government cheese

Noun

Meaning

(US, food, historical) A poor quality processed cheese, similar to regular American cheese produced and stored in the 1970s and 1980s from excess dairy milk production from dairy subsidies, created by the U.S. government to support the milk industry, and for long term storage

(US, food, historical) Processed cheese provided to welfare and food stamp recipients in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s.

(US, politics, economics, by extension) Welfare in general.

Examples

I can describe to you the taste of government cheese. John Scalzi

I was raised on government cheese. As an adult, in my first marriage, my husband and I worked real hard just to go bankrupt. I happened to write some jokes about it. I did real well for myself. Roseanne Barr

Close letter words and terms