I didn’t realize. I was definitely thinking of the cheese product. I would make my kids incredible grilled cheese sandwiches with shredded cheese where it falls off the edge and crisps up on the grill. My kids told me they just wanted kraft cheese slices.
As a labeling requirement under U.S. law, anything labeled “American Cheese” must be pasteurized process cheese made from some combination of cheddar, colby, washed curd cheese, or granular cheese, which the law also defines pretty strictly. It must be made from these cheeses, heated and emulsified with an emulsifying salt (usually sodium citrate).
American cheese is allowed to have some optional ingredients and still be labeled American Cheese:
Food safe acid (as long as pH stays above 5.3)
Cream or milkfat, such that this added fat can account for up to 5% of the weight of the finished product.
Water (but the total moisture content of the resulting product must still be within the other limits in the regulation)
Salt
Artificial coloring
Spices or flavoring that do not simulate the flavors of cheeses
Mold inhibitors from sorbate up to 0.2%, or from proprionate up to 0.3%
Lechitin, if sold in slices
You can add milk, cream, buttermilk, whey, or certain other dairy products up to 49% of the finished product, but then you’d have to call it “Pasteurized American Process Cheese Food” instead of just American Cheese.
American cheese is made from almost entirely cheese ingredients. The individual slices being sold at the store, though, vary by brand on whether they’re even trying to be American Cheese (or whether they’re some kind of lesser “cheese food” or even lesser “cheese spread” or even lesser “cheese product”)
Regular Kraft singles aren’t American Cheese. Look at the label. They’re “cheese product.” Even the Deli Deluxe line has taken a hit in quality in recent years, even if they are labeled Cheese.
Go with other brands that actually put together a decent tasting American Cheese, and check the label to make sure it’s made with 100% cheese instead of 51% cheese (or less).
Let me put it this way: when I get american cheese at my local deli (I like the white) it is delicious and much like eating any other deli cheese. When I get Kraft slices, they are like eating solidified vegetable oil, with weird bubbles and texture, individually wrapped in plastic. Theres a difference.
See if you can find sharp American cheese at your deli. Cooper and Schrieber make a sharp American. Land O’ Lakes makes a sharp cheddar American blend. I’ve had the latter, it was fantastic.
The real trick is the bologna grilled cheese. Brown the bologna in your skillet, then (wipe out skillet if need be, and) make a grilled cheese as usual, but put the bologna in the middle before you close it.
Just eat American cheese. That doesn’t mold cause it’s plastic.
American Cheese is a processed mix of cheeses like Colby and Cheddar, and is great.
Kraft American “Cheese Product” is the square sliced “plastic” one people think of.
I didn’t realize. I was definitely thinking of the cheese product. I would make my kids incredible grilled cheese sandwiches with shredded cheese where it falls off the edge and crisps up on the grill. My kids told me they just wanted kraft cheese slices.
Shredded cheese has anti caking agent to make it not clump together, have you tried shredding brick cheese?
Yes, it’s exhausting! Though I have thought about getting a cheese shredder.
All cheese is processed. Technically.
Kraft American Singles is normal american cheese. All american cheese is “cheese product” because its solidified cheese sauce, not a cheese itself.
You’re getting the labels mixed up.
As a labeling requirement under U.S. law, anything labeled “American Cheese” must be pasteurized process cheese made from some combination of cheddar, colby, washed curd cheese, or granular cheese, which the law also defines pretty strictly. It must be made from these cheeses, heated and emulsified with an emulsifying salt (usually sodium citrate).
American cheese is allowed to have some optional ingredients and still be labeled American Cheese:
You can add milk, cream, buttermilk, whey, or certain other dairy products up to 49% of the finished product, but then you’d have to call it “Pasteurized American Process Cheese Food” instead of just American Cheese.
American cheese is made from almost entirely cheese ingredients. The individual slices being sold at the store, though, vary by brand on whether they’re even trying to be American Cheese (or whether they’re some kind of lesser “cheese food” or even lesser “cheese spread” or even lesser “cheese product”)
Regular Kraft singles aren’t American Cheese. Look at the label. They’re “cheese product.” Even the Deli Deluxe line has taken a hit in quality in recent years, even if they are labeled Cheese.
Go with other brands that actually put together a decent tasting American Cheese, and check the label to make sure it’s made with 100% cheese instead of 51% cheese (or less).
Let me put it this way: when I get american cheese at my local deli (I like the white) it is delicious and much like eating any other deli cheese. When I get Kraft slices, they are like eating solidified vegetable oil, with weird bubbles and texture, individually wrapped in plastic. Theres a difference.
See if you can find sharp American cheese at your deli. Cooper and Schrieber make a sharp American. Land O’ Lakes makes a sharp cheddar American blend. I’ve had the latter, it was fantastic.
Cooper Sharp slaps
I also suspect that Doritos dipping cheese is closer to a fossil fuel than a dairy product. I still eat it though.
Doritos dipping cheese? Is this a thing?
Yep! https://www.asda.com/groceries/product/7416088
So weird. They don’t have this in America. I wonder if this is anything like Tostitos cheese dip.
https://www.tostitos.com/products/tostitos-salsa-con-queso-2
The sodium citrate is a good preservative and is responsible for some of that sour flavor
The fact remains that nothing beats bologna and plastic cheese on wonder bread. (mustard/mayo/whatever)
Everything beats this. Even an old leathery shoe.
It’s the taste of childhood, really. I still get cravings for the worst fake cheese on the whitest of bleached bread.
As a kid I used to put plastic cheese in between 2 slices of bologna and microwave for like 30 seconds. Then eat on a sandwich. I was thriving.
The real trick is the bologna grilled cheese. Brown the bologna in your skillet, then (wipe out skillet if need be, and) make a grilled cheese as usual, but put the bologna in the middle before you close it.
This sounds delicious
I have an ex that did this well into his 20s,and convinced me to try it one night. I did not understand the appeal lol
I hate myself so much for agreeing with you, but here I am.
Norbert from angry beavers begs to differ.
And it comes in tube!
Spray!