Old Dutch – Cheese Pleesers

Old Dutch isn’t a Canadian brand in the sense that it was started by our Southern neighbors and migrated north to make a name for itself. Nowadays though, when a lot of us think of the brand, we also think of it as a Canadian staple. I guess part of it is the fact that historically Canadian snack brands like Humpty Dumpty were once Canadian owned before being bought by Old Dutch. Either way, the brand has made it’s footprint in the Frigid North, and we appreciate it all the same.

While Old Dutch is fairly well established in my area, I can’t speak to the rest of Canada. What I can say though, is that it’s not small and has a clear and distinct presence everywhere. You know you’re a decently sized brand when you can find product at gas stations, grocery stores and convenience stores everywhere. I’ve gone on record saying I prefer some of Old Dutch’s products when compared to bigger international brands, and it’s for that reason that I was interested in trying today’s snack.

I doubt I have to tell anyone why today’s snack is iconic, but I will mention that I have never tried these. The biggest reason for that is two fold – I don’t particularly opt for cheese puffs as a go to, and surprisingly enough I have yet to see these in my local store fronts. I would definitely notice if these were on sale in my area, as the packaging looks like it was taken straight from the 70s o 80s and hasn’t been updated at all to give it a truly vintage feel.

These are quite airy and have the distinct melt in your mouth quality that all cheese puffs have. These don’t leave much grit behind so it’s a pretty smooth melt and finish. There are the occasional pieces that leave behind a bit more grit and make it noticeable that it’s cornmeal, but I like to think it adds a bit of authenticity to the experience.

I don’t have a Cheeto nearby to do a side by side, but going off memory I feel like these are a bit more mild in flavour and not quite as pungent or cheesy. Perhaps it’s the cheese flavouring they use, but I feel like Cheetos has some Parmesan in the mix that gives it the distinct smell. This doesn’t have it and feels more like a straight forward cheddar. While I can see merit to both, I tend to prefer a more straight forward, cheesy flavour that isn’t as pungent, so I like these a bit more.

If you are like me and like a less pungent cheese, these will definitely be to your liking. Even if you prefer a stronger, more pungent flavour I’m guessing you would like these. Cheese puffs are a universally enjoyed snack and these do that part quite well.