Kraft, our beloved benefactor and the trusted creator of our cheesy life force, has betrayed us.
Recently, a few lucky customers discovered a few tiny pieces of metal inside their macaroni dinners (talk about a fun “surprise inside”). So Kraft is recalling more than 6 million boxes of Original flavor Kraft Macaroni & Cheese with “best by” dates between September 18 and October 11, 2015 and the code “C2.”
In the words of Imagine Dragons, “This is it. The apocalypse.”
But wait! We’re here to help you get through this. Back in the pre-Kraft days, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and your grandparents walked uphill both ways to school, macaroni and cheese was homemade.
So if you’re not ready to trust Kraft again, throw it back with these 15 old-school recipes. Who knows? Maybe you’ll ditch the powdered stuff for something a lil’ classier. Oh, and metal-free.
1. Real Mac and Cheese in a Mug
Photo by Alex Weiner
Check out that mug shot. This homemade mac and cheese was arrested on account of being too damn delicious.
2. Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole
Photo by Amanda Shulman
Get baked. With this recipe, you’ll be casserollin’ deep in friends who want a bite of that cheesy goodness.
3. Creamy Pizza Mac and Cheese
Photo by Tiare Brown
Holy mother of drunchies. Make this pizza mac and cheese before you go out, and your future intoxicated self will thank you.
4. “Easier Than Easy-Mac” Mac and Cheese
Photo by Nicolle Luftman
A homemade mac and cheese recipe so easy that even the weird loner kid with acne hit that.
5. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Photo by Parisa Soraya
Make every day Thanksgiving with this fall-flavored mac and cheese. And you can be thankful that the Kraft recall forced you to discover your inner Barefoot Contessa.
6. Baked Breadcrumb Mac and Cheese
Photo by Alia Wilhelm
Kraft could never achieve the unreal #foodporn status of this baked beauty. I mean, when was the last time you Instagrammed your Easy Mac…?
7. Skinny Mac and Cheese
Photo by Amanda Shulman
If you regularly hit up the mythical “gym” and like to troll tags like #CleanEats and #HealthyLiving, you too can enjoy the wonderful world of mac and cheese with this skinny version.
8. Mac and Cheese Cupcakes
Photo by Kirby Barth
Our world has been overrun by hybrid food monstrosities, from the Cronut to the Sushirrito to whatever this vegetable is. But this majestic mac and cheese cupcake deserves to be crowned the ruler of them all.
9. Classic Mac and Cheese
Photo by Meghan Walsh
If you frequently complain that you were “born in the wrong decade” and tell everyone you meet that you’re an “old soul,” then this classic mac and cheese is for you.
10. Beer n’ Sausage Mac and Cheese
Photo by Alex Vu
Beer and sausage? What is this, a frat basement? No, it’s just the frattiest mac and cheese recipe ever, which I think we can all agree is infinitely more enjoyable.
11. Mac and Cheese Fritters
Photo by Hayden Carder
We’ve been throwing it back to the days of pre-Kraft homemade recipes. But this insane fritters recipe will have you eating mac and cheese with your hands, caveman-style.
12. Sweet Potato Bacon Mac and Cheese
Photo by Kelda Baljon
The Kraft stuff was pretty comforting at times, but this is SOUL FOOD. When you were feeling down, Kraft gave you a pat on the back. This mac and cheese will take you in its warm embrace and whisper sweet nothings in your ear until all your worries disappear.
13. Broccoli Sausage Mac and Cheese with Apple Mustard Cheese Sauce
Photo by Bonnie Wu
Did you even know apple mustard cheese was a thing? That’s because you’ve been living within the boundaries of Kraft-offered flavors for all your life. Let this gourmet mac and cheese show you the light.
14. Mac and Cheese Pizza
Photo by Jessica Spivack
So maybe this isn’t as easy to make or as pretty as it looks on Pinterest. But once your attempt at this mac and cheese pizza is in your face hole, you definitely will not care.
15. Homemade Easy Mac
Photo by Kirby Barth
Sometimes, all you need to do is keep it simple. If the other recipes on this list are a little too complex for you, this homemade mac and cheese will take you back to the basics.
Get outside your comfort zone with these other pasta dishes: