Scientists reveal why you shouldn’t use grated cheese in a sandwich

It’s one of Britain’s go-to lunches, dating back nearly 400 years. 

But according to experts, all these years we’ve been making the humble cheese sandwich wrong. 

Scientists say we should slice cheese for a sandwich instead of grating it – a common error which leaves bits falling out of the sides. 

And rather than using a knife to slice it, we should be using an overlooked and underused kitchen utensil instead. 

Dr Nutsuda Sumonsiri, a lecturer in food science and technology at Teesside University, said sliced cheese better ‘retains structure and provides a more even mouthfeel’. 

‘For a cold sandwich, sliced cheese is generally preferable,’ she told MailOnline. 

The ‘sliced versus grated’ debate has reached TikTok, where it has been dividing opinion.

In a clip, British TikToker @amytrackandtrail said: ‘Grated cheese is messy – when you’re eating the sandwich the grated cheese falls out.’

@amytrackandtrail also admitted that she’d grate cheese if paired with pickle, but slice it if paired with other fillings such as crisps.

Someone replied ‘always grated! I will die on this hill’ while another said: ‘I use a potato peeler for my cheese, can’t go back to grated!’

Generally, the purpose of grating cheese is to quickly cover as wide a surface area as possible, making a small bit of cheese go a long way. 

This is ideal for dishes such as baked potato or spaghetti bolognese, where you want to get a little slither of cheese on every morsel. 

But the approach has never been meant for a sandwich, where the aim is to keep the ingredients within two slices of bread. 

The British public have a tendency to used grated cheese for their sandwich, even though the pieces constantly fall out and make a mess. 

Instead, Dr Sumonsiri recommends slicing ultra-thin slices of cheese, measuring only around 2 to 3 millimetres (0.07 to 0.11 of an inch). 

‘Thinner slices – ideally around 2–3 mm – are recommended as they strike a balance between ease of biting and good flavour release without overwhelming the bread-to-filling ratio,’ she told MailOnline. 

To achieve this ideal thickness, she suggests using a cheese slicer – the handheld metal utensil with flat, spatula-like shape and a sharp-edged slot. This instrument results in long, uniform ribbons and is a particularly solid choice for semi-hard cheeses such as cheddar or gouda. 

‘In domestic kitchens, a mandoline slicer with adjustable thickness settings is another useful option, though it does require careful handling,’ Dr Sumonsiri added. 

However, grated cheese is ‘often superior’ in a grilled sandwich such as a toastie, according to Dr Sumonsiri. 

‘The greater surface area of the smaller cheese pieces allows it to melt more quickly and evenly, improving overall texture and cohesion between bread layers,’ she said. 

‘The type of cheese matters too – mature cheddar, for instance, will perform quite differently from mozzarella or Emmental, due to variations in fat content, protein structure, and moisture.

‘Of course, personal preference plays a large role, and experimenting with combinations is part of the fun in sandwich making.’ 

Dr Kantha Shelke, food scientist at Johns Hopkins University, said sliced cheese for a toastie comes with a higher risk of becoming rubbery. 

‘Sliced cheese has less exposed surface area and therefore melts slower and unevenly,’ she told MailOnline. ‘For optimal results, avoid pre-shredded cheese that contain anti-caking agents which can interfere with smooth melting.’ 

Katy Fenwick, cheese making consultant and technical director at the Academy of Cheese, agreed that grated cheese has its merits. 

For example, grated cheese allows for a nice even mix when combining different cheeses – good for either a hot or cold sandwich. 

‘Aromas are more easily released with grated cheese due to increased surface area,’ Ms Fenwick told MailOnline. 

‘There is, of course, the practicalities of a grated cheese sandwiches and the likelihood of it all spilling out!’ 

In terms of accompanying spreads, Dr Sumonsiri recommends a thin protective layer of butter or mayonnaise separating the cheese from the bread, which ‘helps prevent the bread from becoming soggy and provide a pleasant mouthfeel’. 

‘For a healthier option, a thin layer of mustard or even a subtle avocado mash can work well, adding a gentle creaminess and balancing the cheese’s richness,’ she said. 

‘Regarding additional fillings, I tend to recommend keeping it relatively simple to allow the cheese to remain the star. 

‘However, a few complementary additions such as fresh tomato slices, crisp lettuce, or thinly sliced cucumber can add freshness and texture.’

Ms Fenwick thinks any extra accompaniments in the sandwich ideally need to contrast with the richness of the cheese. 

Good examples are piccalilli with cheddar, cornichons with brie, chilli jam with goats’ cheese and fruit bread with wensleydale. 

According to another set of academics, the perfect sandwich has a symmetrical arrangement with the wetter elements placed in the centre.

These wetter elements tend to be the salad ingredients that give an essential crunch – so lettuce, or perhaps some gherkin or pickled onion. 

Tomato is a risky addition because it has so much water in it, which can also dilute the overall flavour of the sandwich – so you might want to heat it in an oven or a food dehydrator. 

However you prepare your sandwich, Ms Fenwick stresses that it should soon be chilled if not eaten immediately.

‘We don’t recommend eating a cheese sandwich that has been at room temperature more than four hours,’ she told MailOnline.

A Great British export: The history of the sandwich 

The first written mention of the original fast food was by 18th century historian Edward Gibbon, who referred in his journal to ‘bits of cold meat’ as a ‘Sandwich’.

It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century English aristocrat, although the exact sequence of events remains open to debate.

In the most celebrated version, it is said that he first ordered his valet to bring him beef tucked between two pieces of bread in the summer of 1762 so he could eat without interrupting his passion for gambling.

He is supposed to have favoured this form of food, because it allowed him to continue playing cards, particularly cribbage, while eating without getting his cards greasy from eating meat with his bare hands.

And because Montagu also happened to be the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, others began to order “the same as Sandwich!”

More prosaically, Sandwich’s biographer, N. A. M. Rodger, suggests the eponymous snack was invented not to save time at the gaming tables but so that his Lordship – a workaholic minister of state – did not have to leave his desk for lunch.

In the small Kent town of Sandwich, The Crispin Inn serves a modern take on the original dish – ciabatta stuffed with puled beef brisket. 

Today, British consumers manage to munch their way through over 11.5 billion sandwiches each year. 

If you laid each one end to end, they would go around the world about 44 times.