Cheez Whiz facts for kids
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A cheesesteak sandwich with Cheez Whiz at Pat's King of Steaks
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| Owner | Kraft Heinz |
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| Introduced | 1952 |
Cheez Whiz is a well-known brand of cheese sauce or spread. It is made by Kraft Foods. A food scientist named Edwin Traisman and his team first created it. Cheez Whiz was first sold in 1952. It is still made today, though its recipe has changed a bit over time.
This orange-yellow sauce usually comes in a glass jar. People use it as a topping for many different foods. You might see it on corn chips or hot dogs. It is also very popular on a Philadelphia-style cheesesteak sandwich. Cheez Whiz is sold in countries like Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, and Venezuela. In the U.S., some people think of it as a fun, quick snack food.
Contents
What's in Cheez Whiz?
| Nutritional value per 2 tbsp (33 g) | |
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| Energy | 80 kcal (330 kJ) |
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5 g
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| Sugars | 3 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0 g |
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5 g
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| Saturated | 1 g |
| Trans | 0 g |
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Protein
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3 g
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| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
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| Sodium |
27%
410 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Cholesterol | 5 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. Source: Kraftapps.com |
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When Cheez Whiz first came out in 1952, its ingredients included American cheese, water, and nonfat dry milk. It also had cream, salt, and some spices. Over the years, food companies sometimes change how they list ingredients.
Today, Kraft calls Cheez Whiz a "cheese dip." A spokesperson for Kraft has said that the product does contain cheese. However, the company lists the parts of cheese, like milk and cheese culture, instead of just "cheese."
Ingredients: whey, milk, canola oil, maltodextol, milk protein concentrate, sodium phosphate, contains less than 2% of modified food starch, salt, lactic acid, whey protein concentrate, mustard flour, Worcestershire sauce (vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices (contains celery), tamarind, natural flavor), sodium alginate, sorbic acid as a preservative, color added, cheese culture, enzymes, natural flavor
Different Sizes and Types
Cheez Whiz comes in different jar shapes depending on how it's meant to be used. If it's sold as a spread, the jar might be narrow at the bottom. If it's meant for dipping, the jars are usually wider and more round.
Cheez Whiz Varieties
You can find several different kinds of Cheez Whiz:
- Cheez Whiz (the original)
- Cheez Whiz Light (a lighter version)
- Cheez Whiz Tex Mex (with a spicy kick)
- Salsa Con Queso (a cheese dip with salsa)
- Cheez Whiz Italia
- Cheez Whiz Bacon (with bacon flavor)
- Cheez Whiz Pimento
Cheez Whiz is also part of "Handi Snacks" products. For example, in Canada, you can find Ritz Cheez Whiz 'n' Crackers.
Recipe Changes Over Time
Like many food products, the recipe for Cheez Whiz has changed since it was first made. These changes can happen for different reasons. For example, how dairy is sourced or new food rules can affect recipes. Sometimes, companies change how they list ingredients. Instead of listing "cheese," they might list its parts, like "milk" and "cheese culture." These kinds of changes are common in the food industry.
See also
- Cheese sauce
- Easy Cheese – a cheese product in a spray can
- Kraft Dinner
- Plant cheese
- Velveeta
- Welsh rarebit
