What to Eat with American Cheese

American cheese doesn’t get enough credit. It’s not complex and nutty like cheddar. It’s not bloomy like brie. Hell, sometimes, it isn’t even really cheese at all (lookin’ at you, Velveeta). But if you’re willing to open your heart and your refrigerator’s meat and cheese drawer to American cheese, you’re liable to really fall in love with this suspiciously slick variety of cheese. But what to eat American cheese with? Yes, you can put it on a burger or make the meltiest grilled cheese sandwich this side of the Mississip’, but we have some other ideas, too. So, stock up on the best American cheese at the grocery store and get ready to watch these slices shine (and not just because of their slightly weird, plasticky texture).

Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted Thick Sliced White Bread

Bread is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you’re considering what to eat with American cheese, and rightfully so. Grilled cheese sandwiches are classic comfort, and while they’re pretty much good no matter what (especially if you have a fever and your mom served one to you alongside a cup of tomato soup), we highly recommend pairing Kraft Deli Deluxe Singles (our favorite American cheese) with the best white bread at the grocery store, Nature’s Own Thick Sliced. As Sporked senior writer Jordan Myrick put it, this bread is “super soft, lightly sweet, and has a mild flavor that won’t overpower sandwich fillings.” Nothing lets American cheese’s natural meltability shine quite like a grilled cheese—cut it in half (diagonally, not vertically like a heathen) and just look at that pull.

Read the full ranking of the best white bread

Moran’s 73/27 Beef Patties

I love McDonald’s, but I also love that I can skip the drive-thru by keeping Moran’s burger patties and some American cheese on hand to make my very own double cheeseburgers at home. Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling described these surprisingly affordable, supremely delicious patties as “gourmet,” and I can assure you that the same sentiment has never been said about anything from Mickey D’s. McDonald’s can keep their wafer-thin patties—this is the beefy option I’m reaching for when I’m deciding what to eat with American cheese.

Read the full ranking of the best frozen burger patties

Eggs

You might eat your scrambled eggs with feta or, perhaps, a tasty smoked gouda, but hear us out: eggs and American cheese. If there’s one thing I’ve learned while visiting the south, it’s that if it’s good enough for Waffle House, it’s good enough for me. The iconic diner’s genius short-order cooks make their cheese and eggs with American cheese, and it’s just so good. Pair this breakfast main with a slice of raisin toast and some shredded hash browns (covered and smothered, plz), and you’ll swear you’re on the side of the highway somewhere in rural Georgia.

Boar’s Head Original German Recipe Bologna

School cafeterias gave bologna and cheese sandwiches a bad name, but we’re reclaiming a classic by pairing the best bologna (Boar’s Head, naturally) with the best American cheese for a cold sandwich (also Boar’s Head). If you’ve only eaten Oscar Mayer, you’re missing out. As Gwynedd put it, “It’s slick and light like the bologna you ate growing up, but it’s just so much more flavorful.” Slather some white bread with copious amounts of mayo, stack your bologna and American cheese, and enjoy a sandwich that would make a middle school lunch lady James Beard eligible.

Read the full ranking of the best bologna

Dennison’s Original Chili Con Carne with Beans

Hear me out: I truly love just eating American cheese by the slice out of the fridge, so simplicity is key when I’m pondering what to eat with American cheese. Dennison’s Original Chili Con Carne with Beans just needs to be heated up in the microwave or on the stove top, and it’s ready to serve. This canned chili is packed to the brim with big hunks of well-seasoned meat and tender beans. Slap a slice of American cheese on top of your hot bowl of chili and watch it melt into its perfect form. You don’t have to go to extremes to find out what to eat with American cheese; sometimes the simplest solutions are the best solutions.

Read the full ranking of the best canned chili


About the Author

Vinz Karl

Vinz Karl is a freelance contributor to Sporked and self-proclaimed Guy Fieri superfan. He believes in breakfast supremacy and is on a never-ending mission to try every flavor of Oreo out there. Originally from the Midwest, Vinz now resides in Los Angeles, where you can find him going on hikes, checking out new restaurants, and preparing for his eventual casting on CBS's Survivor.

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