healthy extra a cheese

hi im confused about making family dishes covered in cheese do you put 4 persons worth of a hea or just your amount for day so say 40 grams of half fat cheddar im confused as if it's 4 persons worth surely there is a risk your getting extra hea. plus if it's just the 40 grams would that mean I'm not getting enough sorry may seem a silly question but it puzzles me

If you are eating a quarter and want to use the cheese as your HEA then yes you would use 4 x HEA allowance. No its not an exact science but you are unlikely to go hugely over your allowance is you spread is over pretty evenly

I think it would depend on how much the cheese is mixed into the dish (mixed through like in a macaroni cheese or scattered in large pieces like the feta in a salad). If the recipe serves 4 people then if it is well mixed, there should be 4 x the HEA in the ingredients and you should get 1 portion in your own serving. If it is larger lumps then there is the risk of you not getting your fair portion or getting too much.

What dishes are you trying to make for your family? Is it not possible to make the dish without the cheese and then serve a bowl of grated cheese for the family to help themselves and add to their plates, while you keep your own specially measured portion aside? Dishes like spaghetti bolognaise are great with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top. Even a lasagne could have the cheese added as it is served and it would melt and go all gooey into the dish.

If the cheese is making a grilled crispy topping to a dish then perhaps again you could make it without the topping, serve up your own portion and then grill the cheese onto the remainder of the dish for the family. Cheese does not take a long time to grill and melt. You could then sprinkle your fair portion onto your own plate and briefly put it under the grill. A bit fiddly I know but it would ensure you are getting your HEA correct while the rest of the family don't lose out.