Have you ever grabbed a pack of cheese at the store without reading the label, only to get home and wonder if what you’re eating is even real cheese? You’re not alone. After testing multiple brands of American cheese, we found some that made us question our life choices. From rubbery textures to artificial aftertastes, some brands left us seriously disappointed. So before you make your next sandwich, check out our honest ranking of cheese brands from worst to best.
Great Value cheese fails basic melt test
When you want cheese for your sandwich or burger, the bare minimum expectation is that it should melt properly. Unfortunately, Walmart’s Great Value cheese doesn’t even meet this basic requirement. During our testing, we found this cheese stubbornly refusing to melt, instead turning into an odd, separated mess that ruined our grilled cheese sandwiches. The texture right out of the package isn’t much better – stiff, plastic-like, and lacking the smooth creaminess you’d expect from decent cheese.
What’s worse is what’s actually in these slices. A quick look at the ingredient list reveals a shocking amount of additives and preservatives. With high levels of saturated fat and likely use of antibiotics and hormones in production, Great Value cheese represents everything that’s wrong with ultra-processed food. Many consumers have reported an unpleasant aftertaste that lingers long after eating, making this a brand we strongly suggest avoiding unless you absolutely have no other options.
Hickory Farms cheese tastes far from natural
Hickory Farms might be known for their gift baskets, but their cheese should stay out of your shopping cart. The first bite immediately reveals something off about the flavor – there’s an artificial quality that’s hard to ignore. What should be simple, delicious cheese instead tastes like it came from a lab rather than a dairy. The texture is oddly smooth in a way that real cheese isn’t, and it breaks apart in strange ways when you try to slice it, almost like it’s been designed to look like cheese rather than actually be cheese.
The problems don’t stop at taste and texture. Hickory Farms cheese products contain concerning levels of synthetic dyes and food additives that serve no purpose other than making the product look more appealing on the shelf. The sodium content is through the roof, even by processed cheese standards. Many consumers report feeling thirsty after eating it – never a good sign when it comes to food quality. If you’re looking for cheese that actually tastes like it came from milk, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Kraft Singles aren’t legally cheese
There’s a reason Kraft Singles packages say “Singles” instead of “cheese” – they legally can’t call it cheese. According to food labeling laws, a product needs to contain at least 51% cheese curds to earn the name “cheese,” and Kraft Singles fall short of this requirement. What you’re actually eating is a “pasteurized prepared cheese product” – a mixture of milk proteins, fats, and a whole lot of additives. The texture is rubbery and artificial, with a synthetic aftertaste that grows more noticeable the more you eat.
Despite being an iconic American brand, Kraft’s quality has significantly declined over the years. Many people who grew up with Kraft now find it disappointing when revisiting it as adults. The cheese doesn’t melt as well as you might remember, often separating into oily patches when heated. While it might work in a pinch for a quick sandwich, there are far better options available that don’t sacrifice taste and quality. The nostalgia factor simply isn’t worth the subpar eating experience.
Velveeta should stick to dips only
Velveeta has earned its reputation as the go-to for creamy queso dip, but that’s where its usefulness should end. As a standalone cheese for sandwiches or snacking, it falls spectacularly short. The texture is bizarrely soft – somewhere between silly putty and room-temperature butter – with none of the satisfying bite of actual cheese. And while that smooth meltability works great for dips, it creates a strange, almost gluey texture when used in sandwiches or burgers that sticks to the roof of your mouth in an unpleasant way.
Then there’s the ingredient list, which reads more like a chemistry experiment than food. Velveeta contains numerous food additives of moderate concern, including various phosphates and preservatives. The flavor is intensely salty with little of the complexity you’d expect from real cheese – just a flat, one-dimensional saltiness that becomes overwhelming quickly. If you need a cheese product for a specific recipe like queso dip where that meltability is crucial, Velveeta serves its purpose. For everything else, you’d be much better served by almost any other option on our list.
Borden cheese has concerning additives
Borden cheese might look innocent enough in its packaging, but a closer look reveals some concerning issues. Right away, the texture gives it away as highly processed – there’s a slickness to it that real cheese doesn’t have, almost like it’s been coated in something. When you try to melt it, it behaves strangely, often turning oily rather than creamy. The flavor is bland at best, with a slight chemical undertone that becomes more noticeable the more you eat, leaving an unpleasant taste that lingers.
The real problem lies in what you can’t immediately see – the ingredients. Borden products frequently contain anti-caking agents and mold inhibitors that extend shelf life at the expense of quality. Many of their products have been found to contain concerning levels of dioxide and other organic pollutants. While the price point might make it tempting, the combination of artificial ingredients, subpar taste, and questionable production practices lands Borden firmly in our “not recommended” category. Your sandwiches and recipes deserve better than this.
Sargento cheese is surprisingly disappointing
Sargento often positions itself as a step up from the most processed cheese options, but our testing left us wondering if that reputation is deserved. While not the worst on our list, Sargento consistently underperformed compared to similarly priced competitors. The texture varies wildly between packages – sometimes pleasantly firm, other times oddly soft or crumbly. The flavor profile lacks complexity, offering little beyond basic saltiness and a faint tanginess that fades quickly, leaving little impression.
More concerning is what goes into making Sargento cheese. Despite their marketing suggesting otherwise, their products still contain numerous food additives of concern. Testing has suggested their products may be contaminated with dioxide and other organic pollutants. While Sargento isn’t terrible enough to throw away if you already have it in your fridge, there are definitely better options to spend your money on next time you’re at the store. When you’re paying premium prices, you should get premium quality, and Sargento simply doesn’t deliver on that promise.
Land O’Lakes offers decent middle-ground option
Moving into the better options on our list, Land O’Lakes represents a significant step up from the previous brands. The texture is noticeably more natural – firm enough to slice cleanly but still with the right amount of give that suggests real dairy rather than a science experiment. It melts properly, turning creamy rather than oily or separated. The flavor strikes a good balance between saltiness and tanginess, with a mild milky sweetness in the background that makes it versatile enough for most uses.
In taste tests, Land O’Lakes consistently scores well for its real cheese texture and balanced flavor profile. It performs excellently in grilled cheese sandwiches, melting evenly without becoming greasy. While not perfect – it still contains more additives than our top choices – Land O’Lakes offers a solid middle-ground option for everyday use. It’s widely available in most grocery stores and delivers consistent quality that makes it a reliable choice when you need something better than the budget brands but don’t want to splurge on premium options.
Organic Valley tops our list with real ingredients
After all the disappointments, Organic Valley stands out as the clear winner in our cheese brand testing. From the moment you unwrap it, the difference is obvious – this cheese looks, feels, and smells like actual cheese. The texture is perfectly firm yet pliable, slicing cleanly without crumbling or feeling rubbery. When melted, it transforms into a creamy, smooth consistency that enhances rather than detracts from your food. The flavor is rich and balanced with a genuine dairy taste that lingers pleasantly instead of leaving an artificial aftertaste.
What truly sets Organic Valley apart is their commitment to quality ingredients. They use vegetarian-friendly rennet and organic milk from cows raised without antibiotics or synthetic hormones. The lack of artificial additives is noticeable in both the flavor and how your body feels after eating it – no strange aftertaste or excessive thirst that often follows highly processed cheeses. Yes, you’ll pay more for Organic Valley, but the difference in quality makes it worth every penny. When you want cheese that actually tastes like cheese should, this is the brand to choose.
After trying all these cheese brands, the difference between the worst and best is striking. While budget options might save money upfront, they often contain questionable ingredients and disappointing flavor. For something you eat regularly, spending a bit more on quality brands like Organic Valley or Land O’Lakes makes a huge difference in taste and satisfaction. Your sandwiches, burgers, and recipes will thank you for making the upgrade.
