You've Been Squeezing Mac And Cheese Sauce Packets All Wrong — One Trick Changes The Game

For anyone who appreciates their sheer convenience (and nostalgic taste), there are some boxed mac and cheese hacks you need to know. This is one such handy tip, especially if you've ever wrestled with the cheese sauce packet, maybe made a mess, and then tossed it away all the while knowing that if you were to cut the pouch open, you'd likely find plenty of cheesy goodness still inside. The solution to this pesky problem lies in something you'll already have on hand — the pot lid.

One you've squeezed the majority of the sauce into the pot, you just need to place the packet against its rim and gently close the lid over it. Make sure to place the sealed bottom end over the pot's rim, leaving majority of the packet inside the pot. Then, slowly pull the packet back out, keeping gentle pressure on the lid as you do, and watch the remaining sauce squeeze out into the pot. It's basically like turning the edge of the pot and the lid into a squeegee so that all the lingering sauce presses out in a way that just pinching with your fingers never would. The best part is that you're not dirtying up any additional utensils, you're just using what you already would when making a comforting bowl of your favorite boxed mac and cheese brand.

The issue is that boxed mac and cheese sauce is really thick, and for good reason. While a thinner liquid would pour out of a packet more easily, it would not do the same job of coating the pasta noodles. The thick, viscous cheese sauce that is necessary to envelope all the noodles does the same job inside of the pouch — it clings to it, and your fingers alone can't always create the right pressure to ensure it all comes out. The heavier and more even pressure created from placing it between the lid and the pot, however, will do the job perfectly and in a fraction of the time at that.

Once this hack becomes second nature, you may even start adopting it for other products you use for everyday cooking. Use it for any thick sauce that comes in a flexible pouch, like ready-made curry sauce or a nacho cheese sauce packet. Even single-serve fast food sauce packets would appreciate the same technique. Just bear in mind that this hack works when there is a sauce that needs to be added directly to a pot sitting beneath the lid, as the sauce needs somewhere to go when you release it all from the packet.