Both shaped and traditional Kraft mac and cheese have many tasty benefits, and deciding which one is ultimately better is no easy task, but it is our duty.
It was late Sunday evening and, after an early dinner, I craved some late-night mac. Fortunately, I realized I had three boxes of mac and cheese still sitting in my pantry.
I had two boxes of traditional kraft and one box of “Paw Patrol” shaped mac and cheese (no shame), and, without wasting much time, I went with the shapes. I’m not sure if it was the cute little animals advertised all over the box that did it for me or if it had to do with my long-standing, committed relationship with shaped mac and cheese. Whatever the reason, it sure was delicious.
It all came down to what I needed on this particular Sunday night. I will let you in on a little-known secret. The shaped mac has a lot less noodles per box than the traditional mac. I was not looking to get crazy or anything, so I went with the shapes as to not over-do it.
Many will tell you that shaped kraft mac and cheese is either too difficult to cook properly or that the shapes mess with the cheese-noodle ratio, and this is a valid point, but the shaped mac is all about proper care.
A keen eye over the boiling noodles and a careful, yet extensive mix of the cheese, milk and butter will grant you a fine-looking bowl of shaped mac and cheese.
Thus, shaped mac and cheese must be made with time to spare as it requires delicate attention and dedication.
Attention to detail begins far earlier in the shaped mac and cheese process, however. It begins in the store. With countless options of brilliantly shaped noodle designs, you are left with the tough call of figuring out whether the “Scooby-Doo,” “Star Wars,” or “SpongeBob” mac and cheese suits your needs in that moment.
With different shapes comes a different experience, so it comes down to a fun experiment trying different shapes for you to decide which style works best for you.
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The traditional works best when it’s a busy day and you need a simple yet tasty meal without putting in much effort. Plus, those added noodles will help fill you up as you get on with your day.
There is also something so enriching and original about eating traditional Kraft mac and cheese. After years of advertising and consumption, the traditional Kraft style is often what we envision eating when we think of mac and cheese.
And it sure is fun when you envision eating mac and cheese during the third lecture of your day.
You cannot really go wrong with any style of Kraft mac & cheese, but to say that traditional and shaped taste the same is a steaming hot take.
Everybody has a preference when it comes to this war.
