphia brand is much better than own brand. The Payton Breton brand is good also.

As with many of these products, I think it's better than the big supermarkets' own brands, but not as good as the Lidl one.

I'm sure I read on MN that Philadelphia has a load of crap in that Aldi soft cheese doesn't have in it.

My three year old would say yes. She can smell non branded cream cheese from a mile away.

The only time I buy soft cheese is when I'm planning to make a cheesecake. I just buy whichever is cheapest so sometimes own brand sometimes Philadelphia if it's on offer. I certainly can't taste the difference in the finished cheesecake.

Longley Farm cream cheese is the best! Really thick and creamy. Far superior to Philadelphia.

Oh I thought this was just me being unlucky.

I tend to buy own brand now just because it lasts longer.

However I'd love to know where I can buy the block that is used in so many American recipes.

I guess if you eat a lot of it and particularly enjoy it, the extra cost is worth it - as with anything. If you only buy it infrequently and probably can’t really remember exactly how it tasted last time you had it, it probably isn’t.

Longley Farm is the closest equivalent to US-style block cream cheese that I’ve found, particularly for making frosting.

I'm a big fan of Aldi and the majority of their own brands are absolutely fine but the cream cheese is terrible.

I always buy Philadelphia. It's on offer in Tesco all the time.

Philadelphia has stabiliser in which isn’t great. I’d always go for one which is just milk and maybe a bit of salt.

Philly is better than own brands generally.
But I actually prefer Lidl above all. Nice clean taste and more blocky - perhaps better for cooking?

Always goes mouldy for me as well. Only buy for mackerel pâté so can't taste the difference then.

I cannot tell the difference between that and the supermarket own brand cream cheese. And I eat a lot of cream cheese.

Worth it.

My Lab thinks I’m his Mum so I guess I’m qualified to answer.

For a dairy-free alternative, if anyone is looking, I like Nush.

We’ve currently got the Aldi one and it’s vile so I’d rather pay extra and get the crap Philadelphia!