Mac and cheese is a beloved comfort food, but traditional recipes are often high in fat, calories, and sodium, making them less than ideal for a weight loss diet. However, with a few smart substitutions and additions, you can enjoy a healthier version of mac and cheese that fits into your diet plan. This article explores how to create a mac and cheese diet plan, offering tips, ingredient swaps, and recipes to satisfy your cravings without derailing your health goals.
Understanding the Nutritional Concerns of Traditional Mac and Cheese
Traditional mac and cheese is typically made with refined pasta, cheese, butter, and whole milk, resulting in a dish high in saturated fats, sodium, and calories. According to Andrews, boxed mac and cheese requires very little brainpower or culinary savvy, the combo of refined flour macaroni, ultra-processed cheese sauce, and surprising amounts of sodium - more than 700 milligrams (mg) in a cup serving - that go into popular brands won’t leave you with much nutrition on your plate. These factors can contribute to weight gain and other health issues if consumed frequently. However, by making your own mac and cheese, Andrews says, you control what ingredients go into it or not, leaving you with a more nutrient-dense and balanced meal.
Key Strategies for a Healthier Mac and Cheese
To create a mac and cheese diet plan, focus on these key strategies:
1. Choose Healthier Noodles
- Whole Wheat Pasta: Opt for whole wheat pasta, which contains more nutrients and fiber than refined pasta. Whole grain foods contain more nutrients and fiber than refined grains, which have a lot of their nutrients stripped from them in the refining process. Whole wheat pasta is high in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
- Legume-Based Pasta: Consider using pasta made from legumes like chickpeas or lentils. According to the USDA, a 2-ounce (oz) serving of regular wheat pasta has about 7 grams (g) of protein and 2 g of fiber, whereas the same amount of legume-based noodles goes the extra mile with up to 13 g of protein and 6 g of fiber. Legume-based pasta can be a no-fuss way to make it easier for you to reach your daily fiber quota.
- Gluten-Free Pasta: If you have dietary restrictions, switch out the whole wheat noodles for gluten-free pasta.
2. Lighten Up the Cheese Sauce
- Reduce Cheese Amount: Cheese is undeniably a big reason why mac and cheese is so delicious and comforting. And, Andrews says, it can be a way to consume more of some important nutrients like protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. However, it’s a source of saturated fat, so you want to be mindful of how much you are using.
- Use Bold Cheeses: Use cheeses that have bolder flavors, like aged sharp cheddar and Gruyère, so you can get away with using smaller portions without feeling like you are skimping on taste.
- Incorporate Cottage Cheese: By adding cottage cheese, the amount of cheddar required is reduced.
- Add Greek Yogurt: Experiment with swapping out some of the cheese with thick Greek yogurt to cut down on fat calories and add a little tang. A 1-cup serving of plain 2-percent Greek yogurt contains about 179 calories and 3 g saturated fat, according to estimates from the USDA - a departure from the 461 calories and 22 g of saturated fat in the same serving amount of grated cheddar cheese.
- Try Parmesan: Including a small amount of grated Parmesan will deepen the umami flavor of the final dish.
3. Incorporate Vegetables
Mac and cheese should not be so monochrome. The cheesy noodles are a great vehicle for a wide variety of colorful veggies. Adding vegetables to foods you already eat, like mac and cheese, is an easy way to sneak in another serving of the nutritional heavy hitters into your day and the day of your kids if need be. Add this step when making mac and cheese, and you’ll add more fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are needed daily to help our bodies function at their best and reduce chronic disease risk.
- Vegetable Options: Toss in baby spinach, grated carrots, steamed broccoli florets or asparagus, slices of roasted red pepper, frozen peas, shredded Brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, or sautéed mushrooms. You can also roast fresh vegetables and add these to your mac and cheese at the end, which could include beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower.
- Sneak in Vegetable Puree: Cut down on some of the calories by swapping out a portion of the cheese for a creamy puree of a cooked vegetable like butternut, sweet potato, or canned pumpkin. Broccoli is high in vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium as well as many important antioxidants. Peas also contain fairly high amounts of vitamins A, C, and K and the nutrients folate and manganese.
4. Add Lean Protein
Just as mac and cheese works well with many types of vegetables, it also welcomes a variety of lean proteins to make it more of a balanced meal. Protein is important for repairing and building bodily tissues, including muscle, and we should make sure to get enough at each of our meals, according to the USDA.
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- Protein Sources: Easy and healthy protein additions include canned tuna, smoked salmon, sliced grilled pork tenderloin, roasted chicken, canned beans, tinned smoked mussels, crumbled and sautéed tempeh, cooked ground turkey, and lentils.
5. Enhance Flavor with Spices
To really go the distance on a new and improved mac and cheese, raid the spice drawer. For virtually no calories, items like smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, chili powder, mustard powder, and even curry powder can power up the flavor of your cheese sauce.
- Spice It Up: Add garlic powder, onion powder and mustard add some more flavor to the sauce.
Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipes
Here are a couple of recipes that incorporate the above strategies for a healthier mac and cheese:
Recipe 1: Healthy Homemade Mac and Cheese with Veggies
Ingredients:
- 4.5 oz wholegrain pasta
- 2 oz broccoli
- 2 oz peas
- 2 ½ oz mature cheddar
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mustard
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2.5 oz cottage cheese (optional, for blending)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water. Add the chopped broccoli and peas about 2-3 minutes before the pasta is ready. They should be bright green, soft on the outside and crunchy in the middle.
- Strain the water from the pasta, broccoli and peas.
- In a large saucepan grate the cheddar, add the milk, cornstarch, salt, garlic and onion powder, mustard and black pepper. Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Place on medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the cheese is melted into the sauce, the sauce boils and thickens. Allow to boil for around 1-2 minutes to cook the cornstarch, while mixing.
- Take the sauce off the stove, add the cottage cheese (blended or normal) and stir again. Then add the pasta, broccoli and peas. Mix everything gently together until the sauce coats the pasta.
- Eat immediately. It can be reheated in the microwave or oven, NOT on the stove!
Recipe 2: Healthy One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 8 oz elbow or shell-shaped pasta (legume-based or 100 percent whole grain)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond or cashew milk
- 1 cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (optional)
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup sliced roasted red pepper
- 1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
- Return pot to heat, adjust heat to medium, and add butter. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour, and whisk constantly for 30 seconds, or until mixture becomes light brown.
- Add spices and milk; whisk until ingredients are combined. Add Greek yogurt, and whisk until the mixture is homogenous and smooth (do not boil).
- Turn heat to low, and add cheddar cheese and Parmesan, if using. Stir until cheese is melted.
- Add cooked pasta, and stir to coat. Add spinach, and heat until greens are wilted.
Recipe 3: Mac & Cheese with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken
Ingredients:
- Macaroni
- Cauliflower Florets (frozen)
- Peppers
- Onions
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Chicken
- Cheddar Cheese
- Cottage Cheese
- Milk
- Pasta Water
- Olive Oil
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley
Instructions:
- Cook macaroni according to the packaging. Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta water for your cheese sauce. Once they are cooked, rinse and store in cold water.
- Preheat your oven to 425 °F (218 °C).
- Wash and cut your vegetables into a rough chop. Cut the onions, pepper, and carrots into 1-2 inch pieces. Leave the garlic whole.
- In a large bowl, add the frozen cauliflower florets, chopped peppers, onions, carrots, and garlic. Add the oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Toss in the bowl to coat. Spray a sheet pan lightly with oil and spread the vegetables out on the pan.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes and toss around the 20 minute mark.
- In your now empty vegetable bowl, add 1 tbsp of oil, the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to form a marinade. Trim the excess fat and skin from the chicken and add it to your bowl. Toss it around until evenly coated.
- Place the chicken on to an oil sprayed sheet pan. Place into the oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes. If you are roasting the chicken and vegetables at the same time, I find it best to put the chicken on a rack below the vegetables.
- Once the chicken has finished roasting, allow it to rest for a few minutes and then cut it into a small dice.
- Shred your block of cheese using a box grater or food processor.
- Once the vegetables have finished roasting, place them into a blender with 1½ cups of pasta water, 1½ cups of milk, cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese. Blend on high speed for 30-60s or until smooth. You may need to do this in two rounds to fit inside of the blender.
- Drain the water away from the noodles. Pour the cheese sauce into the noodles and mix. It is going to seem liquidy, it will thicken as it heats. Place the pot over medium heat and let it start to warm and thicken. Add in your chopped chicken and mix. Stir frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Taste taste and salt as needed once it has thickened. If you wish, you can add in a bit of chopped parsley for color.
Tips for Meal Prepping Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese can be a great option for meal prepping. Portion it out into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. Add roasted veggies or protein for a balanced meal. However, remember to only reheat the sauce in the oven or microwave, never on the stove, as it will curdle.
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