Box on left, purchased in the USA. Box on right, purchased in Canada

Kraft Dinner, also known as KD, KayDee, Kraft Mac n' Cheese, or Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, is an economical and easy-to-prepare pasta dish of macaroni and cheese that is produced by the Kraft company. The product was originally marketed as Kraft Dinner, and although is elsewhere now called Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, except in the United Kingdom where it's known as Cheesey Pasta, it retains the original name in Canada (mostly because of strict Canadian laws which regulate the naming of products as to their real contents. Kraft Dinner does not contain pasteurized cheese as the law understands it, and therefore the name of the product cannot not misinform as to its true nature.) Image File history File links Kraft_dinner. ... Image File history File links Kraft_dinner. ... Pasta is a type of food made from flour, water, and sometimes eggs, which is mixed, kneaded and formed into various shapes, and boiled prior to consumption. ... Macaroni and cheese with vegetables. ... Kraft Foods Inc. ... Pasteurization is the process of heating food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts. ...

The product comes in three primary compositions:

• The traditional form of dehydrated macaroni pasta and powdered processed cheese. To prepare the dish, one boils the pasta, and then adds milk, butter and the cheese powder.
• The deluxe form, with the powdered processed cheese replaced with Velveeta cheese spread. This allows the cheese to be applied direct to cooked pasta without additional preparation or ingredients.
• Kraft Easy Mac with servings that includes a portion of macaroni and a mixture of processed cheese and milk powder. Unlike the boxed version, it is designed to be prepared using only water and a microwave in under five minutes. Instructions are included on each individual packet. Recently, Kraft released new additional flavors and sizes of Easy Mac, meant for varied appetites (the original version is small enough that a standard serving for an adult consumer was actually two packets).

While many love it, it has frequently been decried for its unnatural yellow-orange colour, its lack of nutritional value, and the artificiality of its ingredients. In the United States from the late 1980s to late 1990s, the marketing term "Kraft Cheese and Macaroni" was used to emphasize its flavor (advertised as "the cheesiest"); however, this term was never used on the actual product boxes, which remained labeled "Kraft Macaroni and Cheese" throughout the period. Close-up photo of a handfull of macaroni noodles. ... Processed cheese (or process cheese) is a food product made from regular cheese and other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, and food colorings. ... A glass of cows milk Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. ... Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or small blocks, and often served using a butterknife. ... Processed cheese (or process cheese) is a food product made from regular cheese and other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, and food colorings. ... Velveeta is a brand of processed cheese first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. ... Color is an important part of the visual arts. ...

History

Kraft Dinner was introduced in Canada and the United States in 1937. It was widely advertised on radio, including on popular programs such as "The Great Gildersleeve". Advertisements claimed it was nutritious and easy and quick to make, and as tasty as macaroni and cheese made from scratch baked in an oven. It became extremely successful. The popularity increased during World War II when many types of food, such as meat, milk, and eggs, were severely rationed. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... -1... Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ...

Since its creation Kraft macaroni and cheese has had many improvements and changes. This began in 1975 with the introduction of the spiral shaped noodles and the wheel shaped noodle, which began in 1988. In the 1990’s there was another noodle shape innovation: popular children’s characters. Some of these popular noodle forms were Super Mario Bros., Flintstones, Bugs Bunny, Rugrats, Scooby Doo, and SpongeBob, just to name a few. Throughout the 90’s Kraft also created new lines of Kraft macaroni and cheese products, such as Thick n Creamy, Deluxe Four Cheese, Cheesy Alfredo, Light Deluxe, and Premium White. In 1998 they created the Easy Mac which has revolutionized college living forever (it helped mothers make quick meals for children as well). Super Mario Bros. ... The cast of The Flintstones, from left to right: Betty, Barney, Fred, Wilma and Dino. ... Bugs Bunny, as seen in the Looney Tunes short Rabbit Transit. ... Rugrats is an American animated television series, produced by Klasky-Csupo, Inc. ... Scooby-Doo is a popular and long-running American animated television series produced for Saturday morning television by Hanna-Barbera Productions (now Cartoon Network Studios) from 1969 to 1986, 1988 to 1991, and from 2002 to the present day. ... This article is about the cartoon series. ...

Canada has always been the world's largest per capita consumer of Kraft Dinner[1] [2] , and despite its American origins, the product has become a part of Canadian culture. As a slang term, Kraft Dinner is often abbreviated to simply KD; Kraft's advertising slogan since the '90s has been Gotta be KD. Canadian slang consists of words and phrases of slang exclusive to or originating from Canada. ...

Canadian university students have used boxes of Kraft Dinner during protests as noise makers and as symbols of student poverty due to increased education costs. ^{[citation needed]}

In the U.S., Kraft Macaroni & Cheese's slogan is "It's the cheesiest!"

During the year 1999, Colin Friesen of Lethbridge, Alberta, consumed nothing but Kraft Dinner for one entire month. ^{[citation needed]} Motto: Fortis et Liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 6th (provinces and territories) 661,848 km² 642,317 km² 19...

Pop culture references related to Kraft Dinner

• Popular Canadian musical group Barenaked Ladies recorded a song called "If I Had $1,000,000" in which the narrator states that he would still eat Kraft Dinner despite his newfound wealth. The song became so popular in Canada that when it was performed live in concert, fans would often throw boxes of Kraft Dinner on the stage during the song. In recent years they have encouraged their fans to donate the food to charity rather than throw it on-stage (especially when some fans started cooking it beforehand and the cooked macaroni was getting stuck in the instruments).
• Canadian metal band Annihilator has a song titled "Kraf dinner", in which they sing "macaroni maniac, a cheddar cheese heart attack!"
• In the episode "Not Without my Anus" of the animated TV series South Park, the Canadian comedy stars Terrance and Phillip mention "Kroff Dinner" a couple of times.
• Kraft Dinner was often featured in (or an element of) many sketches performed by the Canadian comedy group The Kids in the Hall and aired on their television show of the same name (although it was usually not referred to by name).
• Several references to Kraft Dinner appear in the popular Canadian teen show Degrassi: The Next Generation (including an episode where character "JT" shows off his recipe for marshmallows and "KD"). A few special Degrassi edition boxes of Kraft Dinner were produced.

Barenaked Ladies (often abbreviated BNL) is a Canadian alternative rock band currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Steven Page, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart, and formerly Andy Creeggan. ... If I Had $1000000 is a song by the Canadian musical group Barenaked Ladies. ... Heavy metal, sometimes referred to as simply metal, is a form of music characterised by aggressive, driving rhythms and highly amplified distorted guitars. ... Annihilator is a heavy metal band which started with the album Alice in Hell, and now has twelve albums (including live albums). ... South Park is a mature audience animated television series created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. ... Terrance (left) and Phillip (right), as seen in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. ... DVD release of Kids in the Hall first season. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian television series, which follows the lives of a group of high school students. ... The Degrassi series is a group of Canadian dramas and specials that followed the lives of a group of children and teenagers who lived on De Grassi Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ...

Variations

There are many modifications to the basic recipe. Some use two packages of cheese for more flavour. Others serve it with cut-up hot dogs or with ketchup. Bologna is a common side dish in Newfoundland. The milk can also be substituted with water. A large hot dog with ketchup Hot dog is the term for either a type of sausage or, alternatively, a sandwich with that same sort of sausage held in a bun. ... Organic Ketchup, a 21st century condiment Ketchup (or catsup) is a popular condiment, usually made with ripened tomatoes. ... Bologna sausage is an American version of the Italian mortadella (a finely hashed/ground pork sausage with lard pieces). ... Map of Newfoundland Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the northeast coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ...

The Kraft company has also come out with many different varieties of the dish:

• Original Kraft Dinner (The Cheesiest)
• Kraft Dinner with Egg Noodles
• Sharp Cheddar Kraft Dinner
• Kraft Dinner Spirals
• Kraft Dinner White Cheddar
• Kraft Dinner Alfredo
• Kraft Dinner Shapes
• Spaghetti & Cheese Kraft Dinner
• Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce Kraft Dinner
• Kraft Dinner Extra Creamy (Thick 'n Creamy Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner in USA)
• Tomato Marinara
• Creamy Garlic
• Cheese & Bacon
• Deluxe Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese
• Three Cheese Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

There are regular promotional tie-in versions of the Kraft Dinner. Packages have come with noodles shapes as characters from Super Mario Bros., Rugrats, The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents and others. Super Mario Bros. ... Rugrats is an American animated television series, produced by Klasky-Csupo, Inc. ... The Flintstones, an American animated series created by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, is one of the most successful animated television series of all time, originally running in American prime time for six seasons, from 1960 to 1966, on the ABC network. ... Scooby-doo is also British naval divers slang for civilian sport scuba diver. Scooby-Doo is an important character in animation up to this day Scooby-Doo is a long-running animated series produced for television by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1969 to 1986, 1988 to 1991, and from 2002... SpongeBob SquarePants is a popular American animated television series shown on Nickelodeon, YTV, and Nicktoons Network created by marine biologist and animator, Stephen Hillenburg. ... The Fairly OddParents is a popular American animated television series created by Butch Hartman and first aired on March 30, 2001. ...

Other companies have also produced their own similar macaroni and cheese products. In North America, the no name and President's Choice brands have both had some success. Macaroni and cheese with vegetables. ... no name is a brand used by Loblaw grocery stores to refer to their value line of private label brand products. ... Presidents Choice is the upscale private label brand of Loblaw Companies Limited, covering a wide variety of food, drinks and other products found, in Canada, only through Loblaw-owned or -supplied stores including Loblaws, Zehrs, Maxi, Provigo, The Real Canadian Superstore, Atlantic Superstore, and (in Newfoundland and Labrador) Dominion. ...

Microwave directions

Microwave directions are not always on the product boxes and can be found on the Internet[3].

References

Kraft. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Accessed on Dec. 12, 2005, http://www.kraft.com/100/innovations/kraftmac.html

See also

• Cheez Whiz
• Hamburger Helper

Cheez Whiz is a thick processed cheese sauce introduced by Kraft Foods in 1952. ... Hamburger Helper is a brand of boxed meal product intended to be cooked with added ground beef or hamburger (not included). ...

External links

• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
• KraftCanada Kraft Dinner