Macaroni and cheese is a beloved dish in American culture. After all, who doesn't love noodles covered in thick, melted cheese infused with milk and butter? And while most of us enjoy mac and cheese as is, there are times when jazzing up the ingredients doesn't seem like such a bad idea -- but is it?

In the upcoming article, we're striving to set the record straight about which ingredients belong in macaroni and cheese and which do not. While subjective, we've tried to highlight the ingredients that can make your mac shine while weeding out the ingredients that might cause it to fall flat. And while not all these suggestions will work for everyone, we're confident you'll walk away with at least one new ingredient or technique to make your next mac and cheese dish that much better. Join us as we uncover the ingredients you should avoid adding to macaroni and cheese and what to try instead.