Last updated on December 27th, 2021 at 11:31 pm
We’ll just say the thing a lot of people won’t – we love SPAM. We’ve never understood why people wouldn’t try it, because we’ve been eating it for as long as we can remember. It’s a sincere part of our family legacy.
Dianne’s SPAM Memories
When I grew up, eating SPAM was not as weird as people view it today. Of course, those were the days when eating Fruit Loops for breakfast was also the norm. Canned meat is a little bit of a strange concept, but when you know the history, it makes a little more sense. Hormel Foods created SPAM in 1937, towards the end of The Great Depression. There was a huge need for inexpensive meat products. Its popularity grew during World War II because it could be stored for long periods of time and shipped all over the world.
Which is how it came to be a staple in our family. If you’ve read the story of our Grandma Rose, then you’ll know that she was a single mom during the World War II era. The combination of money being tight and her being an excellent cook, forced her to be creative. Which is how the “Macaroni and Cheese with SPAM” recipe was born. It was one of my favorites growing up and I still make and enjoy it today. We reached out to the folks at SPAM (who could not be any nicer) to find out if our experience mirrored their other customers. Here’s what they told us:
“We continue to see the SPAM® brand connect with today’s consumer in a way it never had before,” said Vivian Zwein, SPAM® brand manager. “It’s long shelf-life and versatility are contributing factors, making the iconic brand an easy tradition to pass down from generation to generation.”
I know that there are still some folks today view foods like SPAM a little differently than they did when I grew up. That’s why I encourage you to read on and see things from Jen’s (younger!) perspective. Keep in mind that not everything that is perceived as “bad” for us needs to be removed from our lives. Sometimes the warmth of a memory is the healthiest thing we can have. It can soothe our soul.
Dianne’s Tip: I gave recipe cards to my mom and had her write out our favorite family recipes. So, now when I make those recipes, I see her handwriting and it’s like she’s right there cooking with me.
Jen’s SPAM experience
Conversations usually go like this:
Me: I love SPAM!
Others: What? Ew!
Me: Have you ever tried it?
Others: Well, no…
Me: *side eye*
So, what is SPAM?
Would you believe it’s just six ingredients?
- Pork with ham
- Salt
- Water
- Potato Starch
- Sugar
- Sodium Nitrate
- Sodium nitrate is a kind of salt that has long been used to preserve foods
Sure, it’s not the healthiest thing I could eat, but it’s not like I eat we every day! Plus, it’s not like my diet is 100% clean anyway – everything in moderation!
At the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was rushing to buy toilet paper, I was trying to get SPAM. And you know what? I COULDN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE. These jerks out here buying up the SPAM when I actually do eat it!
So how did I get to be such a big SPAM fan? Naturally, it’s because of my Grandma Harper. And my Great-Grandma, but sadly I never got to meet her.
If you remember, my Great-Grandma Rose was kind of a big deal at Good Housekeeping for her cooking. Any recipe of hers is bound to be great. And the recipe of hers that got me into SPAM, was a SPAM macaroni and cheese.
I couldn’t tell you when I first had this, but I do know I’ve always liked it. Plus, SPAM mac and cheese is tied to such great memories with my grandparents. I would go over to my grandparents for dinner, and it was like hanging out with my best friends.
Grandpa would make Grandma and me a pre-dinner Appletini and he would open up a Bud Lite. We’d sit at the table and chit chat for a little while, sometimes about our latest favorite shows (like So You Think You Can Dance) or just life in general.
Grandma would get up to check on the mac and cheese, and would make a salad. After the salad it was time for mac and cheese – *chef’s kiss*.
I’d eat at least two servings, but make sure there was enough to take home and eat later that night or the next day. I’m not always a big leftovers fan, but these leftovers? I’ll eat every last bite until they’re gone.
We’d always have dessert too. When I was younger I would get to look in the pantry pick something out like a ring-ding. Or when I got older, Grandma would make a pie like something from Marie Callender’s.
I have Grandma’s Pyrex dish that she would make the mac and cheese in, and every time I make it I think of her.
This recipe is so good and so easy to make, plus you can use the same recipe and change out what kind of cheese you use. I’ve used the same recipe and made different kinds of mac and cheese with sharp cheddar, and even pepper jack.
You don’t have to use SPAM either! You could substitute bacon, or some broccoli or peas for added veggies. The options are endless! You can view or download the original recipe below. If you make it, please let us know in the comments below!
