I have never eaten more Kraft Dinner than I did in my first trimester of pregnancy.
I’ve heard that Kraft Dinner is actually a term that’s only common in Canada. So, for you non-Canadians, when I say Kraft Dinner I’m referring to the brand of Mac n Cheese that everyone buys here. It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s not that healthy.
Usually, my diet is relatively balanced, healthy, and based on whole foods. I figured it would only get better once I got pregnant, since I’d be so motivated to nurture my unborn child.
Then the exhaustion hit and I went into survival mode. Each day after work I would crash on the couch. At some point I would muster up enough energy to eat a little bit. Then I’d crash again… in bed, out for the night. Kraft Dinner was perfect because a) it took little effort and b) it’s my ultimate comfort food.
Well, I don’t need Kraft Dinner anymore. If I get pregnant again I’ll be prepared. I’m proud to say that I have now mastered a recipe for mac n cheese that’s just as quick and easy as Kraft Dinner!
Why It’s A Smart Choice
This probably comes as a shock but, gasp, the homemade version is healthier!
Not only does the homemade version contain only whole food ingredients, the nutrition profile is also much improved.
- 3x more fibre
- nearly 2x more protein
- half the sodium
- only 0.5g of sugar compared 7g in the KD
I hadn’t looked closely at the nutrition label of a box of Kraft Dinner before. The amount of sugar was news to me. One serving has the equivalent of nearly 2 tsp of sugar! And a serving is only 1/4 of a regular sized box. Who only eats 1/4 of a box? I’m going to wager that most kids probably eat 1/2 a box at a meal. That’s 4 tsp of sugar!
| One serving Kraft Dinner (prepared) | One serving homemade White Cheddar Mac n Cheese | |
| Calories | 240 | 242 |
| Fat (g) | 5.5 | 9.8 |
| Sodium (mg) | 410 | 241 |
| Carbs (g) | 40 | 29 |
| Fibre (g) | 1 | 3.1 |
| Sugar (g) | 7 | 0.6 |
| Protein (g) | 7 | 12 |
If you give this recipe a go, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram! I’d love to see your creations! Knowing someone has enjoyed one of my recipes always makes my day brighter.
Healthy White Cheddar Mac n Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole wheat macaroni
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3.5 oz white cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Fill a medium sized pot halfway with water. Cover with a lid.
- Over high heat bring to a boil and add in the macaroni. Turn down to medium heat. Stir periodically until macaroni is cooked.
- Meanwhile, grate your cheese, if needed and gather the rest of the ingredients near the stove.
- Once the macaroni is cooked, turn the stove off. Drain noodles in a colander and return to the pot. Put the pot back on the hot element (but don't turn it back on... it will stay hot enough for a little while).
- Crack the eggs over the noodles and stir until they are cooked. It will look weird and you will start to doubt why you decided to try this recipe. Stick with it. Everything WILL come together, I promise!
- Next stir in the butter, milk, and salt until the butter is melted.
- Dump in the cheese and stir until the cheese is all melted and evenly distributed.
Nutrition
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We aren’t crazy about whole wheat pasta so I did half with regular and half whole wheat which worked for us!
Thanks for sharing your alterations! Glad you enjoyed it!
Can milk be substituted for almond/soy milk?
I haven’t tried this recipe with those milk substitute but I think it would be worth a shot!
I finally tried this! It turned out well and it was the perfect easy meal for a low-motivation night. Thanks!
I added pepper and paprika for a bit of jazz. I shouldn’t have added salt since I salt my water – it was a bit salty. If I’d been thinking I would’ve thrown some frozen peas in with the pasta for the last minute of boiling. Next time!
Oooh, paprika: what a great idea!
I often add in broccoli or peas as well!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I don’t want to be a bother. This looks really good, and I’d like to make it. Is it possible to give the ounce measurements in cups? I assume you’d like me to get a kitchen scale and weigh my macaroni and my cheese. The only scale we have in the house is our Wii, and it’s not connected to our TV right now. Also, I don’t think it’s accurate to the 0.5 oz. 🙂 I can also see if the Internet can give me conversions.
Haha! You should try the Wii and let me know how it works as a kitchen scale 🙂
Seriously though… check this conversion chart out: http://www.thekitchn.com/ounces-to-cups-a-guide-to-estimating-pasta-yield-179180
And this one for cheese: http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kitchen/weights.htm
This sounds so simple and delish; I will definitely be trying! Just a quick question – what amount are you calling a serving of your mac and cheese? Thanks!
Kim
Hi Kim!
One serving is considered 1/6 of the recipe. This amount was chosen in order to easily make comparisons between this recipe and the nutrition info found on a box of KD.
This looks so interesting, I have not used egg in my Mac and Cheese but I’m looking forward to trying it out. I really love one pot meals so I am hoping for some success with this recipe, thanks for taking the time to develop it!
If/when you try it out, don’t freak out after adding the eggs! It looks weird, but I PROMISE it will turn out! and yeah… you can’t go wrong with a one pot meal!
Yikes! Why have I never looked at how much sugar is in kd? Even my small eaters consume 1/4 of a box. Must try this recipe
I know! It never occurred to me to look at the sugar content in KD! It’s not as though it tastes sweet! I guess the sugar is masked by all the salt??
This looks so good! I have one question, do the eggs get cooked long enough for this to be safe to eat during pregnancy? I hope so because I’d love to try this recipe with my two year old! We both love mac and cheese. 🙂
Yes! The eggs cook sufficiently by the hot noodles and the residual heat from the stove element. Keep stirring until you see the eggs turn white!
This recipe is awesome! I love the taste that the eggs bring! I am always trying to find ways to put more eggs into my kids’ diet, so that is fantastic! Thank you! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
Interesting!
I make a “butter + flour + (stir together) + milk + (wait until thick) + cheese + salt + mustard + paprika” sauce on the stove. And then I add it to the pasta. But, that is more work and takes up more pots than your recipe. Cool!! I will definitely try this!
Marni
I’ve tried those types of recipes but never had much success! I also think I created this recipe out of laziness and only wanting to use one pot 🙂