History of M&C
Macaroni and cheese. Invented long ago in Italy, the Macaroni noodle was brought to America by English settlers. Because this is America, we are unconcerned with the foreign roots of this arc-shaped pasta. Therefore, macaroni shall have its humble beginnings in the colonial period. It was common to serve the dish with cheese and cream--therefore, macaroni and cheese may be called an early American dish.
Some myths link Thomas Jefferson to be the first to bring the dish to the country. Those who perpetuate these myths are liars. Jefferson was quite fond of the dish, frequently serving it to guests.
Originally, macaroni was consumed largely by the upper class, as a majority of the pasts was made in Europe. A few factories existed within the United States, but not enough for wide-spread distribution. After the American Civil War, more pasta-producing factories opened. This allowed the price to drop, and macaroni became available to the working class.
Macaroni increased in popularity throughout the country. The noodle could be served with a wide variety of toppings or sauces.
In 1937, Kraft Foods introduced the Kraft Dinner, macaroni noodles with a cheese sauce. The dinner has become radically popular.
Macaroni and Cheese remains a common food today. Kraft remains the most prominent distributor of boxed Macaroni and Cheese. Kraft also makes a variation of its boxed Macaroni and Cheese dinner as "Easy Mac," which requires less detailed preparation, is microwavable, and has a lengthy shelf life.