American cheese facts for kids
American cheese is a special kind of processed cheese. It can be orange, yellow, or white. It tastes mild and a little salty. This cheese is medium-firm and melts very easily. It first appeared in the 1910s and is now a common ingredient in many American meals.
Contents
The Story of American Cheese
When British colonists first came to North America, they started making cheddar cheese. By the late 1700s, American-made cheddar was even being sent back to England!
The name "American cheese" was first used in a newspaper in Kentucky in 1804. Later, in 1860, the famous writer Charles Dickens also mentioned it.
How Processed American Cheese Began
In 1916, a person named James L. Kraft got a special patent for a new way to make processed cheese. He started selling it in the late 1910s. Soon, the name "American cheese" mostly meant this new processed kind. This was different from the older, more expensive cheddar cheeses made in the U.S.
Different companies make American cheese, so its taste and texture can be a bit different. Yellow American cheese gets its color from something called annatto. White American cheese does not have annatto.
How American Cheese is Made
To be called "American cheese" in the United States, a processed cheese must be made from certain types of cheese. These include cheddar cheese, colby cheese, washed curd cheese, or granular cheese. It can also be a mix of two or more of these.
Because of how it's made, which is different from traditional cheeses, there are special rules for its label. If it's made by combining more than one cheese, it must be called "processed American cheese." If other dairy ingredients like cream, milk, or buttermilk are added, it's called "processed American cheese food."
Different Ways to Buy American Cheese
You can find processed American cheese in a few ways:
- Individually wrapped slices: These are often called "singles." They are formed so they only get firm after being wrapped. These slices are usually the least like traditional cheese.
- Unwrapped slices: These are sold in stacks.
- Un-sliced blocks: These blocks are more like traditional cheese. You can often get them sliced fresh at a deli counter.
American Cheese in the Market
In 2018, people in America bought about $2.77 billion worth of American cheese. However, its popularity has been slowly going down. The average price for a pound of American cheese was less than $4 that year, which was the lowest since 2011.
Images for kids
-
A cheeseburger often has American cheese on top, which is a popular choice in North America.
See Also
In Spanish: Queso amarillo para niños
