*Afterthoughts and Addenda* *The Kraft Mac & Cheese is out of date* - Yes, I know. I don't think it matters. I'm certain it won't have made a huge difference to the experience. Products that start with years or months of expiry duration can be used months, probably years after that date.
if you're curious, the box recipe probably uses that method because, simply, it's more reliable, and less likely to produce tough dishes to clean, with even the worst treated kitchenware. In the US the number of people who know the basics of sauces are pretty few, and overall, there was a huge reduction in the overall number of people who knew advanced techniques throughout the 80's and 90's. While, luckily, the US is gaining many new and aspiring cooks in the last 10 years thanks to information sharing on the internet, and a reevaluation of home life and quality of life, kraft mac and cheese has not changed. so yeah, that's what I think about it. In no way is this a scientific take on the subject, but kraft mac and cheese was probably targeted at parents of toddlers to preteens-who can't always watch dairy on the stove- so by having the noodles boiling in water, and the sauce added off the heat, you ensure that you cannot burn the sauce if you need to run after a kid suddenly, there's no dairy to boil over so you reduce possible cleanup needs both for the pot and stove, and as for the cheese- well it's no secret- people are actually surprised to learn it's not completely artificial - we all proper cheese to it so you totally made it in the US way XD as for good mac and cheese- I make it with real cheese, then keep the kraft mix around when I don't have the right kind of cheese. I add that to it, and a little less of the wrong cheese and it evens out the flavor nicely. I also use wondraflour, because there's something really nice about some slight gritty texture in thick cheese sauce. mix in nutmeg to taste, and top it with oil-soaked panko and put it in an air-fryer in the bowl you'll use to eat if you have one bowl's worth. if you can't find elbow macaroni- shell pasta is also VERY good for macaroni and cheese.
In the UK we have “best before” (after which product may be going stale but isn’t going to be dangerous to health) and “use by” (usually for fresh products that could become nasty after this date). This US made box says “best if used before”, which mixes both those concepts.
@@broadsword6650 in the US that's generally for non-perishables- but we technically, outside of medicines and baby formula, don't necessitate out dates. Most companies do provide them, though- especially companies that sell food that, as you say, could really mess someone up, or for international trade. "best if used before" is NOT a safety date, it's literally just the "best before" date. individual states are free to have their own rules, and most companies DO test their packaging and provide extremely conservative (very beginning of degradation) out dates as the "best before" or "best by" dates, while most farm-fresh things like eggs and meat will have a packaging date for reference. But, as it says on the US food and safety service website, "Food products are generally safe to consume past the date on the label, and regardless of the date, consumers should evaluate the quality of the food product prior to its consumption." and I honestly think it's for the best. It's in a company's best interest to overestimate food quality, so even in the case of regulation, you should be checking- and in the US, food safety is really commonly taught. I had to get a food service license because I worked a booth that sold novelty lollipops once. annoying, but informative. I still follow it in my home kitchen.
@@broadsword6650 In Switzerland we, too, have these "best before" and "use by" concepts. Although the "best before" is called "Mindestens haltbar bis ..." (in German, or the equivalent in our other national languages), which translates to "will keep at least until ...", so it's not quite the same as "best before". Using your senses and common sense, you can usually tell whether your food is still good. Natural, unsweetened yoghurt, for example, will usually be perfectly fine to consume for weeks after the "best before" date, if properly chilled.
Your videos just have that vibe that lets you tune out everything else going on. For a few minutes there only exist foraged mushrooms, homegrown (infinite) basil and that chicken you roasted last week. It's like a glimpse into a life I won't know, or a conversation with a completely different friend that enriches both of your minds. Truly special and nothing I want to miss.
This is a very kind yet extremely accurate description of what keeps me returning time and again. And, mostly, really glad I found the channel in the first place. I find AS very relatable, being a fellow Brit - speaking of which, Atomic, if you do happen to find urself or are planning a trip to the (mid-) Northern Climes, well, East Midlands, drop me a line and would be glad to host ur good self & companion(s). In the meantime, keep on keeping on and I’ll keep watching.
Adding cheese to it fixes most everything. Note that the Kraft instructions are dead wrong as well. It comes out much better (at least double) if you make the sauce separately and pour it on the pasta.
@@patricialavery8270 yeah... Mac & Cheese in a box was designed for camping, cabins, and emergency supplies, but caught on when people realized you could put things in it like mustard, hot sauce, hot dogs, bacon, and more. It really is more like cheap ramen in that it's a base to add things to.
Today's episode is sponsored by the question "What If?" What If? I were to purchase fast food and disguise it as my own cooking? Delightfully devilish, Seymour!
i remember seeing a video of a culinary fair. some guy offered mcnuggets as high class cuisine to fool the experts there. worked pretty good to ground them when he told afterwards.
in all fairness, pimping a deep-fried pizza with extra cheese and meats and spices is technically kind of that too, isn't it? sure, noone is going to assume you actually made the pizza from scratch, but it'll still stand out
it never stops to amaze me how much sauce can be made with such a small amount of roux. At first it really doesn't seem enough, and then it thickens half a litre of milk! Incredible.
I grew up with any kind of white base sauce made without a roux, I’ve tried it but just can’t get it to work lol, a couple of tbsp of cornflour and dried milk powder mixed to a paste with cold milk, then keep adding the rest of the milk and some water bit by bit and a knob of butter as it warms up or whisk in hot milk to get it going faster. It’s foolproof (which is always a bonus where I’m concerned) I never get even the tiniest of lumps, it’s so much easier and I think it tastes creamier due to the milk powder, is smoother and tastes better without regular flour but that’s just me 😁
We call it bechamelle sauce in Italy and that’s actually what’s put on lasagna, even tho so many Americans and Brit’s think that we use ricotta instead ( ricotta is used only for cannelloni)
@@HAIRHOLIC_1 you know I've never personally liked lasagna here in the U.S. because of the ricotta cheese (I've even seen someone use cottage cheese) but now that you've mentioned using a bechamelle I think I'll try that next time I get the urge to cook Italian for dinner.
@@necroticneurons9555 yes it taste weird with ricotta cheese, I had American lasagna too (if I can call it that) and it was disgusting, they use the ready made tomato sauces with sugar which gives the whole lasagna a weird taste. You need to use plain passata which is just smoothies tomatoes, you can buy the canned tomatoes and then use the food processor to mush it up. Here is a really good authentic Italian recipe if you’re interested, you can skip the home made pasta and just use ready made ones, the fresh sheets work better, and don’t even need precooking, enjoy and please let me know how you like it. The video has English subtitles you just have to activate them. th-cam.com/video/wxrH-WS59Us/w-d-xo.html
During the aftermath of a bad hurricane here, we were without power for a week or so, and a lot of neighbors were displaced, no groceries available etc. So after several days we discovered a friend who had electricity and was hosting people for showers, warming up, whatever and i took the contents of my thawing but still cold freezer and cooked it all for everyone. One of the biggest hits was a giant dish of macaroni and cheese with a very random assortment of cheese bits and pieces. I have made mac and cheese under much pleasanter circumstances but that is my favorite memory of making it and sharing it with friends under extraordinary circumstances.
Hello Mr. Shrimp, As a science & nature nerd, I really appreciate your content. Also, as a person struggling with an ED, watching you cook, sometimes in the woods, really helps me enjoy a meal. Bless you ☺️
@@Fr33zeBurn looking at your subscription list is like looking at me 10 years ago. I used to be an edgy "skeptic" like yourself, drifting ever further right. I escaped, and so can you. And trust me, you'll be so much happier for it. These people thrive on feeding your fear and anxiety. I recommend watching Shaun and Hbomberguy, their videos really helped me (and many others) escape the mind prison built by people like Sargon and Shapiro. Don't get me wrong, it's hard. You'll feel like you're cutting off part of yourself. But it's worth it. I'm not saying you'll turn into an ancom like me (although that would be cool), just that you'll be free of the fear that these grifters peddle.
@@RaunienTheFirst I'm a few squares lower than you on the centre line maybe a touch left. I used to think I was a communist/socialist then events in my life (outside of TH-cam), including learning a bit more about political history and witnessing leftists in action, made me realise that it destroys almost everything it touches. I also had a dream that I feel was a vision, of what a world in anarchy would actually feel like. Anyway now I'm a centre Libertarian, live and let live type of guy. Unless you're a commie revolutionary, or an actual Nazi then I would prefer not to let you live.
@Tony Benn (Real) Communism is the antithesis of meritocracy so I don't need to read theory to know it's shite. Have you heard of the great purge? The Great leap forward? Fuck the theory bro look at what they do in practise.
I reside in USA, born and raised... I absolutely never understood the infatuation with this Kraft Macaroni & Cheese garbage. Your review is spot on and I love that you added cheese - "Hmph, now it taste like cheese". Great video!
I always add real cheese to Kraft Mac & Cheese box mixes that use the powder. Now if it is one of the boxes that has a packet of soft cheese I don't add any extra cheese.
When I was an undergrad and grad student in the 1980’s, the boxed variety of mac&cheese could be purchased for as little as $0.10 in the central and western US. We learned to add things like tuna, peas and cream of mushroom soup to stretch it and give it more flavor and nutrition. A decent meal could be prepared for under $1 per person, which mattered in those days.
When he's stirring the home-made sauce, you can see he's in his shorts and stocking soles! Soooo laid-back, yet packed with interesting & useful information & skills. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The primary attraction of Kraft mac in a box was that it was 10 cents a box back in the day. The fantastic thing about mac and cheese is how flexible it is ... so many diff cheeses, so many possible additions, so many possible garnishes....
Kraft does actually market the same thing here in the UK - but it's called "Cheesy pasta" - and it's in a red and yellow box - only close inspection reveals that it's made by kraft - and as a Canadian (where we call this stuff simply KD) - I can attest that cheesy pasta is pretty much the same as KD :D - the american version is a bit different though.. I think they're allowed to use certain flavours/colours that we're not allowed in Canada and the UK.. I always put diced jalapeño in my KD
Is that still available though? I know what you're talking about, not seen it on shelves for a long time though and seems to have been replaced with this blue box stuff that has bigger macaroni and without all the delicious chemicals. As you say, Cheesy Pasta was the same as KD.
“Emmymade,” she did a video recently comparing Canada’s KD to the US Kraft Mac&cheese. It was interesting because she had about five different Canada KD Booster packs that are made to add to the KD. Though one was cotton candy, making it sweet and pink in color, yuck. But, other packs were poutine, and a spicey hot one, etc.
@@NunontheRun naah m8, everywhere, its nothing but noodles and cheese sauce... that is nowhere near a complete meal....anywhere, except maybe prison......or north korea...
I can recommend adding a layer of sliced tomatoes in the centre of the home-made mac & cheese, before putting it in the oven. It helps it stay moist and adds a little bit of acid, to cut through the richness of the cheese sauce.
11:02 Three different cheeses. I like adding Red Leicester for that nutty note, but expecially because it's coloured with annatto and so gives that "orange cheesy" colour that you kind of expect in American style cheese sauces (like Nacho cheese/Queso).
Just for your reference: I can confirm, Kraft mac & cheese is perfectly ubiquitous here in the states. Just about every store, from gas stations to big box stores to certain hardware stores that also sell groceries, all carry that exact box. The blue/yellow box is iconic and recognizable by most Americans at a glance, and it's design has not significantly changed within half a century. It is synonymous with "busy mothers of young children who want a simple, quick and affordable meal"
In the UK our largest mac and cheese brand is 'Batchelors' they're known for instant soups and pastas. But I think their biggest seller is broccoli and cheese pasta, I see it more often than mac and cheese.
At my university in the UK I live with a Canadian it's pretty much all he eats I had one once and what Americans consider Cheddar astounds me. Mind you im from Cheddar in the UK
I love the idea of spending an hour collecting tiny flowers among the herbs and bees and you ended up with that sweet little bottle of dried flowers. Then sprinkled them on a boxed Mac and Cheese lol.
US here. I share the opinion that kraft mix doesn't taste very cheesy on its own, but so many kids grow up with it here that it still holds that nostalgic flavor. I like adding a slice of muenster or other meltable cheese when I add in the cheese mix, really boosts the flavor.
Wisconsin here, for Kraft M & C, I skip the milk, one tablespoon of margarine, and two tablespoons of Merkt's Sharp Cheddar cheese spread. Perfect thick sauce every time. You can skip the milk, because of the cheese spread. We usually don't have milk around our place, so I improvised one day and it actually turned out great. Now, I make it this way every time. I usually put a little Tabasco sauce on mine, but not while cooking, only to taste as you eat it.
Heads up that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is not the same as Kraft Dinner. They're close but the ingredients are different because of the differences in regulations between American and Canadian food agencies. If you want a mac and cheese product closer to the sachet you're familiar with - Knorr Sidekicks has a great cheddar macaroni option as well as a broccoli white cheddar one.
There are some (at least here in the USA) that take the ritual or method of preparing their Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or in Canada where it's known as Kraft Dinner very seriously - it's almost as though it is a religious experience. Honestly, for me I enjoy it a couple times a month and the rest of my immediate family turns their noses up at it - I suppose it is one of those childhood experiences I had a lot growing up as a "latch key key" (left home alone between the hours after school was let out and parents arriving home from work) - if you had some unspoiled milk and some butter or margarine and the skill to boil water (safely) you were in for "dinner" - I remember fondly watching Doctor WHO (Tom Baker) while eating a heaping bowl of that golden deliciousness - followed up with some Soft Batch cookies warmed in the microwave for 9 seconds....
yeah im one of those serious people. i have a method that makes it taste cheesier without any added ingredients. and as it were, we were also latchkey kids.
While the flavor is, at best, an acquired taste, one thing I like about the Deluxe option is that no milk or butter need be on hand... just water and the box (well, and a pan and a spoon). Homemade is far superior, of course, but... when one doesn't live within easy walking distance to a grocery store, it can be nice to have something 100% shelf-stable. And yeah, tuna and peas can be nice.
Food is commonly used as an insult or classism to separate oneself from "the poor people" who eat the stuff. People call food like Spam, instant box dinners, etc. trash food and turn their noses to it not because of taste, but because of what it means socially. Its very similar to the practice of hunting in the US. In the US, hunting is more associated with poorer folk and looked down upon by the middle class (I know its different across the pond). I still enjoy a box of kraft mac and cheese sometimes, maybe once every couple months. Its simple and its nostalgic for me.
The Kraft ones are ideal to take camping as an alternative to those expensive dehydrated meals that camping shops sell. I had one this summer after a hard days bikepacking, so made it without butter and milk, and I think the cheese flavour was even more intense. A bit like when you make chocolate mousse or an omlette with water.
When we hiked and brought Mac and cheese we usually added anout 1/4 of powdered milk to the cheese powder. And these sprinkles called butter buds not sure you can buy the butter buds any longer. But I agree we did usually grab the Mac and cheese deluxe instead when we could afford it.
Kraft also makes a deluxe version that is closer to real macaroni and cheese, at least in my opinion. The cheese is a thick liquid in a pouch. This version readily lends itself to added ingredients. I'm surprised that I don't see any other comments about this.
Kraft has a "thick and creamy" version which remedies the issue of the runny, grainy sauce. Makes it very smooth as like Atomic's homemade. But I'm sure the similarities end there 😁
We have noodles that come like your British version in a packet with everything together that calls for water, milk and butter to be cooked down. The 2 main brands are Knorr/ Lipton (yes that Knorr and the tea people combined forces) One of the main reasons people use the Kraft stuff if not just the obvious convenience but price. The cost of Kraft is only pennies more than plain noodles and sometimes cheaper because it goes on special so often. Cheese is expensive in the US for some reason a half kilo of basic name brand cheese is $10+ so Mac n Cheese is actually kinda spendy to make from scratch so lots of people don't
It's the one thing that is weirdly cheap here in the UK, even though people in the states can grow/farm/make the food on massive scales super cheap, our food prices are actually really cheap. It's something I've seen come up a few times on Reddit
@@ryanmg92 a lot of it is because we use ethenol in our fuel. So a goodly percentage of our best cropland is used to grow fuel corn. A lot of the rest is sold to other countries who come in and farm whatever to ship home while we import a large percentage of our food instead. This in turn leads to us farming places like california for a good percentage of our other food and tbis is further compounded by just how much of our good crop land is owned by the government as government lands and is not allowed to be farmed. Additionally we allow a lot more chemicals in our food which lets them be cut a lot further which further makes things more expensive. Granted thats a gross oversimplification but its the nut shell version. There are also a ton of tax and water rights issues mixed in there as well.
Don't know where you're shopping, but a pound of cheese shouldn't cost $10+. I get 1 pound blocks of cheese for around $5 and I don't even live in a dairy state.
As a North American I always think of Kraft blue box as filling three main rolls. 1) Shelf stable for when a blizzard hits and you are snowed in. 2) Picky child needs food. Salty cheesy noodles are palatable to basically any picky child. 3) You are drunk and hungry. Easy to make and you won't appreciate something better anyway. It isn't really good, it just isn't really bad either. It just is what it is.
It would have been nice to have compared Marshall's boxed macaroni (a Scottish brand of elbow macaroni, they have their own version of Kraft mac&cheese) for the UK equivalent
After years of making a roux for Mac and cheese like you did, I now boil my pasta with just enough water and add my butter, and dairy (often sour cream, cream cheese or yogurt) directly to the pot. The starch rich pasta water performs the same function as the roux and I end up with a very creamy one pot meal. Also easy to pot in veg, like broccoli or cauliflower durring the boil for a complete meal.
@@christinebeames2311 I have seen recipes for a butter cake that has lavender leaves in it. Oh, and as for the tea, you can use the lavender either dried (leaves and/or flowers) both fresh and dried. If you use fresh use twice as much (maybe a tablespoon per 8 oz. cup give or take for strength/taste...
in The U.S we have something called "pasta-roni" that comes in tonnes of different flavors, but it's prepared like the UK Mac... it's usually pretty good
Everyone knows: Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps! It also helps to add the milk in small quantities first but do as you please, after all, you are the crafty Winner of your homemade Kraft Dinner
Warm milk, like 30-45 secs in a microwave or 45-60 if you have a clove stuffed onion for making bechamel. Never fails. Helps to sieve the flour too but isn't essential if you know what you're doing. Using cold milk will just slow down the whole process meaning you could totally overcook the flour for a really glutenous, foul tasting sauce as well as double your time thickening it. Not so bad for home cooking, but not when you're prepping a base white for 50+ covers. I'm a fully qualified chef btw.
@@pittibarlin8692 I was just about to say that, I find that my trick in not getting a lumpy bechamelle sauce is to use the right amount of butter per flour and cook it thoroughly before adding the milk, I also like to put a drizzle of nutmeg in my bechamelle 👌
I invited my eldest son (who loves mac cheese) to watch this video with me. I didn't expect him to watch the whole video but he did and we both enjoyed it. I always bake our mac cheese because I love a bubbled cheese topping.
Being from the Midwest in America, naturally Kraft isn’t exciting but absolutely fascinating when prepared by some whose never made it before! Thank you for introducing me to what it’s actually made of, I think 🤔. At home I add a couple slices of American cheese to help it out a bit 👩🏻🍳
Midwestener here. Try using velveeta as your cheese instead. Also, a tiny amount of mustard in the whole batch brings out the cheese flavor. Kinda how coffee makes chocolate taste more chocolatey. Thought for food.
Kraft mac is just one of those things you have to have grown up eating from childhood. It's not good--it's nostalgic and comforting. I grew up in the US but have purchased it here in the UK when I've felt homesick.
which kind of makes me think about the question "how can mcdonalds be so successful, despite the customer service being so gash (for US standards) and them literally doing research on how to make it just shitty enough so the customer leaves soon after the purchase" not that i hate mcdonalds with a passion or anything, but it's rarely great, now is it? gotta get them young lol
I've yet to find Kraft dinner in the imports section in Germany. I've had a craving for it for months now and it's been torture, so glad you've been able to get some. It seems the UK has quite a bit more in terms of US import products than here. But maybe I've just had terrible luck!
@@PoptartParasol nah i think you may be right, as a dutchman we lack quite a bit of the imported stuff too my only guess is because germany is alwyas a huge industrical/economic powerhouse of western europe, it does most of the things in-house in the netherlands the competition between grocers is insane, so you'd find a knock off of an american product first before finding the real thing or you'll pay out of the ass for the actual thing in some highly specialized import shop is it irony that kraft is a german brand and you can't find it in germany? :D
@@sully4576 Nope. I've just checked the packet, and you are wrong. Take 100ml milk and 250ml cold water. Bring to the boil, then add contents of packet.
My grandad who has just passed dedicated himself to being a milkman after his time serving, my mum and uncle on that side have some wild stories growing up with that lifestyle. Long live the glass bottle and foil cap :) Don't forget, behind the novelty is a story and industry. I've suggested we get oat milk delivered at work, big corporate lot, though at home and to support the community and farmers (even for the taste alone), find your milkman! :D Big fan Atomic. Coming out of my internet lurker phase, over a decade now. Hope I won't annoy ya.
I always top my macaroni cheese with extra grated cheese and put it in the oven to brown a little . I sometimes add some cooked , chopped, smoked bacon and lightly fried chopped onion. I agree some mustard is a great addition with any cheese recipe. You can’t actually taste it but it makes the cheese more cheesy.
This is an epic video! Thanks so much for doing the compare and contrast with the cross pond versions as well as the a home made version. As always with a shrimp twist for the dried flowers. Your videos are incredibly fun and easy to watch.
I always add a small amount of blue cheese like Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort to a cheese sauce. Just like mustard, a small amount of it tends to elevate and lift the cheese flavour. Just like the Emmental don't overdo it though, as it can also be far to overpowering. A small piece of it, goes a long way... BTW, Worcestershire sauce is also good for lifting the flavour of cheese, although it does tend to turn a cheese sauce slightly brown. It would have been great splashed on top of the bacon and cheese topped, mac n' cheese you did though.
The continental alfredo instant pasta was always a highlight of camping trips. Quick, easy and tasty as the sun drops, the night sky appears and the smoke from the fire makes eyes water.
The milk bottles with foil caps brings back memories of childhood. Unfortunately we dot get it in my country now. Best was the chocolate flavor milk. You can try adding a Maggi chicken soup cube to bring out the maximum flavor in Mc N Cheese 😀
Elbow macaroni... Likewise a pain in the arse to find over here in Eire! My sympathies Monsieur shrimp and props for another fab vid. PS I think you will find that reading Conan the barbarian aloud in Spanish is the perfect accompaniment to Kraft Mac n cheese.
look for shell shapes pasta. it also does not form rafts, and even if your recipe calls for draining, it will keep some pasta water, allowing some very nice sauces all around.
I tend to do the home made version but often with spaghetti, just the way my mum used to do it, sprinkle with breadcrumbs before baking. As well as english mustard a small amount of either curry powder and/or nutmeg and of course more cheese.
Kraft Mac is my favorite comfort food. Yes it’s not the greatest meal in the world, but it’s nostalgic for me. Whenever I need a pick me up I make a box of Kraft Mac and chill.
Your homemade version has just been copied in Munich and it tasted great! Good thing I managed to get a hold of some Cheddar, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton (I‘m not a fan of Emmentaler) in a Iceland supermarket in Tenerife last week (as traveling to the UK is a bit of a pain at the moment). Great Channel, thumbs up, thank you & danke!
My Husband (a time served Chef) always adds a small amount of blue cheese, mustard and nutmeg to cheese sauce for macaroni cheese, which is always made using plenty of butter and very mature cheddar. Incomparable!
Oh wow that's amazing that you can still get milk delivered in bottles! Here in Australia they stopped doing that decades ago as everything transitioned over to plastic bottles and liquid paperboard cartons. I believe in very recent years that 'boutique' milk in glass bottles has become available again which I assume you can get delivered for a price.
I'm in Canada and it has not been possible to get milk delivered at home for quite some time, at least where I live. Glass bottles had completely disappeared for decades but one brand has re-introduced them as a kind of "retro" item but it's not available everywhere. Also glass cannot easily be recycled so the green way to handle these bottles would be to return them to be cleaned and refilled somehow.
That's what happens here. You put the empty bottles out on the doorstep at night (like Fred Flintstone!) and in the early hours the milkman uplifts them and replaces them with full bottles. Milk floats are usually electric, mainly to minimise noise in the early hours, so pretty green in that regard also.
Do you mean glass bottles in general or the ones for milk specifically? Because here in Germany, glass bottles for drinks are pretty common, they get washed and reused multiple times.
Great video as usual. You can't beat fresh milk delivered to your door step. No horrible plastic, no waste ,the ultimate re-cycling and in Wales, the milk is produced and bottled within a small radius. Also, if you have arthritic hands, it's so easy to open. Macaroni and cheese goes particularly well as a main meal with homegrown carrots.
I'm a little confused as to how lidl version is the closest here in the uk, everywhere sells the red box craft "cheesy pasta", which looks the same only is a lot more cheesier
This video came out at just the right time for me. I had some mac n cheese last night and I just had the leftovers for lunch today. I'll have to use this video for reference next time
When you make the version being baked in the oven, I highly recommend adding bread crumbs on the top along with the cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper. very important. Once you tried it this way, you will never ever go back to just cheese on top ever again. Same with Lasagna. In french we call that dish "Pates au Gratin"
My mom put bacon (American style)on top when she did homemade mac n cheese. Also crushed potato chips (crisps for UK audience) are nice or French's fried onions as a topping. You are spot on about the relationship of mustard and cheese. Always a great combo.
Kraft Mac and Cheese is called Kraft Dinner in Canada. I’m a picky eater, and KD was always my fave food. I used to come home from school and cook a pot. As an adult, it was still my fave. Sometimes I’d make it almost soupy; sometimes thick. It was cooked just until the ends of the pasta turned white, so firm without being flabby. Cheese and butter mixed in til melted, then milk just before serving, so it stays hot. I’m salivating just thinking about it. Everyone ate KD. It got kids through uni before noodles came on the scene; it was a stretcher for poor people living month to month. But they changed the cheese powder some time ago. I mean, I loved it all my life, and suddenly couldn’t eat it anymore. It just tasted like some kind of chemical sweepings from a nuclear plant. I kept trying every new brand of it I could find that taste, to no avail. Every year or so, I’d try KD again, hoping they changed the recipe back. The last time I tried it, even the pasta was changed, it’s smaller. Kraft Dinner, in Canada, which was 79 cents, is just inedible now. I’m reduced to eating real macaroni and grated medium cheddar cheese. Not good when your fave food of 50 years is disgusting. That box of American Mac and Cheese looked pretty good. Thanks for your experimenting. I’m amazed you can still get bottled milk, and get it delivered.🌸
Kraft mac and cheese isn’t popular in the US for its flavor, it’s mostly popular because it’s nostalgic due to pretty much every kid having eaten it as a child as a quick meal tired parents would cook. To be fair though I’d say most canned and boxed quick food is likely popular due to that fact alone
My mouth is watering! My favourite cheeses are, mature cheddar, gruyere, a tiny amount of blue and parmesan. I've just noticed an earlier comment I posted! I'm 71 and I have an appalling memory, which is a bonus, because I'd completely forgotten I'd watched this!
Instant mix certainly has its place, especially when it it comes to cost. At 16 when left home I ate lots of these instant pasta meals. However, you can't beat a home made cheese sauce!
Hi there! I’m an American who was raised on Kraft Mac and cheese. This product is really designed for children to eat, not so much adults (unless it’s as comfort food). Why it is cooked the way it is is probably because milk can be tricky on the stove - easy to burn and boil over to make a mess. Whereas, for someone on a tight budget who is trying to cook for small children, boiling water while taking care of kids/making something to eat with the Mac and cheese, boiling water is easier. And, yes, if left to sit for a bit after mixing, the sauce gets thicker and has a bit more cheesy tasty.
Watching this made me realize two things: One, I haven't before watched any English cooking channels, so my vocabulary needs updating, and two: I never thought I would crave something as American as Mac'n'Cheese, but after watching you cook it, I do.
I confess that I have take a rather shameful pleasure in sometimes making Kraft dinner, although I can and indeed have made my own from scratch. I can't really blame my parents either; my father rarely cooked anything, but my mother was an excellent cook and always made macaroni and cheese from scratch. Still, it's something of a comfort food for me. I think you're right about the "macaroni" being so skinny so that they'll cook fast. In fact, I've overcooked them badly. More than once. They aren't a form of pasta that reacts well to an absent-minded cook. I recently discovered a new-to-me variant of Kraft dinner made with cauliflower. A couple friends and I, none of whom had heard of it before, speculated on where the cauliflower actually was until one of us looked at the label and discovered it was in the macaroni. A volunteer prepared it for us to taste. Well, Kraft dinner might taste like salt and fake cheese, but that stuff tasted like nothing at all!
Aah, i always woke up at 5am in the morning as a child by the noise of the milk man's glass bottle. My sibling and i would rush to open a bottle for breakfast. The first one to get to the bottle opens it and takes the first sip. These bottles of milk always had a little cream at the top. I enjoy your vlogs, thank you.
I wonder how good of a Mac n Cheese, Atomic Shrimp could make on his own? Cause you have truly inspired me to be more frugal! (I made stock from vegetable peels the other day, hoooo boy is my typical Norwegian "Kjøttsuppe" so much better for it). Thanks for the chill content!
@@NHarts3 if you ever get a chance to try it, I highly recommend it. I’ve never gotten any here in the states, but my mormor used to always have loads in her freezer. It’s extremely lean, but surprisingly tender. Kinda tastes like a mix of lamb/beef.
Nothing beats homemade mac and cheese! I put a smidge of freshly grate nutmeg in my cheese sauce to add depth of flavour and put a mix of panko and parmesan over the top and bake it until crisp and golden! yummy, now I want mac and cheese!
If there's one American instant mac and cheese you should try, it's velveeta shells. It's much more flavorful than the kraft macaroni IMO, and the kraft mix is more of a Canadian staple anyway
You seem (justifiably) chuffed with your basil setup. You should explore the weird and wonderful basil spectrum! There's so much more beyond sweet and genovese, from cinnamon to thai, purple to lemon etc. Very easy to have three or four varieties sharing a pot (I write the names on the respective quadrants of the pot in marker pen), and no reason you couldn't propagate each as you do normally.
@@maxinecalyptus1639 It is :) Have you tried lemon basil? It really is shockingly lemony, amazing smell just brushing one's hand over the plant. Smaller leaves than other varieties but they really pack a punch!
A common addition to the Kraft Cheese and Mac is sliced hot dogs, cooked along with the macaroni. When I was a kid that was a special treat. And it was, after all, Chandler Bing's favourite dish.
Never waste sauce, except the blandest rue, by having a piece of good bread standing by (cook's perks). I do like adding some turmeric to lots of dishes for colour and it's good for you.
I'm an expat American and have lived in England for 25 years and I STILL love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!!! I don't add milk though, just butter only with the mix.
This is still a food in my grown up household. When i was little, my dad would still the cheese out of boxes and out it on microwave popcorn. My dad always added mustard powder to his homemade mac and cheese and way more cheese then you use. I use like 8 different cheeses. My family loves to come eat it. I add paprika and garlic to my sauce when i make it and mustard powder. Sooo good
13:35 Do the same thing, save fat from all roasts etc.and use them to fry. Saves on palm oil, money and the fatbergs. Any really old oil/fat I smudge it up with oats for bird food,save it, and put it out in winter. Anyhow great vid.
I got into mac n cheese during my grad school in US. Homemade or store bought, always finished it with some frozen peas & corn which get cooked in the residual heat and also cools it down.
I always find poultry Schmalz needs way more flour that the same amount of butter. I assume it is due to the fact that it’s missing the 20% water/milk that Butter still has.
I live in the states and the Kraft is quite common. There is also a Velveeta version that is a lot creamier and cheesier, even though Velveeta is more of a "processed cheese product" than real cheese. I VERY much prefer homemade as it isn't really that difficult to make. One variation that my old roommate favored was the addition of buttered bread crumbs on the top before baking or herb and garlic croutons. It gave the dish a lovely crunchy texture as well as flavor. Sometimes she even mixed cooked and crumbled bacon in before the final bake. There is so much that one can do with a base recipe for this dish.
*Afterthoughts and Addenda*
*The Kraft Mac & Cheese is out of date* - Yes, I know. I don't think it matters. I'm certain it won't have made a huge difference to the experience. Products that start with years or months of expiry duration can be used months, probably years after that date.
if you're curious, the box recipe probably uses that method because, simply, it's more reliable, and less likely to produce tough dishes to clean, with even the worst treated kitchenware. In the US the number of people who know the basics of sauces are pretty few, and overall, there was a huge reduction in the overall number of people who knew advanced techniques throughout the 80's and 90's. While, luckily, the US is gaining many new and aspiring cooks in the last 10 years thanks to information sharing on the internet, and a reevaluation of home life and quality of life, kraft mac and cheese has not changed.
so yeah, that's what I think about it. In no way is this a scientific take on the subject, but kraft mac and cheese was probably targeted at parents of toddlers to preteens-who can't always watch dairy on the stove- so by having the noodles boiling in water, and the sauce added off the heat, you ensure that you cannot burn the sauce if you need to run after a kid suddenly, there's no dairy to boil over so you reduce possible cleanup needs both for the pot and stove, and as for the cheese- well it's no secret- people are actually surprised to learn it's not completely artificial - we all proper cheese to it so you totally made it in the US way XD
as for good mac and cheese- I make it with real cheese, then keep the kraft mix around when I don't have the right kind of cheese. I add that to it, and a little less of the wrong cheese and it evens out the flavor nicely. I also use wondraflour, because there's something really nice about some slight gritty texture in thick cheese sauce. mix in nutmeg to taste, and top it with oil-soaked panko and put it in an air-fryer in the bowl you'll use to eat if you have one bowl's worth.
if you can't find elbow macaroni- shell pasta is also VERY good for macaroni and cheese.
In the UK we have “best before” (after which product may be going stale but isn’t going to be dangerous to health) and “use by” (usually for fresh products that could become nasty after this date). This US made box says “best if used before”, which mixes both those concepts.
@@broadsword6650 in the US that's generally for non-perishables- but we technically, outside of medicines and baby formula, don't necessitate out dates. Most companies do provide them, though- especially companies that sell food that, as you say, could really mess someone up, or for international trade. "best if used before" is NOT a safety date, it's literally just the "best before" date. individual states are free to have their own rules, and most companies DO test their packaging and provide extremely conservative (very beginning of degradation) out dates as the "best before" or "best by" dates, while most farm-fresh things like eggs and meat will have a packaging date for reference.
But, as it says on the US food and safety service website, "Food products are generally safe to consume past the date on the label, and regardless of the date, consumers should evaluate the quality of the food product prior to its consumption." and I honestly think it's for the best. It's in a company's best interest to overestimate food quality, so even in the case of regulation, you should be checking- and in the US, food safety is really commonly taught. I had to get a food service license because I worked a booth that sold novelty lollipops once. annoying, but informative. I still follow it in my home kitchen.
@@broadsword6650 In Switzerland we, too, have these "best before" and "use by" concepts. Although the "best before" is called "Mindestens haltbar bis ..." (in German, or the equivalent in our other national languages), which translates to "will keep at least until ...", so it's not quite the same as "best before". Using your senses and common sense, you can usually tell whether your food is still good. Natural, unsweetened yoghurt, for example, will usually be perfectly fine to consume for weeks after the "best before" date, if properly chilled.
£3 3 course meal
I could imagine this guy surviving in the middle of the forest and somehow managing to create lasagna within 3 days
Don't tempt him 😆
@@slickl9608 Do tempt him!
@@slickl9608 id pay to see that
I’d love to see that challenge
dont temp him
also hi
Your videos just have that vibe that lets you tune out everything else going on. For a few minutes there only exist foraged mushrooms, homegrown (infinite) basil and that chicken you roasted last week. It's like a glimpse into a life I won't know, or a conversation with a completely different friend that enriches both of your minds. Truly special and nothing I want to miss.
Perfectly put. Thank you! 👍🙂
even when scambaiting people it still retains that vibe 🤣
never change mr shrimp, never change
This is a very kind yet extremely accurate description of what keeps me returning time and again. And, mostly, really glad I found the channel in the first place. I find AS very relatable, being a fellow Brit - speaking of which, Atomic, if you do happen to find urself or are planning a trip to the (mid-) Northern Climes, well, East Midlands, drop me a line and would be glad to host ur good self & companion(s). In the meantime, keep on keeping on and I’ll keep watching.
😭😭😭
That is very beautifully put 😍
**Tastes American mac 'n cheese**
"It's not very cheesy."
**Adds real cheese**
"There, now it tastes like cheese."
Home made is always superior
Adding cheese to it fixes most everything.
Note that the Kraft instructions are dead wrong as well. It comes out much better (at least double) if you make the sauce separately and pour it on the pasta.
@@plektosgaming Like the Kraft Deluxe,which I don't know if they still sell.
@@plektosgaming It also comes out better if you use way more butter than the box says.
@@patricialavery8270 yeah... Mac & Cheese in a box was designed for camping, cabins, and emergency supplies, but caught on when people realized you could put things in it like mustard, hot sauce, hot dogs, bacon, and more. It really is more like cheap ramen in that it's a base to add things to.
Today's episode is sponsored by the question "What If?"
What If? I were to purchase fast food and disguise it as my own cooking? Delightfully devilish, Seymour!
i remember seeing a video of a culinary fair. some guy offered mcnuggets as high class cuisine to fool the experts there. worked pretty good to ground them when he told afterwards.
You certainly can, if it's really good fast food. Most fast food is disgusting to me though, but good fast food certainly exists.
in all fairness, pimping a deep-fried pizza with extra cheese and meats and spices is technically kind of that too, isn't it?
sure, noone is going to assume you actually made the pizza from scratch, but it'll still stand out
I was half-expecting a reference to XKCD.
SEYMOUR!!!
The benefits of adding mustard to a cheese sauce cannot be overstated. If you only take one thing from this video, make it this.
Agreed, even if you don't like mustard. Avowed mustard haters will eat it in mac & cheese and be none the wiser.
@@Arismas Yes its a cheese enhancer rather than a flavour, i also add a shake of Wostershire sauce.
Mustard and cheese together 😩😩including Dijon mustard
Onion sizzled in the fat before you add the flour if you can't find a chicken 😉😋. Must have the mustard too. Amazing how mustard changes when heated.
This I didn't know, going to do it the next time
it never stops to amaze me how much sauce can be made with such a small amount of roux. At first it really doesn't seem enough, and then it thickens half a litre of milk! Incredible.
you could use even less actually
I grew up with any kind of white base sauce made without a roux, I’ve tried it but just can’t get it to work lol, a couple of tbsp of cornflour and dried milk powder mixed to a paste with cold milk, then keep adding the rest of the milk and some water bit by bit and a knob of butter as it warms up or whisk in hot milk to get it going faster. It’s foolproof (which is always a bonus where I’m concerned) I never get even the tiniest of lumps, it’s so much easier and I think it tastes creamier due to the milk powder, is smoother and tastes better without regular flour but that’s just me 😁
We call it bechamelle sauce in Italy and that’s actually what’s put on lasagna, even tho so many Americans and Brit’s think that we use ricotta instead ( ricotta is used only for cannelloni)
@@HAIRHOLIC_1 you know I've never personally liked lasagna here in the U.S. because of the ricotta cheese (I've even seen someone use cottage cheese) but now that you've mentioned using a bechamelle I think I'll try that next time I get the urge to cook Italian for dinner.
@@necroticneurons9555 yes it taste weird with ricotta cheese, I had American lasagna too (if I can call it that) and it was disgusting, they use the ready made tomato sauces with sugar which gives the whole lasagna a weird taste. You need to use plain passata which is just smoothies tomatoes, you can buy the canned tomatoes and then use the food processor to mush it up. Here is a really good authentic Italian recipe if you’re interested, you can skip the home made pasta and just use ready made ones, the fresh sheets work better, and don’t even need precooking, enjoy and please let me know how you like it. The video has English subtitles you just have to activate them.
th-cam.com/video/wxrH-WS59Us/w-d-xo.html
During the aftermath of a bad hurricane here, we were without power for a week or so, and a lot of neighbors were displaced, no groceries available etc. So after several days we discovered a friend who had electricity and was hosting people for showers, warming up, whatever and i took the contents of my thawing but still cold freezer and cooked it all for everyone. One of the biggest hits was a giant dish of macaroni and cheese with a very random assortment of cheese bits and pieces. I have made mac and cheese under much pleasanter circumstances but that is my favorite memory of making it and sharing it with friends under extraordinary circumstances.
Hello Mr. Shrimp, As a science & nature nerd, I really appreciate your content. Also, as a person struggling with an ED, watching you cook, sometimes in the woods, really helps me enjoy a meal. Bless you ☺️
Sending hugs your way, I hope you are well 💗
from a german viewpoint, your pronunciation of Emmentaler was as perfect as possible.
"I used 500ml of my pint of milk" what a British sentence lol
Yep, also impossible. One pint equals about 473 mls!
@@archiebald4717 1 pint is 568ml
@@archiebald4717 incorrect. A British pint is 568ml...20 floz as opposed to 16
@@archiebald4717 UK pint is significantly larger than a US pint
So what you're saying is, if you're a brit and you've had 5 pints of bitter, you're a pint drunker in the US
"That's 140g of cheese there, it would be silly not to make it up to 150 wouldn't it?"
My kinda guy!
I love how you wear that bordering-on-authoritarian-leftist political compass like it's something to be proud of..
@@Fr33zeBurn looking at your subscription list is like looking at me 10 years ago. I used to be an edgy "skeptic" like yourself, drifting ever further right. I escaped, and so can you. And trust me, you'll be so much happier for it. These people thrive on feeding your fear and anxiety. I recommend watching Shaun and Hbomberguy, their videos really helped me (and many others) escape the mind prison built by people like Sargon and Shapiro. Don't get me wrong, it's hard. You'll feel like you're cutting off part of yourself. But it's worth it. I'm not saying you'll turn into an ancom like me (although that would be cool), just that you'll be free of the fear that these grifters peddle.
@@RaunienTheFirst I'm a few squares lower than you on the centre line maybe a touch left. I used to think I was a communist/socialist then events in my life (outside of TH-cam), including learning a bit more about political history and witnessing leftists in action, made me realise that it destroys almost everything it touches. I also had a dream that I feel was a vision, of what a world in anarchy would actually feel like. Anyway now I'm a centre Libertarian, live and let live type of guy. Unless you're a commie revolutionary, or an actual Nazi then I would prefer not to let you live.
@Tony Benn (Real) Communism is the antithesis of meritocracy so I don't need to read theory to know it's shite. Have you heard of the great purge? The Great leap forward? Fuck the theory bro look at what they do in practise.
Still about 650g short compared to my recipe lol
I reside in USA, born and raised... I absolutely never understood the infatuation with this Kraft Macaroni & Cheese garbage. Your review is spot on and I love that you added cheese - "Hmph, now it taste like cheese". Great video!
Adds cheese to the Kraft Macaroni Cheese, "Now it tastes like cheese".
I always add real cheese to Kraft Mac & Cheese box mixes that use the powder. Now if it is one of the boxes that has a packet of soft cheese I don't add any extra cheese.
🎶 Let me tell ya 'bout the herbs and the bees and the macaroni cheese
💛 NICE 💛 I wish I had commented this😂
Kraft and LIDL don’t go over or above,
And it’s home-made I LOVE…
Ha ha I like it.
When I was an undergrad and grad student in the 1980’s, the boxed variety of mac&cheese could be purchased for as little as $0.10 in the central and western US. We learned to add things like tuna, peas and cream of mushroom soup to stretch it and give it more flavor and nutrition. A decent meal could be prepared for under $1 per person, which mattered in those days.
Still definitely does
Mushroom soup was the only one I knew ,lol
Wow! That's mind-blowing. I was born in 1981, the Romanian currency was really strong too, unfortunately we had mostly empty shops
Yeah add sliced hot dogs in it too!
oh definitely! you can add all sorts of stuff to blue box and make it really filling
What I love about your videos is how comfy they are. It's like I'm in the same room with you. Awesome content, man.
When he's stirring the home-made sauce, you can see he's in his shorts and stocking soles! Soooo laid-back, yet packed with interesting & useful information & skills. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
i love how you can hear Mike smiling whenever he says somethings "really good"
The primary attraction of Kraft mac in a box was that it was 10 cents a box back in the day.
The fantastic thing about mac and cheese is how flexible it is ... so many diff cheeses, so many possible additions, so many possible garnishes....
My friends and I love watching your content. It's so relaxing but at the same time informative as hell.
Kraft does actually market the same thing here in the UK - but it's called "Cheesy pasta" - and it's in a red and yellow box - only close inspection reveals that it's made by kraft - and as a Canadian (where we call this stuff simply KD) - I can attest that cheesy pasta is pretty much the same as KD
:D - the american version is a bit different though.. I think they're allowed to use certain flavours/colours that we're not allowed in Canada and the UK.. I always put diced jalapeño in my KD
Is that still available though? I know what you're talking about, not seen it on shelves for a long time though and seems to have been replaced with this blue box stuff that has bigger macaroni and without all the delicious chemicals. As you say, Cheesy Pasta was the same as KD.
“Emmymade,” she did a video recently comparing Canada’s KD to the US Kraft Mac&cheese. It was interesting because she had about five different Canada KD Booster packs that are made to add to the KD. Though one was cotton candy, making it sweet and pink in color, yuck. But, other packs were poutine, and a spicey hot one, etc.
macaroni and cheese is a side dish, not an dinner.
@@stapuft maybe where you're from
@@NunontheRun naah m8, everywhere, its nothing but noodles and cheese sauce... that is nowhere near a complete meal....anywhere, except maybe prison......or north korea...
I can recommend adding a layer of sliced tomatoes in the centre of the home-made mac & cheese, before putting it in the oven. It helps it stay moist and adds a little bit of acid, to cut through the richness of the cheese sauce.
11:02 Three different cheeses. I like adding Red Leicester for that nutty note, but expecially because it's coloured with annatto and so gives that "orange cheesy" colour that you kind of expect in American style cheese sauces (like Nacho cheese/Queso).
"American style cheese sauces (like Nacho cheese/Queso)." LOL nice try
@@YourWifesBoyfriend Central America is still America ... and USA cheese sauces are orange, becuase USA style cheddar is coloured orange. :)
@@YourWifesBoyfriend i wasnt aware that the united states encompased the entire western hemisphere.
@@amcconnell6730 Mexico is technically North America anyway
Just for your reference:
I can confirm, Kraft mac & cheese is perfectly ubiquitous here in the states.
Just about every store, from gas stations to big box stores to certain hardware stores that also sell groceries, all carry that exact box.
The blue/yellow box is iconic and recognizable by most Americans at a glance, and it's design has not significantly changed within half a century.
It is synonymous with "busy mothers of young children who want a simple, quick and affordable meal"
Even the generic store brands tend to have very similar style packaging so its obvious what's inside, its that common
What the hell
In the UK our largest mac and cheese brand is 'Batchelors' they're known for instant soups and pastas. But I think their biggest seller is broccoli and cheese pasta, I see it more often than mac and cheese.
At my university in the UK I live with a Canadian it's pretty much all he eats I had one once and what Americans consider Cheddar astounds me. Mind you im from Cheddar in the UK
@@blaser80 broccoli and cheese bachelor's is good
I love the idea of spending an hour collecting tiny flowers among the herbs and bees and you ended up with that sweet little bottle of dried flowers. Then sprinkled them on a boxed Mac and Cheese lol.
US here. I share the opinion that kraft mix doesn't taste very cheesy on its own, but so many kids grow up with it here that it still holds that nostalgic flavor.
I like adding a slice of muenster or other meltable cheese when I add in the cheese mix, really boosts the flavor.
Wisconsin here, for Kraft M & C, I skip the milk, one tablespoon of margarine, and two tablespoons of Merkt's Sharp Cheddar cheese spread. Perfect thick sauce every time. You can skip the milk, because of the cheese spread. We usually don't have milk around our place, so I improvised one day and it actually turned out great. Now, I make it this way every time. I usually put a little Tabasco sauce on mine, but not while cooking, only to taste as you eat it.
Heads up that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is not the same as Kraft Dinner. They're close but the ingredients are different because of the differences in regulations between American and Canadian food agencies. If you want a mac and cheese product closer to the sachet you're familiar with - Knorr Sidekicks has a great cheddar macaroni option as well as a broccoli white cheddar one.
??? As a Canadian i did not know this. They aren't????
I was about to comment this exact thing.
There are some (at least here in the USA) that take the ritual or method of preparing their Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or in Canada where it's known as Kraft Dinner very seriously - it's almost as though it is a religious experience. Honestly, for me I enjoy it a couple times a month and the rest of my immediate family turns their noses up at it - I suppose it is one of those childhood experiences I had a lot growing up as a "latch key key" (left home alone between the hours after school was let out and parents arriving home from work) - if you had some unspoiled milk and some butter or margarine and the skill to boil water (safely) you were in for "dinner" - I remember fondly watching Doctor WHO (Tom Baker) while eating a heaping bowl of that golden deliciousness - followed up with some Soft Batch cookies warmed in the microwave for 9 seconds....
@Lenia Carter My mom used to add tuna and peas. Wasn't too excited about that as a kid, but now I get a craving for it from time to time.
yeah im one of those serious people. i have a method that makes it taste cheesier without any added ingredients. and as it were, we were also latchkey kids.
While the flavor is, at best, an acquired taste, one thing I like about the Deluxe option is that no milk or butter need be on hand... just water and the box (well, and a pan and a spoon). Homemade is far superior, of course, but... when one doesn't live within easy walking distance to a grocery store, it can be nice to have something 100% shelf-stable. And yeah, tuna and peas can be nice.
Food is commonly used as an insult or classism to separate oneself from "the poor people" who eat the stuff. People call food like Spam, instant box dinners, etc. trash food and turn their noses to it not because of taste, but because of what it means socially. Its very similar to the practice of hunting in the US. In the US, hunting is more associated with poorer folk and looked down upon by the middle class (I know its different across the pond).
I still enjoy a box of kraft mac and cheese sometimes, maybe once every couple months. Its simple and its nostalgic for me.
Ijs we to love KD with cut up hotdogs and small squirt of ketchup.
The Kraft ones are ideal to take camping as an alternative to those expensive dehydrated meals that camping shops sell. I had one this summer after a hard days bikepacking, so made it without butter and milk, and I think the cheese flavour was even more intense. A bit like when you make chocolate mousse or an omlette with water.
You could also carry a bit of oil.
I always take the Velveeta mac and cheese just because the cheese sauce doesn't need dairy added
When we hiked and brought Mac and cheese we usually added anout 1/4 of powdered milk to the cheese powder. And these sprinkles called butter buds not sure you can buy the butter buds any longer.
But I agree we did usually grab the Mac and cheese deluxe instead when we could afford it.
I bet your “fancy” garnish dried flowers would make a great furikake mix and on top of rice??? Sounds yummy to me.
Kraft also makes a deluxe version that is closer to real macaroni and cheese, at least in my opinion. The cheese is a thick liquid in a pouch. This version readily lends itself to added ingredients. I'm surprised that I don't see any other comments about this.
Used to make Kraft Deluxe with pan fried kielbasa sausage. Yum!!!
Kraft has a "thick and creamy" version which remedies the issue of the runny, grainy sauce. Makes it very smooth as like Atomic's homemade. But I'm sure the similarities end there 😁
kraft deluxe tastes like shit
@@L8BLUUMR yep it's so nasty
@@wendylissolo9783 me too!!👨🍳
We have noodles that come like your British version in a packet with everything together that calls for water, milk and butter to be cooked down. The 2 main brands are Knorr/ Lipton (yes that Knorr and the tea people combined forces)
One of the main reasons people use the Kraft stuff if not just the obvious convenience but price. The cost of Kraft is only pennies more than plain noodles and sometimes cheaper because it goes on special so often. Cheese is expensive in the US for some reason a half kilo of basic name brand cheese is $10+ so Mac n Cheese is actually kinda spendy to make from scratch so lots of people don't
It's the one thing that is weirdly cheap here in the UK, even though people in the states can grow/farm/make the food on massive scales super cheap, our food prices are actually really cheap.
It's something I've seen come up a few times on Reddit
@@ryanmg92 part of the benefit of colonizing dozens of countries
@@ryanmg92 a lot of it is because we use ethenol in our fuel. So a goodly percentage of our best cropland is used to grow fuel corn. A lot of the rest is sold to other countries who come in and farm whatever to ship home while we import a large percentage of our food instead. This in turn leads to us farming places like california for a good percentage of our other food and tbis is further compounded by just how much of our good crop land is owned by the government as government lands and is not allowed to be farmed. Additionally we allow a lot more chemicals in our food which lets them be cut a lot further which further makes things more expensive.
Granted thats a gross oversimplification but its the nut shell version. There are also a ton of tax and water rights issues mixed in there as well.
Cheese isn’t that expensive where I live.
Don't know where you're shopping, but a pound of cheese shouldn't cost $10+. I get 1 pound blocks of cheese for around $5 and I don't even live in a dairy state.
Even though I don’t eat dairy, I still really like your videos because of normality and soothing-ness of your content. Loving your videos
Well, I don't scambait myself but still watch his videos 🤣🤣🤣
As a North American I always think of Kraft blue box as filling three main rolls. 1) Shelf stable for when a blizzard hits and you are snowed in. 2) Picky child needs food. Salty cheesy noodles are palatable to basically any picky child. 3) You are drunk and hungry. Easy to make and you won't appreciate something better anyway.
It isn't really good, it just isn't really bad either. It just is what it is.
It would have been nice to have compared Marshall's boxed macaroni (a Scottish brand of elbow macaroni, they have their own version of Kraft mac&cheese) for the UK equivalent
After years of making a roux for Mac and cheese like you did, I now boil my pasta with just enough water and add my butter, and dairy (often sour cream, cream cheese or yogurt) directly to the pot. The starch rich pasta water performs the same function as the roux and I end up with a very creamy one pot meal. Also easy to pot in veg, like broccoli or cauliflower durring the boil for a complete meal.
Nice idea with the herb flowers, never considered that - I've only tried lavender flowers before, and they're fantastic on desserts, or even in jam.
Hi , my daughter in law loves lavender tea , it that just the dried flowers or do they do something else to the lavender , please ,
@@christinebeames2311 I have seen recipes for a butter cake that has lavender leaves in it. Oh, and as for the tea, you can use the lavender either dried (leaves and/or flowers) both fresh and dried. If you use fresh use twice as much (maybe a tablespoon per 8 oz. cup give or take for strength/taste...
And, you are a fantastic mother-in-law!
The "use by" date on that kraft is a little suspect, although I suppose since it's all dry it doesn't really matter.
Yeah, I bought it quite a while ago when it was in date (although not by much)
@@AtomicShrimp Oh wow you replied before I even finished the video. Was this project intended to be done much earlier and got pushed back?
As well as a decent mustard, I can recommend the addition of a good grating of _nutmeg_ to a macaroni cheese sauce - really elevates it... 😋
in The U.S we have something called "pasta-roni" that comes in tonnes of different flavors, but it's prepared like the UK Mac... it's usually pretty good
Hamburger helper is like that too
Everyone knows: Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps! It also helps to add the milk in small quantities first but do as you please, after all, you are the crafty Winner of your homemade Kraft Dinner
You sound like a fan of Chef John. Remember, the roux can sense fear 😎
Chef John fans unite!!
Warm milk, like 30-45 secs in a microwave or 45-60 if you have a clove stuffed onion for making bechamel. Never fails. Helps to sieve the flour too but isn't essential if you know what you're doing.
Using cold milk will just slow down the whole process meaning you could totally overcook the flour for a really glutenous, foul tasting sauce as well as double your time thickening it. Not so bad for home cooking, but not when you're prepping a base white for 50+ covers.
I'm a fully qualified chef btw.
@@pittibarlin8692 I was just about to say that, I find that my trick in not getting a lumpy bechamelle sauce is to use the right amount of butter per flour and cook it thoroughly before adding the milk, I also like to put a drizzle of nutmeg in my bechamelle 👌
Those dried flowers are SO DELIGHTFUL in that little bottle
the idea of importing kraft mac and cheese and garnishing it with flowers from an herb garder is just very funny to me
I invited my eldest son (who loves mac cheese) to watch this video with me. I didn't expect him to watch the whole video but he did and we both enjoyed it. I always bake our mac cheese because I love a bubbled cheese topping.
Being from the Midwest in America, naturally Kraft isn’t exciting but absolutely fascinating when prepared by some whose never made it before! Thank you for introducing me to what it’s actually made of, I think 🤔. At home I add a couple slices of American cheese to help it out a bit 👩🏻🍳
Midwestener here. Try using velveeta as your cheese instead. Also, a tiny amount of mustard in the whole batch brings out the cheese flavor. Kinda how coffee makes chocolate taste more chocolatey. Thought for food.
also from the midwest! i like to add broccoli and chicken to mine 😄 i also agree with the mustard thing! it works so well!
Your channel is literally about everything and I love it.
Michael as a macaroni and cheese fan this is the content i needed!!!
Kraft mac is just one of those things you have to have grown up eating from childhood. It's not good--it's nostalgic and comforting. I grew up in the US but have purchased it here in the UK when I've felt homesick.
which kind of makes me think about the question "how can mcdonalds be so successful, despite the customer service being so gash (for US standards) and them literally doing research on how to make it just shitty enough so the customer leaves soon after the purchase"
not that i hate mcdonalds with a passion or anything, but it's rarely great, now is it? gotta get them young lol
I've yet to find Kraft dinner in the imports section in Germany. I've had a craving for it for months now and it's been torture, so glad you've been able to get some. It seems the UK has quite a bit more in terms of US import products than here.
But maybe I've just had terrible luck!
@@PoptartParasol nah i think you may be right, as a dutchman we lack quite a bit of the imported stuff too
my only guess is because germany is alwyas a huge industrical/economic powerhouse of western europe, it does most of the things in-house
in the netherlands the competition between grocers is insane, so you'd find a knock off of an american product first before finding the real thing
or you'll pay out of the ass for the actual thing in some highly specialized import shop
is it irony that kraft is a german brand and you can't find it in germany? :D
I can eat it anytime honestly, even while I'm an adult
@@PoptartParasol Käsespätzle should be easier to find, especially in the south. In my experience the rough surface holds more sauce.
The instructions on the Lidl packet say to add the contents to the *boiling* water/milk mixture.
Only of you're microwaving it. Cold for hob, hot for microwave
@@sully4576 Nope. I've just checked the packet, and you are wrong.
Take 100ml milk and 250ml cold water. Bring to the boil, then add contents of packet.
My grandad who has just passed dedicated himself to being a milkman after his time serving, my mum and uncle on that side have some wild stories growing up with that lifestyle. Long live the glass bottle and foil cap :) Don't forget, behind the novelty is a story and industry.
I've suggested we get oat milk delivered at work, big corporate lot, though at home and to support the community and farmers (even for the taste alone), find your milkman! :D
Big fan Atomic. Coming out of my internet lurker phase, over a decade now. Hope I won't annoy ya.
I always top my macaroni cheese with extra grated cheese and put it in the oven to brown a little . I sometimes add some cooked , chopped, smoked bacon and lightly fried chopped onion. I agree some mustard is a great addition with any cheese recipe. You can’t actually taste it but it makes the cheese more cheesy.
This is an epic video! Thanks so much for doing the compare and contrast with the cross pond versions as well as the a home made version. As always with a shrimp twist for the dried flowers. Your videos are incredibly fun and easy to watch.
I always add a small amount of blue cheese like Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort to a cheese sauce. Just like mustard, a small amount of it tends to elevate and lift the cheese flavour. Just like the Emmental don't overdo it though, as it can also be far to overpowering. A small piece of it, goes a long way...
BTW, Worcestershire sauce is also good for lifting the flavour of cheese, although it does tend to turn a cheese sauce slightly brown. It would have been great splashed on top of the bacon and cheese topped, mac n' cheese you did though.
A bay leaf in the white sauce too adds a nice depth to the finished cheese sauce!
That’s taken me back to the advert with Worcestershire sauce atop cheese on toast bubbling under the grill.....
I love this! As someone who can cook I really enjoy someone else who can cook try food for people who cannot/don't want to cook!
I have a feeling Babatunde's version will have a lot of Scotch Bonnets in it!
The continental alfredo instant pasta was always a highlight of camping trips. Quick, easy and tasty as the sun drops, the night sky appears and the smoke from the fire makes eyes water.
The milk bottles with foil caps brings back memories of childhood. Unfortunately we dot get it in my country now. Best was the chocolate flavor milk. You can try adding a Maggi chicken soup cube to bring out the maximum flavor in Mc N Cheese 😀
This channel always has crazy interesting ideas. Very entertaining thank you
Elbow macaroni... Likewise a pain in the arse to find over here in Eire! My sympathies Monsieur shrimp and props for another fab vid. PS I think you will find that reading Conan the barbarian aloud in Spanish is the perfect accompaniment to Kraft Mac n cheese.
look for shell shapes pasta. it also does not form rafts, and even if your recipe calls for draining, it will keep some pasta water, allowing some very nice sauces all around.
Really love your videos so informative and friendly a great watch after a hard day.
Thank pal 😁
I tend to do the home made version but often with spaghetti, just the way my mum used to do it, sprinkle with breadcrumbs before baking. As well as english mustard a small amount of either curry powder and/or nutmeg and of course more cheese.
You are honestly so wholesome. Thank you for sharing your wholesome-ness with us.
Kraft Mac is my favorite comfort food. Yes it’s not the greatest meal in the world, but it’s nostalgic for me. Whenever I need a pick me up I make a box of Kraft Mac and chill.
I absolutely love this channel. Please keep these up Mr. Shrimp. Thank you for the entertainment.
Your homemade version has just been copied in Munich and it tasted great! Good thing I managed to get a hold of some Cheddar, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton (I‘m not a fan of Emmentaler) in a Iceland supermarket in Tenerife last week (as traveling to the UK is a bit of a pain at the moment). Great Channel, thumbs up, thank you & danke!
Stilton, nooooo!!! 😅
Wow! I'd have never thought of using those cheeses in macaroni and cheese, I'm a cheese board enthusiast. Was it delicious?
@@sandgrownmanc6614 my exact initial reaction
My Husband (a time served Chef) always adds a small amount of blue cheese, mustard and nutmeg to cheese sauce for macaroni cheese, which is always made using plenty of butter and very mature cheddar. Incomparable!
Oh wow that's amazing that you can still get milk delivered in bottles! Here in Australia they stopped doing that decades ago as everything transitioned over to plastic bottles and liquid paperboard cartons. I believe in very recent years that 'boutique' milk in glass bottles has become available again which I assume you can get delivered for a price.
I'm in Canada and it has not been possible to get milk delivered at home for quite some time, at least where I live.
Glass bottles had completely disappeared for decades but one brand has re-introduced them as a kind of "retro" item but it's not available everywhere. Also glass cannot easily be recycled so the green way to handle these bottles would be to return them to be cleaned and refilled somehow.
That's what happens here. You put the empty bottles out on the doorstep at night (like Fred Flintstone!) and in the early hours the milkman uplifts them and replaces them with full bottles. Milk floats are usually electric, mainly to minimise noise in the early hours, so pretty green in that regard also.
Do you mean glass bottles in general or the ones for milk specifically? Because here in Germany, glass bottles for drinks are pretty common, they get washed and reused multiple times.
Great video as usual.
You can't beat fresh milk delivered to your door step. No horrible plastic, no waste ,the ultimate re-cycling and in Wales, the milk is produced and bottled within a small radius. Also, if you have arthritic hands, it's so easy to open.
Macaroni and cheese goes particularly well as a main meal with homegrown carrots.
I'm a little confused as to how lidl version is the closest here in the uk, everywhere sells the red box craft "cheesy pasta", which looks the same only is a lot more cheesier
Yeah red and yellow box says kraft on it in the uk, exactly the same bit there is no equivalent.
This video came out at just the right time for me. I had some mac n cheese last night and I just had the leftovers for lunch today. I'll have to use this video for reference next time
When you make the version being baked in the oven, I highly recommend adding bread crumbs on the top along with the cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper. very important. Once you tried it this way, you will never ever go back to just cheese on top ever again.
Same with Lasagna.
In french we call that dish "Pates au Gratin"
My mom put bacon (American style)on top when she did homemade mac n cheese. Also crushed potato chips (crisps for UK audience) are nice or French's fried onions as a topping. You are spot on about the relationship of mustard and cheese. Always a great combo.
Kraft Mac and Cheese is called Kraft Dinner in Canada. I’m a picky eater, and KD was always my fave food. I used to come home from school and cook a pot. As an adult, it was still my fave. Sometimes I’d make it almost soupy; sometimes thick. It was cooked just until the ends of the pasta turned white, so firm without being flabby. Cheese and butter mixed in til melted, then milk just before serving, so it stays hot. I’m salivating just thinking about it.
Everyone ate KD. It got kids through uni before noodles came on the scene; it was a stretcher for poor people living month to month.
But they changed the cheese powder some time ago. I mean, I loved it all my life, and suddenly couldn’t eat it anymore. It just tasted like some kind of chemical sweepings from a nuclear plant. I kept trying every new brand of it I could find that taste, to no avail.
Every year or so, I’d try KD again, hoping they changed the recipe back. The last time I tried it, even the pasta was changed, it’s smaller.
Kraft Dinner, in Canada, which was 79 cents, is just inedible now. I’m reduced to eating real macaroni and grated medium cheddar cheese. Not good when your fave food of 50 years is disgusting.
That box of American Mac and Cheese looked pretty good.
Thanks for your experimenting. I’m amazed you can still get bottled milk, and get it delivered.🌸
Kraft mac and cheese isn’t popular in the US for its flavor, it’s mostly popular because it’s nostalgic due to pretty much every kid having eaten it as a child as a quick meal tired parents would cook. To be fair though I’d say most canned and boxed quick food is likely popular due to that fact alone
My mouth is watering! My favourite cheeses are, mature cheddar, gruyere, a tiny amount of blue and parmesan. I've just noticed an earlier comment I posted! I'm 71 and I have an appalling memory, which is a bonus, because I'd completely forgotten I'd watched this!
Instant mix certainly has its place, especially when it it comes to cost. At 16 when left home I ate lots of these instant pasta meals. However, you can't beat a home made cheese sauce!
Hi there! I’m an American who was raised on Kraft Mac and cheese. This product is really designed for children to eat, not so much adults (unless it’s as comfort food). Why it is cooked the way it is is probably because milk can be tricky on the stove - easy to burn and boil over to make a mess. Whereas, for someone on a tight budget who is trying to cook for small children, boiling water while taking care of kids/making something to eat with the Mac and cheese, boiling water is easier. And, yes, if left to sit for a bit after mixing, the sauce gets thicker and has a bit more cheesy tasty.
Here in Canada we usually mix in extra cheese to the Kraft dinner from the magical Cheese whiz jar . 😂👍
Vomits a little
Watching this made me realize two things: One, I haven't before watched any English cooking channels, so my vocabulary needs updating, and two: I never thought I would crave something as American as Mac'n'Cheese, but after watching you cook it, I do.
Describe the UK's attitude towards the metric and imperial systems in one sentance: "I used about 500ml of my pint of milk"
It's about the only thing we are bilingual at.
@@jca111 sprich für dich selbst, matey.
@@pittibarlin8692 ja ich cola trinken and Fortnite spielen yippie!
I'm happy to see this video! I remember the Macaroni Cheese name discussion when you received that Kraft package many months ago. Great video!
I confess that I have take a rather shameful pleasure in sometimes making Kraft dinner, although I can and indeed have made my own from scratch. I can't really blame my parents either; my father rarely cooked anything, but my mother was an excellent cook and always made macaroni and cheese from scratch. Still, it's something of a comfort food for me. I think you're right about the "macaroni" being so skinny so that they'll cook fast. In fact, I've overcooked them badly. More than once. They aren't a form of pasta that reacts well to an absent-minded cook. I recently discovered a new-to-me variant of Kraft dinner made with cauliflower. A couple friends and I, none of whom had heard of it before, speculated on where the cauliflower actually was until one of us looked at the label and discovered it was in the macaroni. A volunteer prepared it for us to taste. Well, Kraft dinner might taste like salt and fake cheese, but that stuff tasted like nothing at all!
Aah, i always woke up at 5am in the morning as a child by the noise of the milk man's glass bottle. My sibling and i would rush to open a bottle for breakfast. The first one to get to the bottle opens it and takes the first sip. These bottles of milk always had a little cream at the top.
I enjoy your vlogs, thank you.
I wonder how good of a Mac n Cheese, Atomic Shrimp could make on his own? Cause you have truly inspired me to be more frugal! (I made stock from vegetable peels the other day, hoooo boy is my typical Norwegian "Kjøttsuppe" so much better for it).
Thanks for the chill content!
What is Kjøttsuppe? Just curious
@@NHarts3 hearty stew made with root vegetables and meat (my mormor used to make it with reindeer when I’d visit her in Trondheim) it’s great
@@Aenima308 oh indeed it is, can absolutely attest to the method of keeping peels for stock making.
Ooh sounds great. I've never eaten reindeer but we make stew with lamb and veggies every week. So interesting to hear about reindeer stew
@@NHarts3 if you ever get a chance to try it, I highly recommend it. I’ve never gotten any here in the states, but my mormor used to always have loads in her freezer. It’s extremely lean, but surprisingly tender. Kinda tastes like a mix of lamb/beef.
Nothing beats homemade mac and cheese! I put a smidge of freshly grate nutmeg in my cheese sauce to add depth of flavour and put a mix of panko and parmesan over the top and bake it until crisp and golden! yummy, now I want mac and cheese!
Sounds delicious. I'll be over at eight.
If there's one American instant mac and cheese you should try, it's velveeta shells. It's much more flavorful than the kraft macaroni IMO, and the kraft mix is more of a Canadian staple anyway
Velveeta is awesome!
Agreed! Velveta mac is WAY better, I should admit though, I've never liked kraft mac n chesse lol
You can't call it mac and cheese if it's using velveeta, as i recall it's not really cheese.
@@TheErador Yup, I was like "Hold on a minute. Velveeta makes cheese now?"
I love your cooking and food related videos. Thanks a lot for keeping to make these!
You seem (justifiably) chuffed with your basil setup. You should explore the weird and wonderful basil spectrum! There's so much more beyond sweet and genovese, from cinnamon to thai, purple to lemon etc. Very easy to have three or four varieties sharing a pot (I write the names on the respective quadrants of the pot in marker pen), and no reason you couldn't propagate each as you do normally.
Oh Thai basil is wonderful!
@@maxinecalyptus1639 It is :) Have you tried lemon basil? It really is shockingly lemony, amazing smell just brushing one's hand over the plant. Smaller leaves than other varieties but they really pack a punch!
A common addition to the Kraft Cheese and Mac is sliced hot dogs, cooked along with the macaroni. When I was a kid that was a special treat. And it was, after all, Chandler Bing's favourite dish.
Never waste sauce, except the blandest rue, by having a piece of good bread standing by (cook's perks). I do like adding some turmeric to lots of dishes for colour and it's good for you.
It’s one of those things I see recommended a lot that every person should have
I'm an expat American and have lived in England for 25 years and I STILL love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!!! I don't add milk though, just butter only with the mix.
Your homemade mac&cheese looked really good! I personally would've just added some freshly ground black pepper.
I’ve never tried the cheese and mustard thing, but it totally makes sense. I’m gonna try it
When the cheese hits the whisk and you stir it in quick. That's a mornay.
Ooo, you are quite saucy, aren't you? 😘
This is still a food in my grown up household. When i was little, my dad would still the cheese out of boxes and out it on microwave popcorn.
My dad always added mustard powder to his homemade mac and cheese and way more cheese then you use. I use like 8 different cheeses. My family loves to come eat it. I add paprika and garlic to my sauce when i make it and mustard powder. Sooo good
13:35 Do the same thing, save fat from all roasts etc.and use them to fry. Saves on palm oil, money and the fatbergs.
Any really old oil/fat I smudge it up with oats for bird food,save it, and put it out in winter.
Anyhow great vid.
I got into mac n cheese during my grad school in US. Homemade or store bought, always finished it with some frozen peas & corn which get cooked in the residual heat and also cools it down.
Annie's Mac and Cheese is the way to go - not seen it in the UK, though.
Add a little hot sauce or mustard and it's extremely good.
As a Canadian I truly appreciate how you treated that kraft mac n cheese :) amazing.
I always find poultry Schmalz needs way more flour that the same amount of butter. I assume it is due to the fact that it’s missing the 20% water/milk that Butter still has.
I live in the states and the Kraft is quite common. There is also a Velveeta version that is a lot creamier and cheesier, even though Velveeta is more of a "processed cheese product" than real cheese. I VERY much prefer homemade as it isn't really that difficult to make. One variation that my old roommate favored was the addition of buttered bread crumbs on the top before baking or herb and garlic croutons. It gave the dish a lovely crunchy texture as well as flavor. Sometimes she even mixed cooked and crumbled bacon in before the final bake. There is so much that one can do with a base recipe for this dish.