Why were cheetos invented?

In the 1930s, Frito-Lay founder Elmer Doolin was looking for a way to use up the leftover cornmeal from the company's potato chip production. He experimented with different flavors and shapes, and eventually came up with a crunchy, cheese-flavored snack that he called "Cheetos."

The original Cheetos were not as successful as Doolin had hoped, but they gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s when Frito-Lay began marketing them to children. The company also introduced new flavors and shapes, such as Flamin' Hot Cheetos and Crunchy Cheetos, which helped to make Cheetos one of the most popular snack foods in the world.

Here are some additional factors that contributed to the invention of Cheetos:

* The rise of snack culture: In the early 20th century, people began to snack more frequently between meals. This created a demand for new and convenient snack foods.

* The popularity of cheese: Cheese was a popular flavoring for many different types of snacks, including potato chips and popcorn. Doolin wanted to create a snack that was cheese-flavored but had a different texture than potato chips or popcorn.

* The availability of inexpensive cornmeal: Cornmeal was a relatively inexpensive ingredient, which made it possible for Doolin to produce Cheetos at a low cost.