This Is The Country That Eats The Most Cheese In The World

Looking at the map of the highest per capita cheese consumption around the world, you might not be surprised to see that Europe stands out as the hotspot of this particular dairy product. According to World Population Review, the top 11 countries for cheese consumption are all European. But the one that stands above the rest — albeit by a relatively small margin — still might surprise you. It is in the heart of the Alps that cheese consumption allegedly reaches its peak, with the population of Switzerland consuming an average of 51.8 pounds of cheese per person per year.

While the Swiss' proclivity for devouring the likes of Emmental, raclette, and gruyère — the last of which was crowned the world's best cheese in 2022 — may put them at the top of the chart for overall consumption, it is important to note that behind them are 10 other European countries with diets that average 47.8 pounds of cheese per person per year, which is a difference of just about 8%.

According to the World Population Review, those countries are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Czechia, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Luxembourg, and Iceland, though it's worth noting that other sources vary on the particulars. Either way four pounds of cheese is still a decent margin of victory for Switzerland, considering it makes up more than 10% of the average per capita cheese consumption in the U.S., which clocks in at about 39.5 pounds per person.

At 51.8 pounds of cheese per year, we're talking about one pound of cheese per person weekly in the Swiss diet. With that level of consumption, you'd have to assume that Switzerland would be home to not only excellent cheeses themselves but also a wide collection of cheese-related dishes — and you'd be right. The first Swiss cheese dish that comes to mind is likely cheese fondue. A classic cheese fondue recipe makes use of little more than good-quality cheese, wine and sometimes brandy, spices, and aromatics to make an exquisite dip for bread, fruits, and vegetables.

Raclette is another cheese dish from Switzerland that has found significant global fame due in part to its social-media-worthy presentation. Raclette is itself a cheese, but it can also refer to a particular preparation in which the melted cheese is poured over plates of things like potatoes, bread, or vegetables. The name raclette actually comes from the French word "racler," which means "to scrape," a reference to the presentation you might have seen on your social media feed, where a wheel of the cheese is broiled until bubbly and then scraped off onto the plate. If this description has your mouth watering, don't worry, we have plenty of tips for making raclette at home.

As you may expect, the list of cheesy Swiss dishes goes on and on, and we can't write about them all. But with delicious dishes like cheese rösti, croûtes au fromage, and Älplermagronen — a Swiss-style macaroni and cheese dish often served with applesauce — it isn't hard to see how Switzerland ended up at the top of the cheese-eaters list.