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Mac and Cheese Thermos Lunch

Mac and cheese thermos lunch with glossy cheddar sauce and fully coated elbow macaroni. Made fast on the stovetop so it stays hot and gooey when packed.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 1 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mac and cheese
  • 8 oz elbow macaroni
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup milk
  • 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and drain the pasta
  1. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, then drain.
  2. Keep the drained macaroni warm so it’s ready to coat when the cheese sauce is thick.
Make the cheddar sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute (lightly bubbling, no dark browning).
  2. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened, about 3–4 minutes (sauce should coat the back of a spoon).
  3. Remove from heat and stir in shredded sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy (no grainy cheese lumps).
Combine and pack
  1. Toss the cheese sauce with the cooked macaroni until fully coated (every noodle looks shiny).
  2. Pack hot into a preheated thermos immediately so it stays warm and gooey until lunchtime.

Notes

Pro tip: preheat the thermos with hot water for 5 minutes, then dump and fill right away—this helps maintain the stretchy cheddar texture. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce, or microwave at 50% power. Freezing is not recommended because cheddar sauce can separate after thawing. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.