Macaroni Art

Pasta is a very under-rated food in regards to its artistic prospects. It comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes; it is available in the typical angel hair, bow tie, and penne, but also in the many cartoon stylings of Kraft macaroni. Kraft has really capitalized on, and some might even say exploited, the dynamic shaping ability of pasta. Not only have they created macaroni noodles shaped like characters from Scooby-Doo, Spongebob Squarepants, and Spiderman, but they also created some of the most intricate and detailed noodle designs. Every themed box of macaroni has a holistic assortment of shapes or characters, so kids never get bored guessing what they are eating. For example, my brother went through about a three year period when he would only eat Kraft macaroni with the Scooby-Doo shapes, and in that box, you can find Scooby shapes, some dog tags, a mystery machine or two, and even little Scooby snacks. The shapes themselves are impressive, but what you can do with uncooked macaroni has opened up a world of possibility for kindergarten and elementary school teachers. I mean who has gone through the public school system and not made some macaroni art? For some reason, gluing on hard, dried noodles is much more entertaining than gluing on construction paper or googly eyes. Uncooked macaroni can also be used in noise makers (inside for functionality or outside for aesthetic purposes), as placeholders in BINGO (they are much more appealing than lima beans or plastic chips), or in jewelry making activities (they fit nicely on string of all widths). Way to go for pasta though, that's one food that really should be commended for all of its contributions to society, in and out of the kitchen. Pasta has crossed some boundaries, and it is no longer restricted to the boiling pot of water for plain spaghetti. Pasta offers people a choice, as many restaurants have adopted the popular "Create Your Own Pasta" option to their menus. Additionally, it has become a great tool of artistic leverage in the classroom. It is often ignored, but I think pasta has been sold a pretty amazing capacity. As long as there are cartoons and kindergarteners, I don't think pasta is going anywhere.