Bushra Griffith
The grilled cheese sandwich is a staple of many diets, but when was it first made? While similar recipes are mentioned in ancient Roman texts, the modern grilled cheese sandwich is commonly traced back to the 1920s, when sliced bread was invented and processed cheese was introduced. The term grilled cheese didn't appear in print until the 1960s, and the sandwich has since been featured in films such as the 1993 classic Benny & Joon, where a young Johnny Depp cooks a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches using a clothes iron.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First dependable reference | 1926 |
| Earliest similar recipes | Ancient Roman texts |
| Earliest similar recipes | Croque monsieurs, early 1900s |
| Earliest similar recipes | Cheese dreams, 1899 |
| Earliest similar recipes | Anthimus, Greek physician, warned against "roasted" cheese in the sixth century |
| Earliest similar recipes | Harry Graham's "Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes" (1898) mentions making toast |
| Introduction of sliced bread | 1920s |
| Introduction of processed cheese | 1916 |
| Introduction of Kraft Singles | 1950 |
| Introduction of second slice of bread | 1960s |
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What You'll Learn
- The first grilled cheese sandwich was likely made during the Great Depression
- The term 'grilled cheese' was first used in the 1960s
- Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles in 1950
- The ancient Romans had recipes similar to grilled cheese
- In 2021, Everglazed, a doughnut shop at Walt Disney World in Florida, began selling a sweet version of the grilled cheese sandwich
The first grilled cheese sandwich was likely made during the Great Depression
In the 1940s and '50s, grilled cheese sandwiches were often served open-faced, with grated cheese on a single slice of bread. In 1950, Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles, individually wrapped slices of processed cheese, and supermarkets began stocking them in 1965. It was around this time that a second slice of bread was added on top, creating the modern grilled cheese sandwich.
The term "grilled cheese" didn't appear in print until the 1960s; before that, these sandwiches were called "toasted cheese" or "melted cheese" sandwiches. The first dependable reference to a grilled cheese sandwich in print is from 1926, suggesting that others came slightly earlier. However, the concept of melting cheese and serving it with bread has a long history, dating back to at least the sixth century when the Greek physician Anthimus warned against "roasted" cheese.
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The term 'grilled cheese' was first used in the 1960s
In the early 1900s, the French were making their famous croque monsieurs, and in 1916, Kraft introduced processed cheese. The grilled cheese sandwich as we know it today, however, is commonly traced back to the 1920s, when Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented a bread slicer that made distributing white bread easy and affordable. Shortly before that, in 1914, James L. Kraft, an entrepreneur whose revolutionary pasteurising process ensured that cheese wouldn't spoil, even when transported long distances, patented processed cheese.
In the 1940s and '50s, grilled cheese sandwiches were usually served open-faced, with one slice of bread topped with grated cheese. In 1950, Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles – individually wrapped slices of processed cheese – and supermarkets began stocking them in 1965. Around this time, a second slice of bread was added on top, likely to make the sandwich more filling, and the modern notion of a grilled cheese sandwich was born.
Before the term 'grilled cheese' was used in the 1960s, these sandwiches were known as 'toasted cheese' or 'melted cheese' sandwiches. They were also referred to as 'cheese dreams' during the Great Depression, and an 1899 recipe for cheese dreams has been found.
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Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles in 1950
The grilled cheese sandwich is thought to have originated in the 1920s, when Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented a bread slicer that made distributing white bread easy and affordable. Shortly before that, in 1916, processed cheese had been patented by James L. Kraft, an entrepreneur whose revolutionary pasteurising process ensured that cheese wouldn't spoil, even when transported long distances.
In 1950, Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles, which were initially called "Kraft De Luxe Process Slices". These were the first commercially packaged cheese slices in the world. They were not individually wrapped at first, but in August 1956, an American engineer named Arnold Nawrocki developed a machine that could wrap each slice in a transparent, pliant wrapper. Kraft Singles as we know them today, individually wrapped cheese slices, began to appear in supermarkets in 1965.
The 1940s and '50s saw the rise of the open-faced grilled cheese sandwich, which consisted of one slice of bread topped with grated cheese. However, it was the addition of a second slice of bread on top, likely to make the sandwich more filling, that gave birth to the modern notion of a grilled cheese sandwich. It's worth noting that the term "grilled cheese" didn't appear in print until the 1960s; before that, these sandwiches were known as toasted cheese or melted cheese sandwiches.
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The ancient Romans had recipes similar to grilled cheese
While the modern notion of a grilled cheese sandwich is commonly traced back to the 1920s, the ancient Romans had recipes similar to grilled cheese. In fact, similar recipes are mentioned in ancient Roman texts. The ancient Romans were known for their love of cheese and bread, and it is likely that they enjoyed a dish similar to the grilled cheese sandwich that we know and love today.
The ancient Romans had access to a variety of cheeses, including fresh cheeses such as ricotta and mozzarella, as well as harder cheeses such as pecorino and Parmesan. They also had a variety of breads, including flatbreads, focaccia, and even an early form of sliced bread.
One can imagine a Roman citizen sitting down to a meal of fresh bread, topped with melted cheese and perhaps a few herbs or spices for added flavour. This simple yet delicious dish would have been a comforting and satisfying meal, much like the grilled cheese sandwiches that we enjoy today.
In addition to their love of cheese and bread, the ancient Romans also had a sophisticated understanding of food preservation. They used a variety of techniques, such as salting, drying, and smoking, to preserve their food, including cheese. This would have allowed them to enjoy grilled cheese-like dishes even when fresh cheese and bread were not readily available.
While the specific ingredients and preparation methods may have differed, the ancient Romans undoubtedly enjoyed a dish that was similar in spirit to the grilled cheese sandwiches that we know and love today. Their culinary legacy lives on in the grilled cheese sandwiches that we enjoy, whether they are made with sliced bread and processed cheese, or a more ancient variety of bread and cheese.
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In 2021, Everglazed, a doughnut shop at Walt Disney World in Florida, began selling a sweet version of the grilled cheese sandwich
The grilled cheese sandwich is thought to have originated in the 1920s, when sliced bread was invented and processed cheese was introduced. In 1950, Kraft Foods introduced Kraft Singles, individually wrapped slices of processed cheese, which were stocked in supermarkets in 1965. However, the term 'grilled cheese' didn't appear in print until the 1960s, when the second slice of bread was added to the sandwich.
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Frequently asked questions
The first grilled cheese sandwich was likely made in the 1920s, when sliced bread was invented and processed cheese was patented.
Before the term 'grilled cheese' was used in the 1960s, the sandwiches were called 'toasted cheese' or 'melted cheese'.
The first recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich was likely an open-faced sandwich with one slice of bread topped with grated cheese.
