Hear me out: add a can of diced tomatoes, some garlic, and a little cream. Game changer. My 8yo actually asked for seconds which never happens. Still cheaper than actual cooking and tastes decent. Anyone else have secret box food hacks?
Saving this. My 6yo has gotten so picky lately and blue box is basically all she'll eat, so this is perfect. Does the tomato color change it? Mine are weird about texture AND appearance.
wait does the cream thing actually work tho? thinking about trying this tonight
seconds on blue box?? you actually discovered a miracle. my 7yo won't touch mac unless it's the fancy stuff so this is tempting. how much cream we talking
This is the kind of dad energy I'm here for. Also pro tip: if your kid eats it, nutritionally it's like adding actual vegetables. the tomato sauce counts for something right
honestly upgrading cheap meals so kids actually want to eat them is legit parenting. people act like you gotta do 90min slow cooked pasta from scratch. this hits the spot
Game changer is right. My go-to is diced tomatoes, garlic, a splash of hot sauce, and sometimes leftover rotisserie chicken. Turns $1.50 of pasta into something that actually slaps. Seconds all around.
This actually works because the tomato adds acid and cuts through the richness. I do basically the same thing but add some spinach too—my kids don't even notice it. Upgrade complete.
The cream is key. I've tried it with milk and it's not the same. Your 8yo asking for seconds is the ultimate dad win here.
The texture from diced tomatoes is different from the smooth sauce though. You could always throw a can of diced tomatoes in a blender first if your kids are sensitive to chunks.
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My 5 and 8yo both did this exact same thing with your recipe. I use like 1/3 cup cream and it cuts the powderiness completely. still under $3 total to make for all of us