Best Cheese Curds to Buy if You’re Nowhere Near the Midwest

The best cheese curds probably come from some dairy farm in Wisconsin. But we don’t all live near a dairy farm in Wisconsin. So how do we get quality cheese curds in our life? While they’re not Midwestern level squeaky and good, you can definitely find some really good cheese curds (and garlic cheese curds and breaded cheese curds) at a grocery store near you.

Before we get into the ranking, let’s get one thing out of the way: None of these cheese curds squeak. That delightful squeakiness really only comes with super-fresh cheese curds. We didn’t find it in any of these store bought curds. (If you have experienced otherwise, please let me know in the comments! We’re always looking to update our rankings with better products.) But even though these cheese curds are squeak-less, they’re still really good. They’re savory and creamy and springy. And the frozen cheese curds we picked are gooey and stretchy after a ride in the air fryer. 

Here’s our list of the best cheese curds to buy. 

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Best Garlic Curds

Happy Farms Garlic Cheese Curds

Doordash

We tasted Aldi’s brand of garlic cheese curds head-to-head against Cabot’s (more expensive) garlic cheese curds, and Aldi handily won the battle. These curds are springy and savory, with a pleasant garlicky flavor. It’s strong enough to make your breath stink, but your whole body won’t be oozing garlic hours after your snack. The curds almost taste like solid Boursin cheese. If garlic cheese curds are your thing, Aldi makes the best cheese curds for your buck.

Credit: Merc / Doordash

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Cajun Curds

Happy Farms Cajun Cheddar Cheese Curds

Aldi

While these Cajun cheese curds from Aldi don’t have the same springy texture as the garlic cheese curds (or the plain cheddar cheese curds, more on those later), the flavor is delightful. Flavored with a pungent blackening seasoning, these Cajun curds aren’t spicy, but they’re ultra flavorful. They’re some of the best cheese curds to snag if you’re just looking for a quality snacking cheese.

Credit: Merc / Aldi

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Chile Pepper Curds

Beehive Cheese Hatch Chile Curds

Whole Foods

These cheese curds come totally squished in a vacuum-sealed bag, which means they never had a chance at squeaking. They’re much denser than the other cheese curds on this list but the flavor is so good, we couldn’t help but include them. The curds are savory and tangy and they have that signature grassy hatch chile flavor. They might not be the best cheese curds, but if you’re at all a fan of cheese and hatch chile, they’re a must-buy.

Credit: Merc / Whole Foods

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Breaded Curds

Kroger Breaded Cheese Curds Cheddar

Kroger

We tried two brands of frozen cheese curds: Kroger and Farm Rich. And while Farm Rich was pretty good, there was too little cheese and too much underseasoned coating. Kroger’s breaded cheese curds get super crispy in the air fryer (or toaster oven) and the cheese melts just right. Talk about cheese pull! The breading is on the thicker side, but it’s really nicely seasoned—almost like the batter on a good fish stick, but without any fishiness.

Credit: Merc / Kroger

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Happy Farms White Cheddar Cheese Curds

Doordash

Aldi’s cheddar cheese curds also won over Cabot’s cheddar cheese curds. They taste fresher—more like real cheese curds than hunks of aged cheddar. They’re lightly salty and springy and mild. For my money, these are the best cheese curds to use in homemade poutine. (If you need recommendations for the best gravy and the best frozen french fries, we’ve got you covered.)

Credit: Merc / Doordash

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other cheese curds we tried: Farm Rich Breaded Cheese Curds, Cabot Savory Garlic Cheese Curds, Cabot Cheddar Cheese Curds