I Tried 7 Top Brands of American Cheese and This One Is the Best of the Best

It’s a tough task taste-testing American cheese. The cheese-lover in me can’t wrap my brain around why such a flavorless, texturally unappealing food is so popular. But my Midwest roots hold strong to the memories of unwrapping little squares of soft orange cheese like they were Christmas presents. So you see, I’m torn. Perhaps that makes me a qualified judge; critical, but also open to the possibilities. I tested seven brands of American cheese, and here’s what happened.

How the Cheese Was Chosen

I chose brands that were readily available nationwide and selected both wrapped and deli-sliced varieties. Only full-fat varieties made the cut and while white American cheese exists, I stuck with traditional orange American cheese.

How I Tested

Since some of us (like little Sara from long ago) like to eat cheese straight from the refrigerator, I sampled the cheese cold. I also sampled the cheese after it had been sitting out for 15 minutes, when it was a little warmer, to see if the flavor changed or improved. Finally, I tested each in a grilled cheese sandwich, using the same bread and amount of cheese for each.

What I Was Looking For When Testing

Flavor and texture were my initial tests for both cold and room-temperature cheese. Traditional American cheese has a mild, salty flavor and a creamy texture, so I wanted to see how that played out between the brands.

The grilled cheese was a test in meltability and also taste. How well did the cheese melt and how did the cheese taste once melted?

After consuming way too much American cheese, here are the results:

The Best American Cheese, Taste Test Results

The Original (Plastic-Wrapped) Style Winner: Aldi's Happy Farms American Singles 

Runner-up: Kraft American Singles 

Aldi’s American cheese won this category, but not by a landslide. All of my testers found the flavor and texture between these choices eerily similar, and it didn’t matter if the cheese was cold or room temperature. It was the ever-so-slightly “better” flavor (more evident when presented as a grilled cheese) and melting capabilities that nudged Aldi’s American cheese into first place. When asked to identify that flavor, testers unhelpfully shrugged and said, “It just is.” Proving this is 100% an unscientific experiment.

The Organic Winner: Trader Joe’s Organic American Singles

Runners-up: Horizon Organic American Singles and Organic Valley American

If choosing organic is important to you, well, it’s nice to know you have options. Out of the three options my testers sampled, Trader Joe’s was the unanimous winner. While they appreciated the “real cheese texture” of Horizon and Organic Valley, especially when it had warmed a bit to room temperature, it was the flavor of Trader Joe’s that ultimately won them over. It was mild, but provided the best creamy experience, especially when sandwiched between two slices of bread for grilled cheese.

Overall Runner-up: Land O’ Lakes Deli American

Unlike others on the list (excluding the winner), this American cheese can only be purchased at the deli counter. This is awesome for people like me because it means I can purchase exactly how much I want and also get it sliced as thick or as thin as I’d like. While the human interaction at the deli counter didn’t bother me, I know that some people prefer a less personal transaction. If you’re not a people person, I encourage you to get past that (at least when it comes to the deli counter), because ordering this cheese is worth the uncomfortable few minutes you’ll spend awkwardly looking and pretending to admire the case of deli meats and salads while the nice person slices your cheese. My testers appreciated Land O' Lakes' “real cheese” texture, but overall liked its big flavor, especially when at room temperature, which was a nice balance of saltiness and tanginess. It was tasty enjoyed right off the deli cheese slicer, but even more delicious in a grilled cheese.

Overall Winner: Boar’s Head American Cheese

Out of all of the cheeses, Boar's Head American cheese looked and felt most similar to a slice of Cheddar cheese or other semi-hard cheese. The texture was firm, but pliable and didn’t have the same plastic look or feel as others on the list. The flavor was mild, but super smooth and testers enjoyed it both right out of the package and at room temperature. It was the unanimous winner in the grilled cheese category, mostly thanks to its incredible meltability, which made for a superior cheese pull. While not cheap, it’s also not the most expensive cheese on the list, so maybe save this one for special American cheese moments. Like Land O’Lakes, it will require a trip to the deli counter, but if you like American cheese, it’s worth the deli counter transaction.