Celebrate National Mac and Cheese Day 2023 with deliciously cheesy mac and cheese at home

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Oh, the simple joy of combining pasta and fresh cheese to make the magical dish of mac and cheese. While the origins of the dish are up for debate, one thing that is not up for debate is that America can’t get enough of it. And that brings us to National Mac and Cheese Day, a holiday created purely to celebrate the existence of the cheesy comfort food. Whether you’re making noodles at home or eating restaurant freebies, enjoying it as a main dish or a side dish, using fun add-ins or a classic recipe, here’s what you need to indulge in the cheesy holiday (pun intended).  

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When is National Mac and Cheese Day 2023?

National Mac and Cheese Day takes place annually on July 14^th. This year, it takes place on a Friday.  

What is National Mac and Cheese Day?

National Mac and Cheese Day celebrates one of America’s favorite comfort foods. It’s just an excuse to indulge in the ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness that is mac and cheese. You can try your hand at homemade macaroni or score some restaurant freebies in honor of the occasion.  

Products to make homemade mac and cheese for National Mac and Cheese Day 2023

1. A pasta pot

If you want your pasta cooked to perfection, there's no better pot than Cook N Home's four-piece cooker. This set comes with a large, five-quart stockpot, an internal pasta pot, a steamer insert and a glass lid that allows you to check on your pasta as it cooks without letting out heat. For something less expensive, check out the Bialetti pasta pot. It has sturdy, no-burn handles, non-stick coating and a twist-lock strainer lid for safe use. 

2. Measuring cup & spoons 

Whether measuring out salt or milk, using the proper tools will make your life a whole lot easier.  If you need to measure large quantities of dry ingredients, we recommend the Bellemain Stainless Steel Measuring Cup Set. This sturdy set has measurements in both cups and ml and contains the ever-elusive 2/3 and 3/4 cups. The best liquid measuring cup we’ve tested is the Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup, which is accurate and easy to read. Finally, if you need measuring spoons, you can do no better than the Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Spoon Set. They're sleek, sturdy and have etched measurements that won’t fade with time. 

3. A colander 

A colander is essential when cooking pasta. If you don't have one in your cupboard already, we recommend grabbing our favorite, the OXO Good Grips 5-Quart Stainless-Steel Colander. It drains well, is easy to grip and stays put thanks to its non-skid feet. 

4. A Pyrex dish or Dutch oven 

When it's time to put your delicious macaroni creation in the oven, you have two options. One is to use a Dutch oven, our value pick being the Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid. This Dutch oven cleans easily, cooks like a champ and comes in a variety of beautiful colors. If you choose to use a casserole dish, we recommend the Great Jones hot dish. The design is cute, the handles are easy to hold and it's dishwasher-safe. 

5. A cheese grater 

You weren't going to forget about the cheese, were you? To grate your favorite cheese, consider our favorite grater, the Microplane Four Blade Four Sided Box Grater, which is super sharp and easy to clean. For a more economical option, we've picked the Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Box Grater as our favorite value grater. It's sturdy and grates efficiently. 

To step up your cheese game even further, our kitchen & cooking editor, Monica Petrucci, is obsessed with the selection at Murray’s Cheese. The brand offers every kind of cheese you can imagine, plus ready-made mac and cheese in both classic and fun flavors like cacio e pepe.  

6. Food delivery

Psst: you don’t have to make your own mac and cheese from scratch to celebrate the day. You can try flavorful mac and cheese dishes from all over the country using a delivery service like Goldbelly, which brings cuisine from top restaurants from every state right to your doorstep. Personally, I’m eyeing this BBQ pulled pork mac and cheese from Puckett’s restaurant in Tennessee. Or, it's the perfect time of year to try some Maine lobster in your mac and cheese.  

A simpler option: head to Walmart (or order online!) and pick up some of your favorite boxed mac and cheese. Sure, gourmet mac and cheese is delicious and all. But you can’t go wrong with classics by Annie’s, Kraft or Velveeta.  

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.