Cheese Whiz is a product of Kraft which is one of the most popular cheese spreads in the United States.
This yellowish-orange, gooey, and bland-tasting cheese is perfect for parties and even for regular snacking at home.
The mouth-watering and popular Cheez Whiz is used as a spread as well as a dip.
If you recently got a big batch of Cheese Whiz, want to keep it for some time span for consuming.
You may wonder, Does Cheese Whiz Need to be Refrigerated? Or else can store it out at room temperature?
Then we would say, if Cheez Whiz is stored in a fridge at a supermarket, you definitely need to store them in the fridge at home.
If it is not stored in the fridge at a shop, you don’t need to keep it in the fridge.
But you should store it inside the fridge once it is opened.
The most important thing, after opening the Cheese Whiz jar, keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.
Generally, the packaging of the product will also give you a good indication for storage.
Here we will get to know more about Cheese whiz refrigeration and its proper storage tips.
What is Cheese Whiz?
Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce or spreads which is produced by Kraft Foods.
It was developed by a team of food scientists Edwin Traisman (1915–2007).
This is orangish-yellow in color usually comes in a glass jar.
It is used as a topping for various foods.
You can use this for tempting corn chips and hot dogs toppings too!
There are different varieties of Cheese Whiz such as Cheez Whiz, Cheez Whiz Light, Cheez Whiz Tex Mex, Cheez Whiz Italia, Cheez Whiz Bacon, Cheez Whiz Pimento, etc.
The Cheese Whiz is popular in Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, and Venezuela.
Is Cheese Whiz Real Cheese?
No, cheese Whiz is not all-natural dairy cheese or real cheese.
Then you may ask, then what is Cheez Whiz actually?
Cheez Whiz is the jarred, shelf-stable cheese sold by Kraft.
You used it as sauce or dips for various dishes.
For this, you need to know all ingredients contains Cheese Whiz.
The ingredients of Cheese Whiz are Whey, Canola oil, Milk, Milk Protein Concentrate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Contains less than 2% of Whey protein concentrate, Lactic acid, Sodium Alginate, Mustard flour, Worcestershire sauce, Sorbic acid for preservation, Milkfat, Cheese Culture, Oleoresin Paprika and Annatto for color, Natural flavor and enzymes.
Cheese Whiz Vs Easy Cheese
Many folks are often confused between cheese whiz Easy Cheese sold in aerosol cans.
But let me tell you the difference, Easy Cheese is the processed cheese spread that is sprayed out of a can. It is also known as aerosol cheese.
Cheese Whiz and Easy Cheese both are types of processed cheese product that probably have the same industrial ingredients.
But when you heat Cheez Whiz, it converts into a rich, umami-packed topping for steak sandwiches, burgers, French fries, and nachos.
On the contrary, Easy Cheese is cheese at the push of a button, and that’s just too, well, easy.
Does Cheese Whiz Need To be Refrigerated?
If you have a big batch of Cheese Whiz, then the question may grapple into your mind that, Does Cheese Whiz Need To be Refrigerated? Or it can stay good at room temperature.
How to decide about it?
The best way to decide where a particular product should be stored is by looking at where you got them.
If it is stored in a fridge at a supermarket, you definitely need to store them in the fridge at home.
If it is not stored in the fridge at a shop, you don’t need to keep it in the fridge.
Generally, the packaging of the product will also give you a good indication of the right storage method for that particular product.
Before opening, it does not need refrigeration.
It can be stored at room temperature without any problems for packaged ones if it is sealed.
The real question arises after the jar has been opened.
Where should you store the Cheese Whiz then?
After opening the Cheese Whiz jar, keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.
In our opinion, you should store it inside the fridge once it is opened.
Opened products always run the risk of deteriorating faster at room temperature than in a refrigerator.
So, we would recommend storing cheese Whiz inside the fridge once it is opened.
After opening and using some Cheese whiz, tightly keep the lid over it.
Mention the date of your Cheese Whiz container.
Then keep it in the refrigerator.
Now while keeping the food in the refrigerator always bear in mind, the new stock should always be placed behind the old stock.
Yes, this rule is applying to a commercial kitchen as well as for a home.
This ensures you are eating the food in the fridge based on the use-by date to prevent food wastage which eventually hits your wallet too!
Can You Freeze Cheez Whiz?
If the question may arise in your mind, can you freeze Cheese Whiz?
Then we suggest doing one little experiment and you will get your answer easily.
Freeze half a cup of Cheez Whiz for a few days and thaw it.
Now see whether it is still good or gone bad. If it separates, then don’t freeze it.
If you find it good, then freeze the rest if it’s successful.
But as per the Kraft website, cheez whiz is supposed to be good for 5 months in the fridge after opening.
You don’t need to freeze it.
How To Heap Up Cheez Whiz?
such as Cheez Whiz is a processed cheese contain stabilizers that help maintain its soft shape.
Cheez Whiz is a sauce, which makes the heating process quite straightforward.
You can heat up Cheez Whiz by two methods – the microwave or a stovetop.
When you heated it up, it becomes pourable and work well for hot foods such as nachos or Philly cheese steak sandwiches.
Microwave
Scoop the Cheez Whiz out of the jar into a microwave safe bowl.
Keep the bowl into the microwave.
Cover it with a paper towel to avoid any splatter.
Heat up the Cheez Whiz on high temperature for 30 seconds.
Stir it and heat again a second time.
Continue this procedure till it gets hot enough.
Then use it as mentioned in your recipe.
You will be able to pour it just after 2 to 3 minutes of heating up .
Stovetop
Take a sauce pan and transfer the Cheez Whiz to it. Turn the heat on low.
Stir the sauce constantly until it becomes pourable.
Then follow the directions as per your recipe to complete the dish.
One thing keep in mind that Kraft does not recommend heating the sauce in the jar.
Does Cheese Whiz Go Bad/ Expire?
If you want to know, does Cheese Whiz go bad, then there are a couple of ways to look at this.
For any packaged food you have to keep an eye on use-by dates.
Any food that has beyond its use-by date should not be eaten because harmful bacteria has had a chance to grow and make the food dangerous to your health.
There are dates mentioned on Cheese Whiz.
It is a guide for shelf stockers and they are “Sell by’’ dates.
The best flavor of Cheez Whiz is five months after that date.
However, if the unopened Cheese Whiz has been handled precisely, it can be eaten past the five-month limit.
There are also some signs of Cheese whiz gone bad that is smell and appearance.
If the Cheese Whiz smells bad, discard it where animals cannot reach it.
If you find any visible mold on your cheese Whiz or you find any visible separation then also you need to discard it.
What are the Substitutes for Cheez Whiz?
Velveeta cheese is a popular substitute for Cheez Whiz.
Cheez whiz is processed cheese that melts nicely like Velveeta.
So, if you are making sandwiches, dips, and snacks you can use Velveeta cheese instead of Cheez Whiz.
Another substitute is melted processed American cheese slices.
You can use processed American cheese slices instead of Cheez Whiz in different recipes.
There is another substitute for Cheez Whiz that is making Cheez Whiz recipe at home.
If you are health conscious, you can make your own healthy version of Cheez Whiz at home.
By making it at home, you will be aware of what goes into your food.
Where Can I Buy Cheese Whiz?
You can buy Cheez Whiz at the nearest your supermarket or grocery store.
But you can also buy it online at Amazon.
You can find here a variety of Cheez Whiz and buy your favorite flavor at a discounted price.
You don’t need to run to the grocery store instead you can get it just by sitting at your home.
Related Questions
Is Cheez Whiz Gluten free?
As you know Cheez Whiz is made by Kraft.
Kraft has a policy of disclosing any gluten containing ingredients in their products on the food label ingredient list.
In the Cheez Whiz ingredient listing, there is no gluten ingredients in Cheez Whiz.
So, Cheez Whiz does not have any of those ingredients, therefore Cheez Whiz is considered as gluten-free.
But Cheez Whiz is not certified as gluten free product, which means there is no way to confirm that the ingredients are naturally gluten free and free from cross-contamination.
Is Cheez Whiz Vegan?
No, Cheez Whiz is not vegan. If you look at the ingredients, you can gauge that it is not vegan.
Final Thoughts
Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese that is packed in jars with thin metal caps.
Today, you can find the same product, as well as other versions, are still available.
If you have a large batch of Cheez Whiz, now you know very well, Does Cheese Whiz Need to be Refrigerated or not, how to store it in the refrigerator, and its shelf life.
When you find it separated or moldy, discard it right away.
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