| My children's favorite meal is macaroni and | | | | |
| cheese. The cheesier it is the the more he | | | | Substitute your pasta. There are so many more |
| enjoys it. I love it myself, but the cheesier | | | | healthy alternatives to the normal macaroni |
| it is, the more fattening it becomes, too. | | | | pasta noodle. Now, grocery stores provide a |
| Here are a few ideas to make that family | | | | whole wheat or multigrain pasta that is |
| classic a little better for the kids. | | | | derived from wheat flour instead of white. |
| | | | The pasta is brown in color but when you add |
| Add variety to the cheese. Macaroni and | | | | the cheese, no one will know the difference. |
| cheese is nothing unless it is dripping | | | | If brown pasta doesn't do it for you, |
| cheese from both ends of the noodle. But, the | | | | Barilla(R) makes pasta called Barilla Plus(R) |
| cheese your mother chose doesn't have to be | | | | that has additional nutrients to make it more |
| the same cheese that you use. Choose | | | | nutritious for the eater. The pasta remains |
| Velveeta(R) Light cheese spread. The light | | | | the natural yellowish color. Dreamfields(R) |
| version has a third of the fat and melts much | | | | has macaroni noodles that contain only five |
| better than regular cheese. This cheese works | | | | grams of digestible carbohydrates. That means |
| well if you prepare your macaroni and cheese | | | | nothing to your children, but to you it means |
| in a pot on the stovetop. If you are a person | | | | that they won't get fat from consuming that |
| that bakes your macaroni and cheese like a | | | | specific brand. |
| casserole, you can substitute fat-free sharp | | | | |
| cheddar for the full fat version and use skim | | | | Add some color to their macaroni and cheese. |
| milk to make it creamy. | | | | Chop a tomato and stir it into the macaroni |
| | | | and cheese prior to serving it. The red makes |
| How about making that side dish the main | | | | a bold statement in the sea of yellow. |
| meal? Macaroni and cheese can become the | | | | Tomatoes contain antioxidants which are great |
| entire meal if you add some protein. Turn | | | | for your body. If your children prefer hot |
| your side dish into a casserole dinner with | | | | foods, add a few crushed red peppers or diced |
| lean ground beef. This transforms your dish | | | | red and green peppers to their macaroni and |
| into cheesy beef and macaroni. The beef will | | | | cheese for a bolder flavor. If you don't have |
| help to fill your kids up faster and will | | | | any peppers or tomatoes on hand, use a cup of |
| give them the protein that their body needs. | | | | salsa in the macaroni and cheese in a pinch. |
| Add a teaspoon of chili powder to give it a | | | | |
| southwestern flavor. For a weekend lunch, add | | | | What about breakfast? Your child would jump |
| chunks of ham to their macaroni and cheese | | | | at the chance to be served macaroni and |
| for a quick meal. The meat breaks up the | | | | cheese for breakfast. Add a few pieces of |
| monotony of just having the same dish all of | | | | turkey bacon or reduced fat bacon to their |
| the time. Chunks of boneless chicken breasts | | | | plate. Crumble the bacon on top of the |
| will also work as well as the ham if your | | | | macaroni and cheese and serve. If bacon is |
| child prefers chicken. Hotdogs also work with | | | | not your child's favorite, add sausage |
| macaroni and cheese but because of the | | | | crumbles. It's unconventional, but it'll |
| nitrites they contain, don't use them as | | | | taste good. |
| often as you use the ham and chicken. | | | | |