Mister Rogers' Grilled Cheese Was Always Made In This Simple Way

Fred Rogers, better known as Mister Rogers, was a television icon and American treasure most famous for his starring role in the PBS series "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." In over three decades and nearly 900 episodes hosting the beloved children's show, Rogers captured the hearts and minds of millions of kids (and adults) across America with his calming voice, signature cardigans, and gently but powerfully delivered life lessons. Given Mister Rogers' famously soothing character, it's perhaps no surprise that he was a fan of one of the world's best comfort foods, the grilled cheese sandwich. However, Rogers didn't make his grilled cheese using any old method — he had a very specific preferred technique.

A Facebook post by the Fred Rogers Institute revealed that the television icon preferred serving his grilled cheese sandwiches open-faced and oven-toasted. The post, in honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, shows Rogers smiling as he pulls a tray of perfectly golden open-faced toasted cheese sandwiches from the oven, and reads, "You may know that Fred was a vegetarian, but you may not realize he was a fan of making open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches." While the issue of whether this style of grilled cheese qualifies as a true sandwich is open for debate, there's no question that the cheesy, toasty treats are a crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish.

Considering that Mister Rogers always had plenty of friends around and was happy to share, it's fitting that his favorite grilled cheese method is perfect for feeding a crowd. Batching grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven is ideal for several reasons. It's quicker, less messy, and just as tasty and toasty as the stovetop method. Plus, no one has to wait around for their sandwich to be ready while everyone else is already digging into the gooey comfort meal.

Oven-toasted grilled cheeses are hardly controversial, but Mister Rogers' preference for open-faced sandwiches is slightly more divisive. Many sandwich lovers vehemently argue that an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich is merely cheese toast (nearly three-quarters of voters in a poll on the subreddit r/Sandwiches came to the rotund conclusion that an open-faced grilled cheese really isn't a sandwich). Still, it might sound cheesy, but we'd like to imagine that Mister Rogers would advise us to put aside our differences and enjoy his grilled cheese method for what it is: a simple, vegetarian-friendly meal that tastes even better shared with loved ones. If you're hungry for more cheesy celebrity-approved vegetarian sandwiches, check out Paul McCartney's go-to post-concert snack.