In the 1940s, the U.S. had a cheese surplus, thanks to wartime dairy programs. To avoid waste, scientists created shelf-stable cheese powder—and snack inventor Charles Elmer Doolin saw an opportunity. 

In 1948, he coated puffed cornmeal with the powder, creating the first Cheetos. The snack took off, and cheese powder became a staple in everything from mac and cheese to popcorn.