We Tried 7 Mac & Cheese Brands and the Winner Surprised Us

Whether it’s childhood nostalgia or an easy lunch option, a nice bowl of macaroni and cheese is an American staple. Brands have stepped up their game over the years sometimes offering unique flavors or oddly shaped noodles. But not all of these comfort dishes are made the same. What defines the best boxed macaroni and cheese? The texture needs to be creamy and every bite needs to be full of cheesy goodness. The size of the noodles can’t be too small, and new twists on the basic concept are always welcome. We taste-tested some of the most popular brands, and here's how it went...

This Vermont cheese brand recently launched their very own line of macaroni and cheese. With their original cheese being one of the best on the market, it’s safe to say that their Cabot Bacon Cheddar Mac & Cheese lives up to the hype. The brand combines a Smoky Bacon Cheddar with their organic shells for “lip-smacking, bacony bliss.” The cheese really won us over with just the right texture of creaminess and without tasting artificial. If you don’t have time to make your own recipe from scratch, Cabot’s will give you that homemade taste that’s hard to come by.

Annie Withey, co-founder of Annie's, wanted to create a dish that used real cheese. Surprisingly, many options on the market are actually artificial. Annie’s signature flavor, Shells & White Cheddar is so well done, you wouldn’t think it came from a box. The organic shells are a fun departure from the common elbow noodles easier to eat with a fork.

Probably the most popular on the list, and for good reason. Kraft’s original recipe has defined the boxed mac and cheese industry. The brand has been around for so long that the taste might transport you back to your grammar days when it was a go-to after-school snack. The coloring is original with no artificial flavors, preservatives or dyes. It’s one of the only brands that can easily be identified after just one bite.

Trader Joe’s private label products are known to be hidden gems, and their Macaroni & Cheese with Wisconsin Cheddar is no exception. It’s a solid meal without any frills which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The coloring is more off-white than the golden hue that you’d expect to see. While the dish could be cheesier, it did taste a bit lighter than the other brands.

Yes — Cheetos has their own Mac ‘n Cheese Bold & Cheesy and it’s really not that bad if you’re a fan of the classic snack. The best part about this dish is that the noodles are larger than their competitors. This meal is anything but subtle. Once the cheese is mixed in, the noodles turn into a vibrant orange with a taste just as bold. The brand also sells Flamin’ Hot and Cheesy Jalapeño flavors.

A mac and cheese with organic mozzarella, white cheddar, parmesan and romano sounds like a match made in heaven, right? Unfortunately, Freak Flag Organics Four Cheese Mac & Freak totally missed the mark. Though it might be a healthier alternative with no artificial ingredients, added flavors or dyes, it also lacks flavor and tastes just like a regular bowl of pasta.

The only vegan alternative on the list, Modern Table Vegan Mac is gluten-free and dairy-free. The noodles are made of three ingredients including pea protein, rice and lentils. We tried, but were not able to eat more than one bite of this. The substitutes to create cheese made it not taste like macaroni and cheese at all. The description from the brand does recommend adding veggies, which might help add a bit of flavor to the dish.