My kids only eat mac n cheese with a roux and mild cheddar. No Kraft, no Stouffers, and definitely no Velveeta. They will accept different pasta shapes, however. Kids are generally inflexible.

We just made this, and it was easy and good: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese

For a main dish for adults, I'd still use Martha Stewart's recipe but this is fine for kids or as a side.

Anonymous wrote:This one uses evaporated milk to keep real cheese creamy:

https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe

I didn't use this recipe but I did use evaporated milk in my mac and cheese for the first time this week and it stayed creamy in a crockpot. I just bought a few more cans last night for the next time--this is my new mac and cheese trick!

But for kids...Annie's or Velveeta. I know so many kids who won't eat homemade mac and cheese. Even my child who will eat raw oysters will only eat boxed mac and cheese. He doesn't like Kraft but even store brand is ok.

This is truly easy and tastes good: https://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/easiest-baked-mac-and-cheese/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4T butter and 4T flour (sorry, you have to prepare a simple roux)
2 cups milk
6 slices American cheese
When the sauce is ready, it goes over a pound of pasta.

Double, triple as needed.

seriously — wtf???

NP. Look, I’m a food snob too. I don’t ever buy American cheese. But I’ve tried to make homemade Mac and cheese multiple times in different ways (various cheese, roux, milk proportions, baked/not baked) and the truth is, most kids don’t like- if you are using cheddar or another real cheese. They just don’t. If you want to please a crowd of kids, you must use American or velveeta. You will have the highest percentage of kids who will actually eat it if you do

Cheater mac--people will laugh and/or cringe, but kids love it.

Elbow macaroni, 2 boxes
Alfredo sauce (I use classico), 2 jars
Package of shredded cheese

Boil Mac. Stir in one jar of sauce and then add until it looks right. stir in shredded cheese while noodles are hot (or bake in oven to make cheese melt.)

This one uses evaporated milk to keep real cheese creamy:

https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe

I make the easiest baked mac and cheese ever and everyone loves it, especially kids. No roux and not at all gluey. Boil two boxes of macaroni until al dente; pour two thirds into a large greased casserole dish (or disposable pan) and the rest into a smaller casserole dish. Cut up a pound or more of sharp cheddar cheese into cubes and divide proportionally among the two dishes. Stir to combine. Pour milk about three quarters up the side of the large casserole. Pour one can tomato sauce into the smaller casserole and stir again. Dot both with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (tomato version) and 1.5 hours (milk version) or until set. Delicious.

Anonymous wrote:Velveeta for sure. Tastes better at room temperature than Kraft.

This. My kids only eat this…

Anonymous wrote:4T butter and 4T flour (sorry, you have to prepare a simple roux)
2 cups milk
6 slices American cheese
When the sauce is ready, it goes over a pound of pasta.

Double, triple as needed.

seriously — wtf???

Velveeta for sure. Tastes better at room temperature than Kraft.

Wegman's.

Anonymous wrote:4T butter and 4T flour (sorry, you have to prepare a simple roux)
2 cups milk
6 slices American cheese
When the sauce is ready, it goes over a pound of pasta.

Double, triple as needed.

This is what I grew up with except we used munster, or mozzarella, or colby-jack, or mild cheddar (the key is: WAY more cheese than you think; six slices seems on the low end/too little). You can turn it into baked by throwing an egg or two into the the sauce and sticking it in the oven for an hour or so. If you're serving grown-ups, add plenty of paprika, garlic, pepper, and mustard to the sauce but for a proper kid-pleaser bland is the way to go.

Annie's

Anonymous wrote:4T butter and 4T flour (sorry, you have to prepare a simple roux)
2 cups milk
6 slices American cheese
When the sauce is ready, it goes over a pound of pasta.

Double, triple as needed.

You can also substitute Velveeta block cheese for the American cheese. Works great as it melts and keeps creamy, the way kids like it.