It’s National Mac & Cheese Day, which means there’s no need to overthink dinner tonight. If you’ve got kids, this is an easy win. If you don’t have kids… even better. There’s absolutely no shame in making yourself a big bowl of cheesy comfort food. After all, who doesn’t love mac and cheese?

But if you’re someone who likes to take things to the next level, a series of social media surveys recently set out to answer one important question:

What makes the PERFECT macaroni and cheese?

Thousands of opinions came in, and the results reveal some pretty strong mac and cheese preferences.

 The Best Noodle Choice

When it comes to pasta shape, spirals were the clear winner, taking 55% of the vote.

Classic curved and bent tubes came in second with 22%, while shells grabbed 15%.

The lesson? People want noodles that know how to hold onto that cheesy goodness.

 The Ultimate Cheese

No surprise here: cheddar took the top spot, earning 40% of the vote.

The runner-up was a softer, smoother melting cheese category, including favorites like Monterey Jack, Havarti, Muenster, and Gouda, with 20%.

 The Perfect Seasonings

Plain cheese is great, but many people believe the right spices can take mac and cheese to another level.

The most popular additions included:

• Pepper

• Dry mustard

• Paprika

• Salt

• Dijon mustard

• Garlic powder

• Onion powder

One surprise? Cayenne pepper didn’t make the list, even though a little heat can add a nice kick.

Some adventurous cooks suggested adding ingredients like chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, curry, or even pesto.

 Should There Be Meat?

For most people, the answer was simple:

No meat. Keep it classic.

About two-thirds voted to keep their mac and cheese vegetarian.

For those who wanted to add something extra, pork ranked highest, likely thanks to the popularity of bacon. Chicken came in second.

 What About Vegetables?

Again, the majority said:

No vegetables needed.

But if you want to sneak something green into the bowl, broccoli was the most popular choice, followed by onions.

 The Perfect Cheese Sauce

When it comes to sauce consistency, people want balance.

The most popular answer was:

“Plenty, but not crazy.”

“Just a little extra” came in next, while a small group admitted they love their mac and cheese extremely dry, describing it as being “drier than the Sahara.”

A certain school cafeteria style may have been hiding in that 1%.

 The Dairy Debate

The favorite dairy addition was:

 Whole milk

Cream came in second, followed by evaporated milk.

 Oven or Stovetop?

This one was close, but the oven won the battle.

Oven-baked mac and cheese beat stovetop 58% to 42%.

The crispy top layer may have been the deciding factor.

So today, whether you’re making the perfect homemade version or grabbing a classic blue box from the pantry, enjoy National Mac & Cheese Day the right way:

With a fork in one hand and absolutely no regrets. ????