How to make enough mac & cheese on a budget to share with GA friends. Here’s a guide

‘Tis the season’ for both giving and eating, but this year many people will have to do both on a budget.

This installment of “Columbus on a Budget” is a buy one, get one, Thanksgiving edition in which my budget not only includes a Thanksgiving side dish for my family, but will also be enough for a side dish for someone else.

Here’s how I stretched $25 for giving on a budget.

Georgia’s favorite Thanksgiving side (times 2)

We don’t need any survey to tell us that macaroni and cheese is the favorite side dish of the state of Georgia, but Eat This, Not That confirmed it: “Give us all the cheesy, delicious carbs!”

Why mac and cheese?

Baked macaroni and cheese is a Southern staple and, at its root, is fundamentally a Black Southern innovation made possible, and elevated, by enslaved chefs. James Hemmings, older brother of Sally Hemings and half brother of Thomas Jefferson’s wife, Martha, was the enslaved cook to the President at the time and is said to have first served it to the U.S. Minister of France in the late 1700s.

Chef Kevin Mitchell told Rough Draft Atlanta, “The way we prepare, season, and think about food has been shaped by Black cooks, many of whom never received the credit they deserved.”

Since its historical roots, it has become a reliable crowd-pleaser, because it is typically inexpensive and easy-to-make. It also pairs well with other Southern Thanksgiving staples like greens, dressing or yams.

It’s a familial status-symbol

When you see macaroni and cheese on the table at a function, the first question on many lips is, “Who made it?” In my family, whoever brings the mac and cheese has been time-tested and officially appointed one of the most accomplished of the cooks. We don’t let newbies make the macaroni and cheese.

Angela Garrison Zontek writes in Due South. “Southern food is a living record of the people, places, and cultures that have contributed to the evolving landscape of our unique little corner of the world.”

Since it’s likely everyone will eat at least a bite or two, it has to be good and if it’s not, you’ll never live it down.

Two mac and cheeses for one

For every way to enjoy it, there is a way to make it. You can go as fancy as you like, or you can go as straightforward as you like.

For this recipe, I went fairly traditional, since I was working with the ingredients that were available for the BOGO offers.

What I bought:

• Sargento Cheddar Jack: 2 for $5.26
• Sargento Mild Cheddar: 2 for $5.26
• Mueller Large Elbow Macaroni: 2 for $1.99
• Publix Large Eggs: 2 at $2.15 each
• Breakstone Salted Butter: 2 for $6.00

Total: $23.95

What I pulled from my own pantry:

• Milk
• Sugar
• Evaporated milk
• Salt and pepper
• Velveeta
• Sour Cream

Simple Southern macaroni and cheese recipe

We’ve eaten this dish so many times over the years that it’s mostly muscle memory when I make it, so here is how I learned how to make it.

Remember, borrow what you like, toss out what you don’t, and feel free to make it your own.

The ingredients

• One box elbow macaroni
• Half cup (or so) whole milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• A hearty dash of white pepper
• A pinch and a half of sugar
• Salt  to taste
• 1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
• Half a package of Velveeta, cut into small chunks
• 2 whole packages of shredded cheese

The directions

• Preheat oven to 350º. 
• Boil a large pot of (generously) salted water
• Cook macaroni, al dente. 
• Drain well and place in 9” by 13” dish.
• Whisk together milk, evaporated milk, eggs, salt, pepper and sugar until combined. 
• Pour mixture over cooked macaroni
• Add butter, sour cream, Velveeta, Colby-Jack and cheeses. 
• Stir to combine well and top evenly with shredded mild cheddar.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Let rest 10 minutes or so before serving.

Giving on a budget

While a lot of food banks discourage you from donating perishable items, you can still find a home for the “get one” ingredients. Many local organizations host Thanksgiving dinners on the day and could use the items to feed everyone.

Otherwise, you could make the dish, sign up for a potluck, take it to a Friendsgiving celebration or put it in the break room at work as a way to say offer gratitude this season calls for.

How do you make your mac and cheese? Do you use a secret ingredient that you’d like to share? I promise I won’t tell. Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.

This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.