Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

This recipe is filling with a capital F. It’s got all the good stuff that will give you energy and keep you full: protein, carbs, and fat. So you don’t need anything to crazy if you want a side dish. Honestly, the lighter the better in this case. You could pair it with this Sautéed Broccoli Recipe , this Avocado Salad, or these Roasted Spring Vegetables .

The best trick for reheating mac and cheese is to first add a splash of milk to the leftovers. Pasta has a tendency to soak up liquid, so to make the texture not feel too dried-out, the milk helps immensely before re-heating. To microwave, place your portion in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for one minute, stir, and continue this for 30 second increments. Do this until it is steaming. To reheat in the oven, you can place the entire baking dish in a 350 degree F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s fully heated.

Store your leftover baked mac and cheese in the fridge in an airtight container after it has totally cooled post-baking. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge, or for up to 3 months frozen.