Cheese is mysterious on many levels, from medieval monastery cheeses to Tibetan yak cheeses, Indian paneer and countless othersunique cheesesfrom France and all over Europe. America has its share, with small cheesemakers on the rise, and states like Wisconsin reportedly doling out at least 2 billion pounds of cheese every year. But ask anyone to name a uniquely American cheese, and chances are the ultra-processed cheesy Velveeta will be mentioned. It's one of those ever-present, widespread and wildly popular "cheeses" that can be found on supermarket shelves across the country. But is it correct to call it a cheese?
The answer to that is a bit nuanced, but Velveeta in its current form is inherently (and unfortunately) not a real cheese. Under the FDA's defining standards, it is instead classified as a "pasteurized processed cheese product." This is a 2002 reclassification from the previous grouping among items considered "cheese spread". Even earlier, as early as 1918, it was actually a real cheese, albeit made from bits of various cheeses such as Cheddar, Colby and Swiss, plus an emulsifier. Some of that applies to the current version of Velveeta.
Although Velveeta is no longer an FDA-defined true cheese, it does share some similarities, namely pasteurized milk and cheese culture. It also contains whey, canola oil, milk protein concentrate, modified starch, salt and a variety of other additives for things like preservation, the striking orange color and velvety texture that gives it its name.
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Why Velveeta still gets a lot of love
Regardless of what's on the ingredient list, and despite it being a cheese product rather than an actual cheese, Velveeta continues to get a lot of love. Making it has been part of a beloved tradition for decadesqueso dipwith Ro*Tel tomatoes and diced peppers for parties. The magic is its delicious meltability, which, unlike real cheese, does not separate when heated.
Maybe nostalgia keeps the love candles burning for Velveeta with its cheerful sunshine color and sticky warmth. But Kraft, which bought the Velveeta brand in 1927, is keeping things fresh with new incarnations of the old American favorite. It now offers a line called Cheesy Bowls with microwavable pasta dishes like chicken Alfredo, bacon mac & cheese and meat lasagna with creamy Velveeta sauce. There are also one-pan Velveeta dinner sets, grated Velveeta, sauce packets and various new varieties of Velveeta slices for making easy sandwiches and casseroles.
Those who worship Velveeta in all its imitation cheese glory may or may not embrace the venture into new territory. But it's probably here to stay, per annual sales. Although Velveeta's sales appeared to decline in 2018 and 2019, still hovering around $1 billion, they rebounded in 2020. In its questionable marketing wisdom, Kraft even introduced a cheese-scented Velveeta nail polish and a Veltini martini made with, you guessed it. that, cheese infused vodka. And let's not forget itVelveeta in Chocoladetruffel CompartésCooperation.
