For Creamier Boxed Mac And Cheese, Reach Into Your Fridge

Boxed mac and cheese ranks right up there with SpaghettiOs and ramen as a childhood quick meal many of us still have a soft spot for. If you're among those who never quite fell out of the love with this dish, there are some techniques you can apply to give this pantry staple a sophisticated twist and bring it into the adult world.

Adding various delicious ingredients can easily upgrade boxed macaroni and cheese. For a quick, enriching addition, head to the fridge and pull out some cream cheese — it's all you need for a fast, tasty upgrade. Prepare your meal according to package instructions, and when you reach the step for adding milk and butter, toss in a couple of heaping spoonfuls of cream cheese, too. The hot noodles are enough to melt the butter, so everything should soften quickly — but you can also use this hot bowl hack to soften your cream cheese in a snap. Voilà — your mac now has an extra richness and creaminess your taste buds will thank you for, with that unmistakable tang that is characteristic of cream cheese.

Both full-fat and low-fat cream cheese work well here — the added creaminess and tang remain similar. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also level up your mac just a bit more with flavored cream cheese. Varieties like garden vegetable, chive and onion, or sundried tomato can give your mac a flavor boost that might just end up becoming a favorite.

Starting with a quality product always helps boost success in the kitchen. Before grabbing a box from your cupboard, check out our list of boxed mac and cheese ranked from worst to best to help you select a superior option.

Once you've got a good mac for your foundation, there are some other ways to elevate your meal. Alongside the cream cheese hack, try using heavy cream, half-and-half, or a richer milk like full-fat goat milk in place of the regular milk. This will similarly elevate the dish in terms of creaminess and richness.

You can also mix in some fresh cheese with the packaged cheese for extra oomph (there's no such thing as too much cheese, after all). Some superior choices that melt especially well — thanks to their low melting points and high moisture content — include Havarti, mozzarella, Gruyère, Gouda, fontina, and good ol' American cheese.