Crunchy or puffy, bright orange and dusted with cheese powder, cheese doodles are a classic American snack. National Cheese Doodle Day, on March 5, celebrates them, along with the orange fingertips they leave behind. Whether you prefer crunchy curls or airy puffs, it is a fun day to enjoy a bag, try them in a recipe or learn how a machine for animal feed helped create a snack icon.
History of National Cheese Doodle Day
Cheese puffs and curls are made by a process called extrusion. Cornmeal is mixed with water and forced through a hot machine under pressure. When the dough leaves the machine, the sudden drop in pressure makes it puff up.
The story usually traces back to Wisconsin in the 1930s, when Edward Wilson of the Flakall Corporation, which made animal feed, noticed that moist cornmeal came out of a grinding machine as puffy ribbons. The company seasoned and sold them as snacks. In the late 1940s and 1950s, several companies developed their own cheese-coated corn snacks, including the cheese doodles made in New York and the curls and puffs sold by other brands.
Cheese doodles became a staple of American snacking after World War II, popular at parties, in lunchboxes and at ballgames. Who created National Cheese Doodle Day is not documented.
Why National Cheese Doodle Day Matters
Cheese doodles are a nostalgic snack for many Americans, linked to childhood, road trips and parties.
They are also an interesting example of food science, showing how heat and pressure can change the texture of simple ingredients.
How to Celebrate National Cheese Doodle Day
- Do a taste test: compare crunchy and puffy cheese snacks.
- Make a coating: crush cheese doodles to bread chicken or mac and cheese.
- Learn the science: read about how extrusion puffs up cornmeal.
- Make a snack mix: combine cheese doodles with popcorn and pretzels.
- Use chopsticks: eat them with chopsticks to keep fingers clean.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, a cheesy snack bar with different chips and puffs makes a fun afternoon break, with a gluten-free option for colleagues who need it. In classrooms, cheese doodles are a lighthearted way to explore food science: students can learn how pressure and heat make corn puff, compare the volume of a puff before and after crushing, or test which snacks dissolve fastest in water. At home, families can make a homemade snack mix for movie night, or try an 'adult' version by using crushed cheese puffs as a crispy topping on baked mac and cheese. Keep a napkin handy for orange fingers.
Fun Facts About National Cheese Doodle Day
- Cheese puffs are made by extrusion, a process that uses heat and pressure.
- The first puffed corn snacks are linked to a Wisconsin animal feed company in the 1930s.
- The orange color comes from cheese powder and coloring such as annatto.
National Cheese Doodle Day FAQs
When is National Cheese Doodle Day?
National Cheese Doodle Day is March 5.
How are cheese doodles made?
Cornmeal is pushed through a hot extruder, where pressure makes it puff, then it is coated in cheese powder.
Who invented cheese puffs?
The idea is often traced to Edward Wilson and the Flakall Corporation in Wisconsin in the 1930s.
What makes them orange?
Cheese powder plus colorings such as annatto or paprika.