array_diff with Laravel's new date serialization with ->toArray()

Hi all!

So I am attempting to compare two arrays with array_diff(). However, since Laravel 7, when using toArray(), Laravel uses a new date serialization method which always returns with the dates. Whereas previously they wouldn't.

With the new date serialization:

// Expected
Array (
    'before' => Array (
        'title' => 'Eaque aperiam vel rerum disti...borum.'
    )
    'after' => Array (
        'title' => 'changed'
    )
)

// Actual
Array (
    'before' => Array (
        'title' => 'Eaque aperiam vel rerum disti...borum.'
        'updated_at' => '2020-10-24T22:23:45.000000Z'
        'created_at' => '2020-10-24T22:23:45.000000Z'
    )
    'after' => Array (
        'title' => 'changed'
        'updated_at' => '2020-10-24T22:23:45.000000Z'
        'created_at' => '2020-10-24T22:23:45.000000Z'
    )
)

With the old way:

// Expected
Array (
    'before' => Array (
        'title' => 'Eaque aperiam vel rerum disti...borum.'
    )
    'after' => Array (
        'title' => 'changed'
    )
)

// Actual
Array (
    'before' => Array (
        'title' => 'Eaque aperiam vel rerum disti...borum.'
    )
    'after' => Array (
        'title' => 'changed'
    )
)

I understand I can revert back to the older way as suggested in the docs, which does fix the issue:

use DateTimeInterface;

/**
 * Prepare a date for array / JSON serialization.
 *
 * @param  \DateTimeInterface  $date
 * @return string
 */
protected function serializeDate(DateTimeInterface $date)
{
    return $date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
}

However, I would like to know if we can achieve the expected result without reformatting the dates back to the previous way?

Thanks!

Ben