Philly Cheesesteak. Corn Dog. Nachos. What do they all have in common? Cheez Whiz of course. But what is Cheez Whiz? Read on to learn about this hugely popular American food product. And discover whether Cheez Whiz is actually real cheese.
SEE ALSO: How some of your favourite foods score on our Cheese Definition Test →
Official Cheese Definition Test
Now this is a hotly debated topic even amongst cheese professionals. And you will be hard-pressed to find an accurate definition of what makes a product cheese. The main reason for this is how complex and varied cheeses can be.
However, we wanted to give this a go. After prolonged deliberations, we’ve come up with these essential characteristics:
- Criterion 1: Milk or milk-derived ingredient
- Criterion 2: Allowed (but optional) ingredients
- Criterion 3: Coagulation of milk (or milk-derived product)
- Criterion 4: Separation of curds and whey
You can read more about our Official Cheese Definition test by clicking here.
What is Cheez Whiz?
Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce made by Kraft Foods in the United States. Yes, this gooey orangish-yellow spread dates back to the early 1950’s when it was first developed by a team of scientists led by Edwin Traisman. At the time, Kraft wanted to develop a mild cheese spread that would replicate some of the qualities of the spread used in Welsh rarebit.
Presently, you can buy Cheez Whiz in the USA, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Venezuela. And it is most often sold in a glass jar.
Is Cheez Whiz real cheese?
The short answer to this is NO. As a matter of fact, the FDA recognises Cheez Whiz as a processed cheese product. The reason for this is because of the large number of non-dairy ingredients that are present in this commercial product.
But it wasn’t always so. According to Dean Southworth, one of the scientists at Kraft, their original recipe included a significant amount of real cheese. However, the recipe evolved over time for commercial reasons.
What can you use Cheez Whiz in?
In the US, Cheez Whiz is very commonly used as the cheese in a Philadelphia-style Cheesesteak. In addition to this, you can often find this American cheese product as a topping on a number of other foods such as corn chips and hot dogs.
What are the different varieties of Cheez Whiz?
Wanting to cash in on the popularity of their product, Kraft Foods started marketing a range of varieties of Cheez Whiz. Presently, some of the varieties include the following:
- Cheez Whiz Tex Mex
- Cheez Whiz Italia
- Cheez Whiz Bacon
- Cheez Whiz Pimiento
Is Cheez Whiz healthy?
Due to its high saturated fats and sodium content, this product is definitely not a healthy choice. Indeed, anyone with high cholesterol and high blood pressure should avoid Cheez Whiz.
You can find our complete assessment of the nutrition facts of Cheez Whiz here.
Conclusion: Cheez Whiz is NOT real cheese. But it is an American classic!
So, is Cheez Whiz real cheese or not? The short answer is NO. Actually, the FDA classifies this popular food as a “Processed Cheese Product”. While Cheez Whiz contains some of the same ingredients as traditional cheese, it also includes a variety of other additives that are not allowed.
However, that doesn’t mean that Cheez Whiz isn’t a tasty and accessible ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Could you even image a Philly Cheesesteak without the goopy melted Cheez Whiz on top?
Are you a Cheez Whiz fan? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this popular food product. Please leave a comment below.
Jonah is a a hipster, eco-warrior and slow food afficionado. Coming from a scientific background, Jonah has a particular interest in cheese science. And yes, he loves a good cheese pun!
