--- title: My plan to survive mealtimes with a new mac and cheese description: In 2016, Kraft will change its mac and cheese ingredients. Learn one mom's plan to introduce the new mac and cheese to her kids with sensory processing issues. slug: my-plan-to-survive-mealtimes-with-a-new-mac-and-cheese author: Amanda Morin published: '2019-10-16T11:53:34.543Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/26289C97F0F742769C669947BC4A7FB6/81c349cc6fc58512eaeabd894d60660e/2572907.jpg source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/my-plan-to-survive-mealtimes-with-a-new-mac-and-cheese lang: en --- # My plan to survive mealtimes with a new mac and cheese Recently, I found myself in a “pasta” panic. It’s something any parent of a picky eater can understand. Starting in 2016, Kraft’s macaroni and cheese is changing. The company is taking out artificial food dyes Yellow No. 5 and No. 6. These give Kraft its signature yellow color. The new macaroni and cheese will use natural spices for coloring: paprika, turmeric and annatto. I’m all in favor of natural ingredients. To me, this seems like a good change. But when you have kids who are picky eaters like mine, even small changes like this can be big events. That’s especially true with a staple like macaroni and cheese. My kids eat it all the time. Mealtimes are already a bit of an adventure. Both of my sons have [sensory processing issues](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/understanding-sensory-processing-challenges) around tastes and textures. Both of them can detect subtle differences in taste that I can’t. It limits the foods they’re willing to eat. For instance, they can spot (and reject) the flavor of different brands of chicken noodle soup. And if I buy low-fat cheese sticks or switch cereals, they’ll immediately notice. So I’m worried. I’m not sure how they’ll react to the new, naturally colored macaroni and cheese. I *thought* about going on a shopping spree before the change to buy all the Kraft macaroni and cheese I could possibly store in my house. I even went as far as checking the Kraft box to calculate shelf life. Then I came to my senses and came up with a real plan. It’s actually pretty simple: I’m going to introduce the new macaroni and cheese to my kids a little at time. - First, I’ve read up on the new ingredients — paprika, turmeric and annatto. I’ve looked at the recipes of food the boys eat to see if I can add these spices to them. I’m also going to start using these spices along with more familiar seasonings. - Second, when the new macaroni and cheese hits the shelves, I’ll cook it alongside the old product. I’ll start by mixing small amounts of the new and the old for my sons. We’ll slowly work our way toward the new version. - Third, I’m going to make it fun. I’ll set up a taste test to see if the boys can tell old from new. I hope that eventually they won’t be able to. What if my plan doesn’t work? Well, there are other ways to help my kids [cope with taste sensitivities](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/7-ways-to-help-your-child-cope-with-taste-sensitivity). But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I’m really hoping that Kraft’s orange color stays the same. I won’t lie — I’ll be a little sad if what’s in the new Kraft box doesn’t match the macaroni and cheese crayon from the Crayola box! *Any opinions, views, information and other content contained in blogs on Understood.org are the sole responsibility of the writer of the blog, and do not necessarily reflect the views, values, opinions or beliefs of, and are not endorsed by, Understood.* --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [Picky eating: Why it happens and how to help](https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/in-it/picky-eating-how-to-help) - If your kid is a picky eater, youre not alone. Whats behind picky eating? And should we even be calling it that? If your kid is a picky eater, youre not alone. Whats behind picky eating? And should we even be calling it that? In this episode, hosts Amanda Morin and Gretchen Vierstra dig into pick - [Our community weighs in: 16 holiday survival tips for kids with ADHD](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/our-community-weighs-in-16-holiday-survival-tips-for-kids-with-adhd) - The holidays can be a tricky time for kids with ADHD. Change in routines, endless gatherings and social pressures can zap the cheer right out of the season. We asked our Facebook community to share their tips for helping kids with ADHD survive the holidays. Their tips might just make the weeks betwe - [My child doesn’t eat most foods at holiday meals, and my relatives don’t understand. What can I do?](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/child-doesnt-eat-holiday-meals) - Q. My daughter has sensory processing challenges and doesnt eat a lot of typical holiday foods. My relatives dont understand, and my daughter is picking up on their feelings. How can I make holiday meals pleasant for my daughterand maintain good relationships with relatives? A. Mealtimes can be chal --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/my-plan-to-survive-mealtimes-with-a-new-mac-and-cheese#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/my-plan-to-survive-mealtimes-with-a-new-mac-and-cheese","description":"In 2016, Kraft will change its mac and cheese ingredients. 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