Back in the day, the best snack ever was a slice of American cheese. Kraft singles, to be specific — even though slices straight from the grocery store deli were just as good. For many of us, American cheese was our first introduction to cheese. So that’s why this news is kind of hard to grasp.
American cheese sales are tanking, and much like everything else in the world, millennials are to blame. Suddenly, the fancier, less-processed stuff is more popular. Even McDonald’s has ditched processed cheese in favor of artisan cheeses. Health-wise, it’s probably pretty good news. But nostalgia-wise, it looks like Kraft singles might be suffering.
One of the reasons why? Stigma. It’s hard to come to terms with, but when someone busts out the Gouda, it just makes them seem a bit more high class. Think about it — you’ve never been to a fancy party where they served slices of Kraft, have you? And even cheese plates usually use cheddar, sometimes in addition to Camembert or Stilton. If you put out American cheese, it’ll get eaten — but a few people might raise an eyebrow.
“Americans’ feelings towards processed cheese shifted dramatically; it went from being a cheap time-saver for working parents to a symbol of everything wrong with America,” wrote Soleil Ho and Erica Carson for Munchies.
Here’s the good news. Even though people have tried to make artisan grilled cheese, nothing beats the standard you make at home.
And guess what cheese that is? American. It’s also the most popular cheese used on a burger. You can order it with other types at any restaurant, but why?
Munchies also made a point in stating that cheese popularity often had to do with time. For example, Kraft macaroni and cheese was big in the 1950s, since it was a dish that gave women more time to spend out of the kitchen and on projects and causes they felt passionate about.
Similarly, your own parent might have made you a ham and American cheese sandwich since the ingredients were easy to assemble, and it was something they knew you’d eat. And it probably tasted great, since it was made with love.
So even though American cheese slices may not be as popular now as they were decades ago, they should still hold some importance in your heart. While not the healthiest, they helped introduce us to an entire world of cheese we may have been reluctant to try otherwise.
