Mac and cheese dates back to the 18th century, with early recipes appearing in European cookbooks.
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Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing mac and cheese to America after his travels to Europe.
The dish gained popularity in colonial America as a simple, comfort food.
During the Great Depression, boxed mac and cheese became a budget-friendly staple.
In the 1950s, Kraft revolutionized mac and cheese with its convenient boxed version.
Mac and cheese became a symbol of post-World War II convenience food.
The dish’s popularity surged in the 2000s, with gourmet and artisanal versions emerging.
Mac and cheese is often linked to African American culinary traditions, with roots in soul food.
Today, it remains a beloved comfort food and is continuously reinvented in restaurants and homes.
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