| My child's favorite meal is macaroni and cheese. | | | | them as often as you use the ham and chicken. |
| The cheesier it is the better. I love it myself, but | | | | Change your pasta. There are numerous healthful |
| the cheesier it is, the more fattening it is, too. | | | | options to the generic macaroni pasta noodle. |
| Here are some suggestions to make that family | | | | Now, grocers offer a whole wheat or multigrain |
| classic a little more nutritious for the kids. Add | | | | pasta that is made from wheat flour instead of |
| variety to the cheese. Macaroni and cheese is | | | | white. The pasta is brown in color but when you |
| nothing unless it is oozing cheese from both ends | | | | mix in the cheese, no one should know the |
| of the noodle. But, the cheese your mother chose | | | | difference. If brown pasta doesn’t do it for |
| doesn’t have to be the same cheese that | | | | you, Barilla® makes pasta called Barilla Plus® |
| you choose. Choose Velveeta® Light cheese | | | | that has additional nutrients to make it more |
| spread. The light variety has a third of the fat and | | | | nutritious for the eater. The pasta remains the |
| melts even better than regular cheese. This | | | | natural yellowish color. Dreamfields® makes |
| cheese works great if you cook your macaroni | | | | macaroni noodles that contain only five grams of |
| and cheese in a pot on the stovetop. If you are | | | | digestible carbohydrates. That means little to your |
| the kind of person that bakes your macaroni and | | | | children, but to you it means that they won’t |
| cheese like a casserole, you can substitute | | | | get fat from eating that specific brand. Add some |
| lowfast sharp cheddar for the full fat version and | | | | color to their macaroni and cheese. Slice a tomato |
| use skim milk to make it creamy. How about | | | | and mix it into the macaroni and cheese before |
| turning that side dish into the main meal? Macaroni | | | | serving it. The red makes a bold statement in the |
| and cheese can become the entire meal if you | | | | sea of yellow. Tomatoes provide antioxidants |
| add some protein. Turn your side dish into a | | | | which are awesome for your body. If your |
| casserole dinner with lean ground beef. This turns | | | | children prefer spicy foods, mix in a few crushed |
| your dish into cheesy beef and macaroni. The | | | | red peppers or diced red and green peppers to |
| beef will help to fill your kids up faster and will | | | | their macaroni and cheese for a bolder flavor. If |
| give them the protein that their body needs. Add | | | | you don’t have any peppers or tomatoes on |
| a teaspoon of chili powder to give it a | | | | hand, use a cup of salsa in the macaroni and |
| southwestern flavor. For a weekend lunch, add | | | | cheese in a pinch. What about breakfast? Your |
| chunks of ham to their macaroni and cheese for | | | | little ones would jump at the chance to eat |
| a quick meal. The meat breaks up the monotony | | | | macaroni and cheese for breakfast. Add a few |
| of just having the same dish all of the time. | | | | slices of turkey bacon or reduced fat bacon to |
| Chunks of boneless chicken breasts will also work | | | | their plate. Crush the bacon on top of the |
| as well as the ham if your child prefers chicken. | | | | macaroni and cheese and serve. If bacon is not |
| Hotdogs also work with macaroni and cheese but | | | | appreciated by your child, add sausage crumbles. |
| because of the nitrites they contain, don’t use | | | | It’s unconventional, but it’ll taste good. |