Walking into most American supermarkets, you can always expect to see the bright yellow pack of Velveeta Cheese glowing on the shelf. It’s easy to have a daydream of its unique taste as it melts in your mouth.
With the right combination of snacks, the creaminess it delivers can be heavenly.
Velveeta Cheese has been around for ages and has remained mostly unchanged in glory. Many of us today grew up devouring it in macaroni noodles or eating it with grilled burgers.
For those lucky to have lots of it in their snacks, the memory probably still lingers.
Velveeta’s combination of a unique taste, texture, and melting property is unmatched among its peers. The challenge then becomes finding a suitable substitute when Velveeta isn’t available.
So, what is the best substitute for Velveeta cheese? The best substitute for Velveeta cheese is Cheez Whiz. Another plausible option would be preparing a close substitute at home using a homemade Velveeta cheese recipe.
Read more: Kraft Mac and Cheese Expiration Date.
An Overview Of Velveeta Cheese
Today, Velveeta Cheese is usually labeled as real cheese. However, that’s actually not the case. Although original versions of Velveeta were made from real cheese, today’s varieties are made from milk, and milk protein concentrates, whey protein concentrates, fat and preservatives.
Going by the standards stipulated by the FDA, those constituents make it unfit to be labeled as real cheese.
Sure, Velveeta might have changed a little in ingredients over the years, but it is far from being a foregone history. It’s very much around and stands tall among the most popular cheese product in stores today. It is very tasty and versatile, making it perfect for use in lots of dishes or snacks.
Since its debut lots of years ago, it has warmed itself into the heart of millions of people. It was among the first food product to get the approval of the American Medical Association (AMA).
Why Replace Velveeta?
Even with all the heavenly taste it offers, sometimes, there’s just going to be a need for a substitute. It could be:
You’re preparing snacks for a crowd: Sure, a lot of people love Velveeta cheese; it’s a crowd-pleaser. However, when you’re preparing something for a large group of people, you might need to provide options for those that aren’t so keen on devouring Velveeta.
You need something with low traces of preservatives: If you aren’t a fan of processed food, then you certainly might be trying to figure out a homemade substitute for Velveeta Cheese. Fret not, we’ve got you covered.
Find out whether or not Velveeta ist good after expiration date.
Best Substitutes for Velveeta Cheese
Below are some processed and homemade substitutes for Velveeta Cheese:
Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz is a very popular Velveeta Cheese substitute. If you’re in the market for a ready-made substitute for Velveeta, you should put Cheez Whiz on the top of your list.
Although Cheez Whiz is pasty and softer than Velveeta, it comes incredibly close to replicating its unique taste. Just like Velveeta, you’ll find Cheez Whiz as a good cheese candidate to pair with crackers, celery sticks, hot dogs, and sandwiches.
Cheez Whiz melts nicely into a grilled cheese sandwich. You’ll also find it very useful in pasta dishes, casseroles, and as a sauce for vegetables. Apart from the original Cheez Whiz flavor, you can around five other flavors offering you a wide range of choices.
Homemade Velveeta Cheese
While Cheez Whiz comes close to replicating the taste and feeling that Velveeta offers, not everyone is pleased with the processed ingredient and preservatives that come with it. If you want something like Velveeta but devoid of processed ingredients, then whipping up some homemade Velveeta cheese is the next plausible option.
Preparing homemade Velveeta isn’t exactly rocket science. On the contrary, they are actually quite easy to make. The best part is that they are made from real cheese, which is something you can really boast of in the processed Velveeta you’ll find on the shelves of your local supermarket.
Milk, cream cheese, and mild cheddar cheese are some of the ingredients you’ll need to get started. You’ll also need a little bit of gelatine in order to help solidify your final product into a block.
Homemade Velveeta Cheese – Five Key Ingredients:
- 4 cups of mild cheddar cheese ( or it could be a combination of cheddar and Colby)
- 1/4 teaspoonful of salt
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup dry milk powder
- One packet (1/4-ounce) unflavored gelatine
Steps on Preparing Homemade Velveeta Cheese
- Start by lining a small loaf pan with some plastic wrap. Ensure to leave a few inches excess on both sides of the loaf pan.
- Add one cup of water into a saucepan and heat till it boils.
- Add the milk powder, salt, and gelatine into a blender ( in the amount described above) and pulse till it blends properly.
- Take off the boiling water and add it to the mixture in the blender, and pulse a few times.
- After a few pulses, immediately add the mild cheddar cheese and process it until it smoothens.
- Working as fast as you can ( but carefully), spoon the mixture into the lined loaf pan. Try to even the top of the mixture in the loaf pan using a spatula.
- Use the excess plastic wrap to cover the mixture in the loaf pan. Refrigerate for several hours.
- Slice your final product and use it with crackers, grilled cheese, sandwiches, or add to a dip or cheese sauce.
Other Plausible Substitutes for Velveeta Cheese
If you want to avoid making your Velveeta substitute at home, you can choose to go with other types of processed cheese product.
Some popular options include Swiss sharp cheddar cheese as well as extra sharp cheddar cheese. Just like Velveeta, these two will serve you well with snacks. They’re also unique in their own way, so don’t expect a full-blown Velveeta cheese experience.
Another option would be to use different varieties of soft and young cheese like Gouda. This will melt well, and you don’t need to add any other ingredients to it.
All in all, you’ll surely find a lot of cheese products on the market. Some are made from real cheese, while others are simply fake cheese made from a wide array of ingredients. If you wish to choose any options we’ve suggested above, always go for healthier options.