The History of the Grilled Cheese

We’ve all had a craving at one point or another for the greasy, cheesy, soul-warming sandwich known as the grilled cheese. A common staple for most restaurants, the grilled cheese is one of the most popular sandwiches with seemingly endless ingredient options. Here at the Committed Pig, we know a thing or two about a grilled cheese and have been thinking a lot recently about how this delicacy came to be what we know today.

Although the idea of putting bread and cheese together has been around since ancient times, the grilled cheese we know and love was thought to have originated in the United States during the 1920’s. At the time, loaves of bread were inexpensive and processed cheese had gained popularity, becoming readily available to the people. The grilled cheese quickly became a basic part of the average person’s diet and it’s not hard to see why.

Through the American Great Depression of the 1930’s, the grilled cheese remained popular due to its inexpensive ingredients. Then, during World War II, the Allied forces continued to enjoy the sandwich as it made its way into cookbooks found in the chef’s kitchens. Before long, it was seen regularly in schools and in your average household. It was on its way to becoming the kids’ favorite meal.

Did you know that through the 1940’s and 50’s, they were originally prepared in an open-faced manner with grated American cheese on top? Then in 1965, when grocery stores began stocking their shelves with the newly beloved Kraft singles, the idea of adding a second piece of bread came to life, finally making it a closed sandwich. This added substance to the sandwich, leaving people much more satisfied with their meal. This was also around the time the phrase “grilled cheese” came to be, often referred to as “toasted cheese” or “melted cheese” in years prior.

This comfort food, with around 100 years of successfully feeding the American population, continues with its evergreen status on menus around the country. At the Committed Pig, we like to think our grilled cheese sandwiches are a work of art, as we take the concept of the traditional recipe and expand upon it with delicious fixings.

Depending on your taste, start by trying our grilled cheese made with American and cheddar jack, paired with a warm bowl of tomato soup to make the perfect dipping duo. If you want to venture out a bit, go with the garlic avocado grilled cheese made with avocado, sun dried tomato pesto, muenster cheese grilled in garlic butter and a side of fries. Drooling yet? Curious to see our other cheesy options? Feel free to browse our online menu or stop by one of our three locations to try one for yourself! Ask about our specials to see if we have any new creations for you to devour.

We are curious what the next 100 years of grilled cheese will look like, but whatever it may be, we hope to be a part of it!