This TikTok Hack Makes Boxed Mac And Cheese Even Easier To Prepare
As a kid, there were probably a few select foods that made up your diet. Chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs, crinkle-cut French fries, chocolate milk, the list goes on. But for most of us, there's still one classic dinner that always calls back those warm, nostalgic memories of childhood. An old-fashioned box of macaroni and cheese seems to always have our backs — it's quick, it's easy, and you can enjoy it no matter how old you are.
First marketed by Kraft in 1937 in the throes of the Great Depression, a standard box of pasta shells and cheese could up to four people for just 19 cents (via The Walrus) and still continues the tradition of being cheap and filling today. It's versatility seems limitless — you can make anything from a hot cheesy casserole to Sriracha mac and cheese bites (via Wide Open Eats). All you need to do is boil your pasta, add the cheese, and in only a few minutes, you'll have a delicious meal. It really doesn't get any simpler than that.
But nothing is perfect, and mac and cheese is no exception. If your macaroni and cheese comes with the pouch of thick, gooey cheese sauce, it's hard to get all that delicious liquid gold out of the pouch. Fortunately, thanks to a creative TikTok hack, you'll find that, quite contrary to the saying, it's pretty easy being cheesy.
Use the lid of your pot to squeeze out the cheese
TikTok user Betha91810 posted a video of themself preparing a standard macaroni and cheese meal. When it came time to introduce cheese to pasta, Betha didn't do the conventional method of ripping the top off and squeezing the pouch dry. They instead opened one end of the pouch and placed the open-end into the pot. They then placed the lid of the pot over the pouch, so the pouch was sandwiched lid and pot. By slowly pulling the free end of the pouch, the lid of the pot helped to push all of the golden goodness out into the pasta, emptying the pouch in just one pull. Needless to say, many commentators were surprised by this unconventional but successful hack.
"I've been doing this since I seen it on here months ago!" one commentator praised, giving the hack a "10/10" and noted that the technique made absolutely no mess. "Sure beats my hand slipping every time and getting cheese on my hands!" said another commentator, undoubtedly grateful their cheese-free fingers could give this hack a like. It isn't just a mess-free way to make your mac, another commentator said they had arthritis and this hack made making macaroni and cheese for their teen much easier.
After finishing up your dinner and you want to brush your teeth, you'll be happy to know that a similar hack exists for getting those last finicky drops of toothpaste out of the tube.