Randy Chandler
Dollar Tree's generic sliced and shredded cheese has received a lot of criticism for its poor melting properties. While some types of cheese, like halloumi, feta, and aged cheddars, are known for their low meltability, Dollar Tree's cheese has been described as cheese-ish and imitation cheese. The product, Sunny Acres American Slices, is labelled as Pasteurized Processed Sandwich Slices, and its ingredients list confirms its inauthenticity. Water is listed as the main ingredient, followed by food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and modified food starch. When exposed to heat, the cheese fails to melt, even after prolonged periods of grilling, baking, or microwaving. Instead, it turns into a plastic-like substance, resembling burnt solid plastic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredient | Water |
| Ingredients | Milk protein concentrate, food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, modified food starch, salt, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, stabilizer (xanthan, locust bean, guar gums), sorbic acid, lactic acid, and artificial color |
| Taste | Similar to real cheese |
| Melting | Does not melt |
| Price | $1 |
| Types | American-style, Swiss, Jalapeño, shredded, sliced |
| Brand | Sunny Acres |
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$1.72
What You'll Learn
Dollar Tree cheese is imitation cheese, not real cheese
Dollar Tree's $1 cheese has gained a reputation for being "abysmal", with several reviews claiming that it does not melt. This is because Dollar Tree cheese is imitation cheese, not real cheese.
A look at the ingredients of Dollar Tree's Sunny Acres sliced cheese reveals that it was concocted in a laboratory rather than a dairy. While it does contain milk protein concentrate, this ingredient comes after water, food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and modified food starch. Other ingredients include salt, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, stabilizer (xanthan, locust bean, guar gums), sorbic acid, lactic acid, and artificial color. In contrast, Tillamook sharp cheddar, an actual cheese, contains cultured milk, salt, enzymes, and annatto, a natural food coloring.
Sunny Acres cheese is labelled as "American Slices Pasteurized Processed Sandwich Slices", which is technically not false advertising as it does not claim to be cheese. In fact, the word "cheese" does not appear anywhere on the package. This is because, in the United States, a product must contain cheese in order to be labelled as such. As a result, Dollar Tree cheese is labelled as ""imitation cheese", which is made of chemicals loosely bound together and dyed to look like cheese.
While some Dollar Tree items are fine, the general consensus is that their $1 cheese is not one of them. It is recommended that consumers avoid purchasing this product, as it is not suitable for dishes that require melting cheese, such as grilled cheese sandwiches and quesadillas.
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Water is the main ingredient, not milk
Dollar Tree's $1 cheese has gained notoriety for its inability to melt. While some Dollar Tree items are fine, the cheese is not one of them. Food bloggers and YouTubers have attempted to melt this cheese through grilling, baking, frying, and microwaving, but to no avail. It seems that nothing short of nuclear fire could cause this cheese-like substance to melt.
So, why doesn't Dollar Tree cheese melt? One key reason is that water is the main ingredient, not milk. Yes, you read that right. Water comes first on the ingredient list, followed by food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and modified food starch. Milk protein concentrate is a distant fifth. This concoction is clearly a laboratory creation, far removed from the simple ingredients of real cheese, like cultured milk, salt, enzymes, and natural food coloring.
The high water content in Dollar Tree cheese likely contributes to its refusal to melt. Water has a higher boiling point than milk, so the cheese may need to be heated to extremely high temperatures to melt, if it can melt at all. Water also has different chemical interactions with other ingredients compared to milk, which can affect the melting properties of the final product.
Additionally, the presence of food starch and modified food starch in Dollar Tree cheese likely interferes with its melting abilities. Starches are known to absorb water, which can lead to a thicker, more gel-like consistency. This could prevent the cheese from reaching the smooth, melted consistency we typically associate with melted cheese.
It's also worth noting that the type of milk used in cheese-making matters. Real cheese is often made with cultured milk, which has been fermented by bacteria. This process affects the melting properties of the cheese. In contrast, Dollar Tree cheese uses milk protein concentrate, a highly processed form of milk protein that may not interact with other ingredients in the same way as natural milk proteins, further hindering the melting process.
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It's highly processed and made in a laboratory
The cheese sold at Dollar Tree is highly processed and is a product manufactured in a laboratory. It is designed to be a cheap, long-lasting product, and its unique composition gives it unusual properties compared to other cheeses. The cheese is made from a blend of natural cheese and analogue, or substitute cheese—a blend of oils, fats, milk, and other additives designed to mimic natural cheese. This blend is mixed, heated, and poured into molds to set. The result is a product that has the look and texture of cheese but is fundamentally different in its composition.
The cheese is designed to be a cheap, versatile product with a long shelf life. To achieve this, manufacturers have altered the cheese's fat and protein composition, which affects how it behaves when heated. Natural cheese is made from milk and contains a protein called casein. When heated, the casein breaks down, and the cheese melts. Analogue cheese, however, contains a different blend of proteins and emulsifiers, which affect how it behaves when heated.
The high proportion of oils and additives in Dollar Tree cheese means it has a much higher melting point than natural cheese. When heated, the cheese softens but does not melt in the same way. It is designed to soften enough to be spreadable but not reach a fully melted state. This is a deliberate feature of the product, designed to give it versatility in various cooking applications.
The processing and additives used in the cheese's manufacture also play a part. The cheese is designed to be consistent and uniform, with a long shelf life. This processing further alters the cheese's behavior when heated, contributing to its unusual melting properties. The result is a product that behaves very differently from natural cheese, with distinctive properties arising from its unique composition and manufacture.
In summary, Dollar Tree cheese is a highly processed, laboratory-made product with a unique composition. Its blend of natural and substitute cheese, along with various additives, gives it a high melting point and unusual melting behavior. This is intentional, providing versatility and longevity, but resulting in a cheese that behaves differently from natural cheese when heated.
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It's cheap, but people are stupid enough to buy it
Dollar Tree's $1 cheese has been described as "abysmal", "pathetic", and "not even cheese". The product in question is Sunny Acres' "American Slices Pasteurized Processed Sandwich Slices", which are not marketed as cheese. This is because the product is formulated with water as the main ingredient, followed by food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and modified food starch. As a result, the product does not melt, even after 10 minutes of grilling.
Despite the product's poor quality, some people still choose to buy it. One reason could be that it is cheap. For those on a tight budget, Dollar Tree's cheese may seem like a more affordable option compared to other cheese products. In addition, the packaging of the cheese may also play a role in its sales. The Sunny Acres cheese slices come in a "pretty package" that resembles that of other cheese brands, which may mislead consumers into thinking that they are purchasing a similar product.
However, purchasing this product may not be a wise decision. In addition to not melting, the cheese has been described as "foul-tasting" and "disgusting". Some consumers have also expressed concerns about the mysterious nature of the product, as there is very little information about Sunny Acres online. Furthermore, the long list of unrecognisable ingredients has led some to question the safety and nutritional value of the product.
While it is true that not all cheese melts, even when heated, this is usually the case for certain types of cheese such as halloumi, feta, and older cheddars. These cheeses have a high melting point and tend to retain their shape even when cooked. However, they are still considered to be cheese products and are made primarily from dairy. On the other hand, Dollar Tree's imitation cheese is a highly processed product that bears little resemblance to actual cheese.
In conclusion, while Dollar Tree's $1 cheese may be cheap, it is important to consider the potential drawbacks before purchasing it. The product has been widely criticised for its poor quality, taste, and inability to melt. Additionally, the mysterious nature of the product and its unrecognisable ingredients may pose potential health risks. For just a small increase in price, consumers can find cheese products that are of significantly better quality and are actually made from cheese.
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It melts like non-microwavable plastic, not cheese
Dollar Tree's $1 cheese has been described as "abysmal", with some people even mistaking it for plastic. It has been reported that the cheese does not melt, even when heated in a pan, the microwave, or the oven. One user on Lipstick Alley reported that they tried to make quesadillas with the Dollar Tree shredded cheese, but the cheese did not melt, even after they tried heating it in the microwave and oven.
The reason for this may lie in the ingredients of the cheese. While it does contain milk protein concentrate, this comes after water, food starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and modified food starch. The ingredients suggest that the product is highly processed and may be more akin to imitation cheese than real cheese.
In fact, the product cannot be labelled as cheese in the US, as it does not meet the legal definition of cheese, which requires the product to contain cheese. Instead, the label reads "American Slices Pasteurized Processed Sandwich Slices", indicating that it is a processed product.
The behaviour of the cheese when heated further reinforces the notion that it is not genuine cheese. One user on Reddit reported that the cheese turned into something resembling "blackened, solid plastic" after being grilled for almost 10 minutes. This suggests that the product has a high melting point, if it melts at all, which is more typical of plastic than cheese.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the Dollar Tree cheese does not melt like regular cheese. Its behaviour is more akin to non-microwavable plastic, further supporting the notion that it is imitation cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Dollar Tree cheese doesn't melt because it's not real cheese. Water is the main ingredient, and it contains other ingredients like food starch, soybean oil, and artificial colouring.
When heated, Dollar Tree cheese doesn't melt. Instead, it turns into something resembling blackened, solid plastic.
Dollar Tree sells generic sliced and shredded cheese, which is often labelled as "imitation cheese" or "cheese food".
No, Dollar Tree cheese is not considered real cheese. While it does contain milk protein concentrate, this is not the primary ingredient, and it is not labelled as cheese.
Yes, there are cheaper alternatives to Dollar Tree cheese that taste better and have ingredients closer to real cheese. For example, you can find blocks of non-generic cheese at Dollar Tree that are reportedly "okay".
