Sandra Woodruff, RD Responds:

Sandra Woodruff, RD, a nutrition consultant and author of several cookbooks, responds: To find lower-fat cheese, look for those made with 2% milk fat or less. Then make sure the cheese in question has no more than 5 or 6 grams of fat per ounce—that's 40 to 50% less than most full-fat cheeses. Here are some flavorful favorites: 

Reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

Reduced-fat Mexican cheese blends (with Cheddar cheese, Colby, and Monterey Jack)

Reduced-fat pepper Jack

Jarlsberg light Swiss cheese

Smoked Gouda light (check individual brands for fat content)

Smoked part-skim mozzarella or mozzarella with herbs (great for pizza, baked ziti, and sandwiches)

Reduced-fat provolone

Light Havarti with dill Also, know that softer cheeses have more water in them than hard cheeses, so there may be less fat per ounce. Some great choices:

Reduced-fat feta with basil and sun-dried tomatoes

Reduced-fat goat cheese

Light cream cheese flavored with garlic and herbs Although Parmesan cheese and blue cheese aren't low fat, they're so flavorful that you need only 1 tablespoon sprinkled on a salad to get a cheesy punch for just 2 to 4 grams of fat.