Nothing says comfort food like a warm bowl of mac ’n’ cheese. Whether you prefer yours made from a box or topped with chunks of fresh lobster meat, you can thank Thomas Jefferson for bringing the culinary classic to the Colonies.
This Founding Father did more than just write the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson served as an ambassador to France from 1785 to 1789. While there, he tried many “exotic” foods—including pommes frites (french-fried potatoes), Parmesan cheese, and, of course, mac ’n’ cheese.
Jefferson brought his favorites back to America. That included recipes for pasta and a large machine to crank out noodles so he could serve fresh mac ’n’ cheese to his friends and family. As president, he even put the dish on the menu at an official state dinner in 1802!
But mac ’n’ cheese didn’t go from high-end fare to a universal crowd-pleaser overnight. In 1929, more than 100 years after Jefferson served the dish, the Great Depression hit the United States. The economy crumbled, and food shortages were widespread. Manufacturers scrambled to find quick, cheap ways to feed a family. In 1937, Kraft Foods introduced its now iconic boxed mac ’n’ cheese. Selling for only 19 cents (the equivalent of $3.36 today), this box could feed a family of four. The rest, as they say, is history.