Hey Kraft: Just Leave Our Mac and Cheese Alone!

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When I was a kid, my mom was a single parent for a while, and I can only imagine how precious her free time must have been while juggling work and raising me. I have vivid memories of us sitting on our TV trays, devouring TV dinners while watching our favorite shows. And honestly? I loved those Swanson’s meals. My mom was an expert at heating them up just right; too long, and the brownie would burn, too short, and the mashed potatoes resembled a sad, hard square. Did she know about the preservatives and sodium in those meals? Probably not, and you know what? I didn’t care.

This week, I caught wind that Kraft is planning to ditch artificial preservatives and synthetic colors from its mac and cheese by early 2016, meaning goodbye to that iconic bright orange color. Trisha Monroe, Kraft’s marketing VP, said, “Consumers, especially parents, have been telling us they want to feel good about the foods they eat and feed their families.” Seriously, Trisha?

I adore mac and cheese just the way it is! That orange goo that clings to the corners of my mouth? Pure bliss. The sheer joy of getting the right water-to-powder ratio to create that cheesy goodness is unmatched. Without that perfect hue, it wouldn’t even be mac and cheese!

And here’s the kicker—I don’t feel guilty serving it to my kids. I’m a married mother of three, and like many parents, my husband and I both work full-time. Sure, there are evenings when I whip up wholesome meals from scratch, but sometimes, cracking open a box of mac and cheese or a Totino’s Party Pizza is just what we need.

Are these the healthiest choices? Absolutely not. Are there chemicals and preservatives? Yes. But when I have a mere 34 minutes to feed my family before rushing off to hockey and soccer, it’s a lifesaver. Could I have woken up early to prepare something healthier? Sure. But sometimes, I just need those precious moments of sleep or, let’s be real, a little quality time with my husband.

I know there are parents out there who believe it’s our duty to shield our kids from every possible harmful substance. We should only serve organic fruits and grass-fed meats. And yes, that would be ideal. But here’s the reality: my kids aren’t going to develop lifelong health issues from an occasional bowl of orange noodles, just like a kid raised on organic foods won’t implode after munching on a box of Skittles dipped in Nutella.

I think we’re swinging too far in the opposite direction. Sure, it’s great to know what’s in our food. But we shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying a family dinner that includes a box of Oreos (with organic almond milk, of course!).

So to all you like-minded parents out there, sing it with me:
Leave our mac and cheese alone!

For more parenting insights, check out our thoughts on the realities of cooking for a family.