Yes, you can have your cheese and eat it too, even if you're keeping an eye on calories or fats. Lean cheeses are the way forward for anyone looking to enjoy the creamy goodness of cheese without tipping the scales on their macros.

But how do you choose the best lean cheeses for your fridge that also match your health and fitness goals? What makes them a better option, and what should you watch out for?

First, it is worth looking at what exactly lean cheese is. Simply put, it’s cheese with a lower fat content than its regular counterparts. By going for lean varieties, you’re cutting back on saturated fat, which can help keep your heart healthy, support weight management, and even reduce that post-cheese coma.

Lean cheeses are also a great source of protein, calcium, and vitamins without the extra fat and calories. So, you’re getting all the nutrition without sacrificing too much flavour.

There’s a huge variety of low-fat cheeses to suit all tastes. Some naturally come with a lower fat profile, while others are specially made to be leaner. Here are a few crowd favourites:

When browsing the cheese aisle, it's easy to get distracted by fancy packaging or words like ‘light’ or ‘reduced fat’. Here’s what to focus on: