VELVEETA — FAR FROM HOMEMADE™

Information updated December 2023

Velveeta must be one of the oldest branded products in America. Let's take a Then vs. Now look and see how the product has changed over the years.

Here’s an old Kraft Velveeta print ad which notes that, “Velveeta is a product built up as a result of scientific research carried on in the laboratory of Rutgers University at Newark, N.J.":

Note above lower right that Velveeta is referred to as a 'Cheese Food'. 

Velveeta was also once designated as a “Pastuerized Process Cheese Spread.” Below is an old print ad which shows how the brand was positioned for children utilizing dairy as a nutritional anchor:

“Velveeta is the ‘children’s special'  . . .  it’s FULL OF HEALTH FROM MILK.” There is an icon of a milk pitcher with a package of Velveeta featured inside the pitcher.

Velveeta once contained American Cheese and Cream.

Let's look at an old package of Kraft Velveeta and see what the ingredients were decades ago:

VELVEETA NOW

In 2023, Velveeta is owned by Kraft Heinz (Source: Kraft Heinz My Food and Family Web site and Walmart Web site 12/23)

Now, Kraft Heinz’s Velveeta is classified as a "Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Product".

SIGNIFICANT INGREDIENT CHANGES: Numerous ingredient changes have happened to the Velveeta product over time >> It is now able to sit on a shelf for a long period of time and still be safe to consume. (Source for Velveeta ingredients: Kraft Heinz My Food and Family Web site and Walmart Web site 12/23)

You might see Velveeta in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, suggesting that Velveeta actually needs to be refrigerated, but it does not.

Kraft Heinz Velveeta contains Sorbic Acid which Whole Foods Market has banned, stating Sorbic Acid is "Unacceptable in food." (Source: Amazon Whole Foods Web site 12/23)

In addition to Added Colors and Chemical Preservatives, the Velveeta product also contains numerous chemicals in the form of Thickening Agents and Emulsifiers which give Velveeta its unique melting properties. 

VELVEETA THEN vs. NOW: The ingredients for Velveeta have certainly changed a lot over the years. Here are the ingredients in Velveeta Then vs. Now 2023 comparison.

Once upon a time, Velveeta had 8 ingredients and required refrigeration. Now, Velveeta has 21 ingredients and is shelf-stable.

Kraft Heinz Velveeta is an extreme example of Then vs. Now >> the differences are so significant, it's as though it is a completely different product. 

Q: HOW DOES VELVEETA COMPARE TO HOMEMADE CHEESE? Usually, we take a closer look at the ingredients as compared to a homemade recipe >> not in this case. Why?

A: Velveeta cannot be compared to homemade cheese because we would not be able to make a shelf-stable product like Velveeta at home >> a cheese-like product that can sit on the shelf for months; there is no homemade version of Velveeta. 

So, let's look at Velveeta through the Not In Kitchen™ lens instead.

KRAFT HEINZ VELVEETA HAS 16 INGREDIENTS Not In Kitchen:  The items circled in red below are ingredients designated as Not In Kitchen >> if we were making cheese at home, these items would not be in our kitchens.

In the case of Kraft Heinz Velveeta Original, there are only five ingredients which are not circled. The 16 items circled in red below are ingredients Not In Kitchen when making homemade cheese. 

Shown below, Kraft Extra Sharp Cheddar vs. Veleveeta. Real cheese is made with fewer + simpler ingredients.

And we end with old print ads for Velveeta including the ever-popular Velveeta Jelly Omelet and the Velveeta Jellygrill Sandwich:

Discover food + beverages whose ingredients are Closest To Homemade in 275+ categories. Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list.

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