Sales of processed cheeses (think Kraft Singles) have been steadily declining over the past few years, due to health-conscious millennials with the reflexive notion that "processed" products are of poor quality and nutrition. While you may be tempted to jump on this bandwagon, this American staple has an indispensable culinary value.

When it comes to an excellent grilled cheese or a cheeseburger, processed cheese melts better than any other. As Food & Wine's Stacey Ballis says, “[...] American [cheese] melts in a way that fuses into the meat itself, draping over every crevice and crater, creating a new independent food that is simply the essence of a cheeseburger."

While many believe that processed cheese isn’t real cheese, most products are about 50% real cheese mixed with other ingredients like salt, dyes, preservatives, or emulsifiers, and more, giving it a long shelf life. Just like we sometimes choose a plain lager over a craft IPA, we should feel free to pick a processed American cheese over an artisanal one.