In no way am I coming to the defense of American cheese product here, but I do need to point out that there are actually 3 different types of American cheese, based on how they are made. True American Cheese (which is "Pasteurized Process American Cheese"), the grosser "Pasteurized Process Cheese Food", and the absolute worst "Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product".

If you have never had it before, you should absolutely try real American cheese, maybe just don't go into it with the expectation that it's similar to any other kind of cheese (I'm not even sure it could be called a cheese anywhere else tbh but it's really good). It's OK on its own, but it's really good for being used in or on other things.

I'll just go ahead and admit right now that I'm an American (sorry) and I'm poor, so I don't have the chance to try the best cheeses, but I have managed to find and try most of the best cheeses that an average citizen can find in the US.

The "prepared cheese food" is the disgusting thing to which you're referring, that stuff doesn't even melt which is fucked up. It's not legally able to be called a cheese even in the US. It is the main reason that American cheese has such a bad rap, the second reason being the "cheese product", and the third being that even true American cheese sometimes has a fake looking yellow/orange color to it (but white American cheese is also a thing if the colors turn you off).

Actual American cheese is really good on burgers, breakfast sandwiches, and imo it's by far the best cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich. It melts very easily and the flavor is creamy and delicious. I still don't know whether it's actually a cheese or not, but I do know that it is delicious.

One quick way to tell them apart is the packaging: aside from the name, the gross ones are always individually wrapped (because I'm pretty sure it's not something that could even be sliced, so they just pump it straight into the wrapper or something gross like that). True American cheese is usually not individually wrapped, it's just a pre-sliced cube of solid cheese (if it is an actual cheese, again I'm not sure).

The weirdest thing to me is that anyone could find the cheese food acceptable. Its not even that much cheaper than the real stuff and it is incredibly gross, the texture is off, the flavor is most similar to vomit. We have other cheeses here, why is this even still a thing?

Here's is the relevant Wikipedia section if anyone is interested:

Because its manufacturing process differs from traditional cheeses,[19] federal laws mandate that it be labeled as "pasteurized process American cheese" if made from more than one cheese. A "pasteurized process American cheese" must be entirely cheese with the exception of an emulsifying agent, salt, coloring, acidifying agents, and optional dairy fat sources (but at no more than 5% of the total weight).[8] A "pasteurized process American cheese food" label is used if it is at least 51% cheese but other specific dairy ingredients such as cream, milk, skim milk, buttermilk, cheese whey, or albumin from cheese whey are added.[20] Products with other added ingredients, such as Kraft Singles that contain milk protein concentrate, use legally unregulated terms such as "pasteurized prepared cheese product".[21]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

I'm convinced that Doritos nacho cheese dip is closer to a fossil fuel than a dairy product. I still eat it though 🤤

I mean I wouldn't say many, especially when you compare to totality of Italian cheese variety and what is generally exported outside Italy. Grana, Pecorino and Parmigiano would be the main ones.

Me or the cheese?