America’s Love for Cheese: Which Types Made it Through the Cut?

Each country has different cultures and unique eating habits. People’s preference for food is a result of tradition and practices that started way back in the old days. This is why people in different countries have a unique taste when it comes to their choice of cuisines. Some people love trying food from different cuisines. Others would instead stick to their country’s best recipes.

Let’s take the United States as an example. Americans love to eat various food, including the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich and hamburgers, of course. Aside from these, they also have a constant love affair with dairy products, especially cheese. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that Americans consume about 21 pounds of cheese per person per year.

Most Popular Cheeses in America

From cheeseburgers to macaroni and cheese, there is no doubt that Americans love almost all kinds of cheeses. Let’s take a look at the most popular ones according to statistics:

• Italian – According to the USDA, the most popular cheese in America is from another country, Italy. Reports revealed that in 2017, the country produced over 5.3 billion pounds of this type of cheese. The top reason why Italian cheese became so popular is that Americans love eating pizza so much. Pizza has, of course, Italian cheese, such as mozzarella, included in the recipe.

• American – American-made cheese is still famous in the country, sitting on the second spot of the country’s most popular types of cheese. Local cheese shops have different kinds of American cheese. For instance, in Wisconsin, these shops produce 5.1 billion pounds of Monterey Jack, Colby, and Cheddar cheeses.

• Cream Cheese and Neufchâtel – Cream cheese has been known in the U.S. since the 1700s. It originated from Europe, but the Americans fell in love with its taste as well. Neufchâtel came from a town in Haute Normandy, France. According to history, cream cheese is America’s effort to recreate the French-made cheese. The difference is that cream cheese needs to have at least 33% milkfat and have a 55% moisture content. Regardless of their origin, Americans love these two kinds of cheeses.

• Swiss – There are two popular varieties of Swiss cheese: Gruyére and Emmental. Both came from Switzerland, but some cheesemakers in the U.S. also know how to make tasty versions of this cheese. In America, however, mass-produced Swiss cheese refers to cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk and aged within four months. The American version comes with a milder flavor compared to the original Emmental or Gruyére.

• Hispanic – There is no clear evidence about the origin of Hispanic cheeses. This type of cheese can be categorized as melting or fresh cheeses. The melting cheese version is popular among Mexican restaurants and food joints in America.

• Muenster – Similar to American-style cheeses, this type of cheese is also mass-produced in Wisconsin. The softness or sharpness of its flavor depends on how long it’s aged. According to reports, Muenster is a version of a cheese created from France, which was called Munster cheese.

Cheese and Americans have formed a strong relationship since the old times. Both have shared a lot of history, so the figures about cheese consumption in the country will likely remain high. Of course, there are other types of cheese. Those mentioned above are only part of the long list of most-loved products in America.