Is Cheez Whiz Banned In Canada? Here's The Big Myth Debunked

Have you ever heard that Cheez Whiz is banned in Canada? That processed, spreadable, cheesy goo in a jar has been around since 1953, and it's been available to both Americans and Canadians this whole time. In fact, Kraft Heinz is Canada's largest food and beverage company and has been operating north of the border for over a century. Canadians grew up not just with Kraft Dinner but Cheez Whiz, a staple since its invention. That said, it isn't exactly the same as the American version, and it isn't the only processed cheese product that differs between the two countries.

Canadian Cheez Whiz is manufactured at the Kraft processing plant in Mount Royal, Quebec. The labels on American Cheez Whiz also state that the product is produced in Canada, but distributed in Chicago. Interestingly, Canada actually has a long history with processed cheese. It was Canadian James L. Kraft who first patented processed cheese products in America. The final product drastically varies between countries, however.

American Cheez Whiz contains no actual cheese. Instead, it is made with whey, canola oil, milk protein concentrate, and maltodextrin, among other ingredients. Canadian Cheez Whiz is made with modified milk ingredients, water, vegetable oil, and cheese, as well as other additions. The latter is also branded as a processed cheese spread since Canadian regulations require anything containing no less than 51% cheese and 20% milk fat to labeled as such. The American version of Cheez Whiz, labeled as a cheese dip, doesn't fall under any specific labeling requirements — cheese dip is a generic term that doesn't have to meet standards set for cheese or milk ingredients.

Canadian Cheez Whiz is typically served on toast or even on celery sticks. It can be melted and used as a sauce on baked potatoes or broccoli, or even to level up boxed mac and cheese. It has a consistency like a lower-fat cream cheese or a remarkably smooth peanut butter. It's not as gelatinous as the American version, though not nearly as firm and creamy as true cream cheese.

Although Canada does (and always did) have Cheez Whiz, what Canadian stores lack is Cheez Whiz in a can – or any kind of spray cheese, for that matter. There doesn't appear to be any blatant regulatory or legal reason for the lack of spray cheese. It simply does not seem to be a product that ever caught on in Canada. It can be specially ordered online, and stores that stock American goods will sometimes have it on hand, but it's not widely available for purchase in major chains. 

Jars of Cheez Whiz, which come in 250-gram, 450-gram, or 900-gram sizes, are available in all major Canadian supermarket chains from coast to coast. The fact that some people only know Cheez Whiz as a canned product in the United States may have led to the myth that Canadians don't have it at all. Rest assured, if you ever visit Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, or Halifax, there will be plenty of spreadable cheese product nearby.