Muffin Toppings Ideas: Soft Cheese Triangles

Muffin topping ideas don’t have to be complex – and one of my favourites is to use a soft cheese triangle.  It’s really surprising what a little treat this is!  One muffin and one cheese triangle can be an easy to carry and frugal packed lunch if you’re in a hurry.  Equally interchangeable as a crumpet topping!

There are many different brands of cheese triangles, Dairylea and Laughing Cow are the main names, but every supermarket also produces their own, cheaper versions.  But, they’re not all plain cheese!  Years ago there used to be boxes of cheese triangles where each of the segments was a different flavour – they are still available today, although Laughing Cow produces these as cubes of soft cheese and calls them “Mini Cravings Flavoured Cheese”, which are available in a box with three flavours, currently Cheddar, Smoked Cheese and Blue Cheese.  In the past, I remember the flavoured soft cheese available included cheese & onion and cheese & tomato.  Ranges do change over time though, it’s always a pity when your favourites are discontinued.

Tubs of soft cheese are available that include garlic, or herbs – you’ll have to look and see what’s available in your local shops.

Method: 

It couldn’t be easier, just

• Slice your muffin in half and toast it
• Open the cheese triangle wrapping and spread it on the toasted muffin!

The alternative, of course, is to buy soft cheese in a tub, or a tube (Primula cheese is sold in tubes). Whether you choose a 250 gram tub, a tube, or individually wrapped cheese portions, will depend on your budget, how much you’ll be eating (once opened a tub/tube has a limited life span) and, of course, whether your chosen medium has the right original/light or flavour for you.

How Many Cheese Triangles Do You Need?

The photos here show one cheese triangle, which I found to be plenty – as the cheese is creamy, the flavour goes a long way.

Calories in Cheese Triangles

The size of cheese triangles and the Laughing Cow Mini Cravings are different, so you do need to check the individual pack information.  Additionally, you can get Light Cheese and Lighter Cheese, which contain fewer calories.  They’re all roughly “the same”, so it depends how far you want to nit-pick your calorie counting!

• Laughing Cow Mini Cravings are 5.2 grams each and contain 14 calories.
• Laughing Cow Original cheese triangles are 17.5 grams each and contain 42 calories.
• Laughing Cow Light cheese triangles are 17.5 grams each and contain 25 calories.
• Lidl Picon Nouveau Vache cheese triangles are 17.5 grams each and contain 42 calories.
• Aldi Emporium Kids Lighter cheese triangles are 17.5 grams each and contain 36 calories.

Menu Cost: 

With muffins for sale at 8p each in many supermarkets in a pack of four, and a box of cheese triangles costing about 56p for eight, that’s 7p each – this is a 15p lunch, or 15p snack.  For me one muffin and one cheese triangle is a whole lunch if I know I’ll be eating “a bigger dinner” later.  For others it’s a welcome snack, and I’ll admit to having a muffin and cream cheese late in the evening when I just fancy “something nice”.