In the 1940's, the U.S. has a cheese problem—too much of it! Thanks to government dairy programs during World War II, America found itself with an enormous surplus of cheese, and people were wondering what to do with all this extra dairy goodness.

Enter cheese powder, the hero of our story. The U.S. government, determined not to waste this cheesy windfall, decided to find a way to preserve cheese for longer periods of time. After a lot of experimenting, scientists came up with a method to dehydrate cheese, turning it into a fine, shelf-stable cheese powder that could last much longer and be easily sprinkled onto all kinds of foods.

But the real magic happened when an enterprising snack maker named Charles Elmer Doolin got wind of this new cheese powder. Doolin, who was already in the snack business (he invented Fritos!), saw the potential for a cheesy snack revolution. And thus, the idea for Cheetos was born.

How Cheetos Came to Be

In 1948, Doolin started experimenting with cornmeal, which he puffed up and then coated with the newly-invented cheese powder. The result? A crunchy, cheesy, finger-staining snack that was unlike anything else on the market. He called them Cheetos, and they quickly became a hit. The combination of the crispy puff and the savory cheese coating was irresistible!

Cheetos were an instant success, and soon after their creation, Doolin teamed up with the Frito Company to help distribute them nationwide. Eventually, Frito merged with Lay’s, and Frito-Lay became the snack powerhouse we know today, thanks in part to that delicious cheese powder.

Cheese Powder Takes Over

Cheese powder didn’t stop with Cheetos, though. It became a staple in other foods too—think mac and cheese, cheesy popcorn, and more. That surplus cheese from the 1940s found its way into kitchens across the country in powdered form, revolutionizing the way people enjoyed their favorite cheesy snacks.