When it comes to choosing what’s good for our kids and ourselves, it can be easy to assume convenience food is junk or should be avoided.
Little cheeses in bright packaging are an example of something we put in our kids’ lunchboxes without truly knowing whether they’re good or bad or if one is healthier than the other.
So, in this article, I’ll be comparing lunchbox favorites Babybel Original against Cheddar Cheesestrings to find out what’s in them in terms of ingredients and nutrition and which offers the best value.
Read on to read my head-to-head comparison in various categories is the best overall; also, tell us which is your favorite in our voting poll.
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Ingredients Comparision
To get an idea of whether a product is good or bad, we need to take a look at the product ingredients.
The main difference between Babybel Cheese and Cheesestrings is that Babbybel is 100% real cheese made from pasteurized milk with no added ingredients.
Compared to Cheesestrings which are predominately cheese, with a few added ingredients, including acidity regulators paprika for color, and they’re fortified with vitamin D.
This confirms that both products are real cheese that is presented differently, making them more appealing to kids as well as being a quick and easy snack.
| Babybel Ingredients | Cheesestrings Ingredients |
| Made from Pasteurised Milk | Milk & added Ingredients: Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Lactic Acid), Paprika, Vitamin D |
Babybel Vs. Cheesestrings Nutritional Comparison
Moving onto the nutritional comparison to determine the differences for each cheese in various nutritional categories.
The comparison will be made per 100g of cheese and per 20g serving which is the weight of an individual Babybel and a single Cheesestring.
To keep the comparison as similar as possible, I’ll be comparing Original Babybels against Original Cheddar Cheesestrings.
Best for Calorie Content
When it comes to calorie content, both kinds of cheese are nearly identical; however, Cheesestrings contain just one calorie less per cheese than an Original Babybel.
| Cheese Type | Calories Per 100g | Calories Per 20g Serving |
| Babybel Original | 308kcal | 62kcal |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) | 304kcal | 61kcal |
Best for Carbohydrate Content
Both kinds of cheese are a low-carbohydrate, low sugar snack, with Babybel being the lowest when compared against Cheesestrings. However, it’s important to note the difference is nominal, and both kinds of cheese are very similar in terms of carb and sugar content.
| Cheese Type | Carbohydrates Per 20g Serving | Of Which are Sugars |
| Babybel Original | <0.01g | <0.01g |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) | 0.5g | 0.2g |
Best for Protein Content
Cheese is an excellent source of protein, and when it comes to Babybels and Cheesestrings, they both contain an identical amount of protein per serving. A 20g serving contains 4.6g of protein which is a respectable amount compared to some other lunchbox options.
| Cheese Type | Protein Per 100g | Protein Per 20g Serving |
| Babybel Original | 23g | 4.6g |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) | 23g | 4.6g |
Best for Fat Content
Cheese is a higher fat product, but this is natural fat from the milk it’s made from; when comparing Babybel and Cheesestrings, both kinds of cheese are very similar in fat content, but Babybels are slightly higher in fat per serving.
| Cheese Type | Fat | Of Which is Saturated Fat |
| Babybel Original (20g Serving) | 4.8g | 3.2g |
| Babybel Original (100g Serving) | 24g | 16g |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) (20g Serving) | 4.5g | 2.8g |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) (100g Serving) | 22.5g | 14g |
Best for Sodium/Salt Content
When comparing Babybel and Cheesestrings for salt content, both kinds of cheese contain exactly the same amount of salt per 20g mini cheese.
| Cheese Type | Sodium/Salt Per 100g | Sodium/Salt per 20g Serving |
| Babybel Original | 1.8g | 0.36g |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) | 1.8g | 0.36g |
Best for Calcium
Calcium content is an important factor when it comes to dairy-based foods. In this comparison, I can confirm that both kinds of cheese are an excellent source of calcium, but cheesestrings contain slightly more per serving than Babybel.
| Cheese Type | Calcium Per 100g | Calcium Per 20g Serving |
| Babybel Original | 700mg (88%) | 140mg (18%) |
| Cheesestrings (Cheddar) | 780mg (98%) | 156mg (20%) |
Best for Flavor/Texture
When it comes to flavor, both products are relatively similar, but the textures are different in that Babybels are a firmer cheese. In contrast, Cheesestrings are (as the name suggests) stringy and therefore softer.
Which tastes best is subjective, and all comes down to the individual’s personal taste.
To help future readers and us find out which cheese is most popular, please vote in the poll below to tell us which you like best to reveal the votes so far.
Best for Price
Because Babybel and Cheese Strings come in different pack sizes, I’ve based the price comparison on cost per cheese rather than per pack.
At the time of writing this article, a 200g pack of Original Babybel containing 10x20g mini cheeses costs an average of £2.19 (UK price), which means each individual Babybel costs 22p.
A 160g pack of Cheddar Cheesestrings containing 8x20g individual cheeses costs an average of £1.95, which is 24p per Cheesestring.
Based on this information, you get more cheese for your money if you choose Babybels, which are slightly cheaper per cheese than Cheesestrings.
Overall Winner
We’ve now compared all nutritional categories and worked out which brand gives you more cheese for your money, and the winner of the cheese comparison between Babybel and Cheestrings is – Cheesestrings!
Although it was a very close contest, Cheestrings are slightly lower in calories fat while being higher in calcium, and they have added vitamin D.
It’s important to note that this was a very close contest in all categories, and Babybel came out on top for being the lowest in carbs and a better value product. There was only a slight difference between the two in other nutritional categories.
It ultimately comes down to which you like best for taste and texture because this comparison has shown us that both kinds of cheese make a good snack that are high in protein and calcium while being very low in sugar.
| Comparison Category | Winner (Babybels or Cheesestrings) |
| Best for Calorie Content | Cheesestrings (1kcal less per cheese) |
| Best for Carbohydrate Content | Babybel |
| Best for Protein Content | Same |
| Best for Fat Content | Cheesestrings |
| Best for Sodium Content | Same |
| Best for Calcium | Cheesestrings |
| Best for Price | Babybel |
| Overall Winner | Cheesestrings |
More Babybel Vs. Cheesestring FAQ’s
Except for a higher fat content which is to be expected with most cheeses, Cheesestrings are high in calcium, Vitamin D, and protein while being very low in calcium and sugars.
Yes, Cheesestrings are made using real cheese, with a few extra ingredients which include acidity regulators, paprika for color, and Vitamin D
With the exception of a higher fat content which is to be expected with most cheeses, Babybels are high in calcium and protein while being very low in calcium and sugars.
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References Used for this Article
To ensure the nutritional information used in this article is accurate, I have used data from the manufacturer; the links below contain the source information: