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- 🛒 We Blind Tasted 6 Boxed Mac & Cheese Brands
🛒 We Blind Tasted 6 Boxed Mac & Cheese Brands
We might upset some people with our top pick 🤫
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🛒 We Blind Tasted 6 Boxed Mac & Cheese Brands
Boxed mac and cheese is the ultimate nostalgic comfort food, known for its creamy, cheesy goodness. But with so many brands on the shelves, it can be hard to know which ones really deliver on flavor, texture, and that all-important cheesiness.
So, we decided to settle the debate with a blind taste test of seven popular boxed mac and cheese brands. Read on to see how each stacked up, from iconic classics to newer, fancier options.
The Contenders
We chose a mix of classic and premium brands to get a good range of options. Here’s who made the cut:
Each was prepared exactly according to package instructions, with tasters judging blind to avoid brand biases. The mac and cheese were rated on three main criteria: cheesiness, creaminess, and overall flavor.
🛒 The Results
Here’s our rundown of how each brand fared in the taste test, ranked from our least favorite to the ultimate winner.
 | Whole Foods’ 365 brand was creamy but had a somewhat artificial taste that didn’t win over the group. The sauce was thinner than we’d hoped, and while it was pleasantly cheesy, it didn’t quite hit that craveable mac and cheese experience. |
 | One of the newest brands in the game, Goodles has a reputation for a healthier take on mac and cheese, packed with prebiotics and fiber. However, this may have affected the flavor, as some found it slightly chalky with a subtle, less satisfying cheese flavor. For those who want a health-focused option, it’s solid, but it didn’t stack up in the comfort food department. |
 | Trader Joe’s Wisconsin Cheddar brought strong cheese flavor, which was a highlight for some tasters. The texture, though, wasn’t as creamy as we’d hoped, making it fall somewhere in the middle. It’s a great budget-friendly choice for cheese lovers but didn’t quite meet the creaminess standard of our top contenders. |
 | The classic Kraft Mac & Cheese held its own in the lineup, with a taste that’s familiar, cheesy, and nostalgic. The bright orange color and smooth texture took us back to childhood, though some found it a bit salty. While it may not be the most refined option, it still hits that comfort food note like no other. |
 | Annie’s managed to wow the crowd with its natural-tasting cheese sauce and perfectly al dente noodles. The flavor was less processed than some other options, and the cheddar felt authentic, without the artificial undertones. It was creamy, cheesy, and satisfying—a solid choice for those looking for a natural yet indulgent mac and cheese. |
 | Velveeta took the crown in our taste test, with a thick, creamy cheese sauce that coated every shell. This one was a clear winner for its smooth, velvety texture and rich flavor that screamed comfort. The shells added a nice texture, holding onto the sauce better than standard macaroni. This is the ultimate indulgence for those who want their mac and cheese as creamy as possible. |
If you’re after the creamiest, most decadent boxed mac and cheese, Velveeta Shells & Cheese is hard to beat and landed in our top placement. For a more natural option with a similar comfort food vibe, Annie’s Homegrown Classic Cheddar is a close runner-up.
Do you agree with our top picks? Is there a boxed macaoni and cheese that you love, but we missed on our list?
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