Kraft Dinner
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Kraft Dinner, 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, retains the original name in Canada.
Kraft Dinner has long been a staple among university students and is also popular among children. One box of Kraft Dinner comes with dehydrated macaroni pasta and powdered cheese. To prepare the dish, one boils the pasta, and then adds milk, butter and the cheese preparation. It can be made either on a stove or in a microwave.
Whilst many love it, it has frequently been decried for its unnatural neon-orange colour, its lack of nutritional value, and the artificiality of its ingredients.
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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. Kraft Dinner, containing only artificial ingredients, escaped these restrictions.
Canada has always been the world's largest per capita consumer of Kraft Dinner, 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.
Cultural References
- Popular Canadian musical group The Barenaked Ladies recorded a song called "If I Had $1000000" 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.
- 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.
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. The milk can also be substituted by water.
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
- Kraft Easy Mac
- 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, and others.
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.
External links
- Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (http://www.kraft.com/100/innovations/kraftmac.html)
- KraftCanada Kraft Dinner (http://www.kraftdinner.com)