Keep a package of elbow noodles (or pasta shells if you typically buy shells and cheese) handy and when you make boxed mac & cheese, you can add a half a cup of noodles to the noodles from the box. Then just prepare with the cheese sauce as normal. You get more macaroni and it’s just as cheesy as using the noodles in the box alone! This could prevent you from having to make two boxes to have plenty and then throwing some out or help you have extra when you have a guest or two for dinner!
Be sure to catch up on all the previous Let’s Save Some Money posts.
Mary W. says
I do this with the Birds eye Viola! I add extra pasta and it stretches it much further.
Amy says
I’ve been doing this since you originally posted it. Thanks for the tips!
Debra says
I do this kind of thing when I make Stove Top stuffing, I add about 5 slices of bread to the mix. Sometimes I add rye, wheat, or French bread cubes to give it variety.
Ashley says
I add extra noodles to hamburger helper, too. It prevents it from becoming ‘meat soup’.
Tami says
I usually fix 2 family size boxes at a time. I have 3 teenagers and a three year old and it seems the teenagers always have friends over at dinnertime. I like to add some thawed frozen veggies and a couple of cans of tuna. Makes a tasty little one dish meal and I feel better about not cooking from scratch!! :)
Shellie says
I also love to add pureed veggies (sweet potato or carrot) to boxed mac & cheese.
Jen says
lol a pound of pasta NOT a pond!
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
Haha! I thought the pond was pretty funny. :)
Jen says
I buy the Annie’s brand mac & cheese. I make it 4 boxes at a time(we have 6 boys) & only use 3 of the cheese packets or if I make 3 boxes I use 2 packets. I usually mix veggies & or meat in with it so having less cheese does not take away from the flavor. When I make a pond of plain pasta I use the cheese packet from the Annie’s. Just another way to stretch it :)
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
That sounds like a really good idea. :)