What decadent dishes will adorn your family table this fourth Thursday of November? Holiday celebrations usually revolve around food. Do you belong to a turkey-eating family or a ham-eating family? A family that whips up green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, cranberry sauce, or all of the above? Oh. And we can’t forget the macaroni and cheese. Does that crispy, crunchy, cheesy, noodle-y food claim a spot in your Thanksgiving spread?
A 2023 survey conducted by the Campbell’s company found that baked mac and cheese topped the side dish list in Louisiana. But mac and cheese isn’t just for the bayou. Most states rank the comfort food among the top five Thanksgiving sides.
The food goes back hundreds of years. Mac and cheese got started in 14th-century Europe. Ludwig van Beethoven, for example, adored mac and cheese. Beethoven’s macaroni didn’t come in a box with a little packet of cheese sauce. Oh no. It was called “Macaroni mit Parmesan-Käse,” and combined noodles with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from Italy.
Mac and cheese turned into the version we know and love today after it arrived in the United States. But there was no mac and cheese at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. Those early Massachusetts settlers chowed down on a menu of corn, shellfish, and roasted deer meat.
A later American, Thomas Jefferson, gets the credit for mac and cheese’s stateside popularity. Jefferson, after trying a macaroni dish in France and loving it, brought the dish to Virginia in the late 18th century. He served it at a state dinner.
Over time, macaroni and cheese became more accessible for the average American. It didn’t cost much to make and filled the belly fast during hard times, becoming a popular choice during the Great Depression. American manufacturer Kraft introduced boxed mac and cheese in the 1930s.
Today, American cooks prepare mac and cheese from coast to coast. Ingredients and seasonings vary from town to town and reflect the resources and heritages of the locals. Diversity often means ingenuity—imagination at work. Vermonters might use Vermont cheddar, Gruyère, a hint of creamy Brie, maple syrup, and crispy bacon. Mainers add lobster. Wisconsin is the “Cheese State,” and Wisconsin mac and cheese oozes with local cheeses, including Wisconsin cheddar, Swiss, and Colby.
How do you take your mac? Homemade or boxed? Crunchy breadcrumb top or creamy? Do you add mustard or pepper to the sauce? Hot sauce or ketchup on the side?
Why? Food brings people together. In a diverse country like America, a dish develops many variations.
Have a favorite mac and cheese recipe to share? Send it to us at WORLDteeneditor@gwnews.com. We’ll pick our favorites and do a taste test!
