Best Mac and Cheese (Boxed)

Looking for the best boxed mac and cheese? Here are some picks for healthy store bought mac and cheese from a Registered Dietitian. Plus a kids taste test!

*Originally published August 2022. Updated July 2024*

Hi friends!

Today we’re continuing our “Best of” series by talking about macaroni and cheese. So far we’ve covered:

Snacks from certain stores:

Types of snacks:

So be sure to catch up on those posts if you missed them!

Best mac and cheese in a box

When it comes to boxed mac and cheese, my biggest concern is sodium. Some brands, especially the deluxe versions, have 1,000+ mg of sodium per serving, which is way more than necessary. While I don’t recommend packaged mac and cheese as an everyday food, it’s certainly something my kids have for dinner occasionally.

When I’m picking out which brand to buy, I look for the lowest sodium per serving that I can find, and I’d also love for there to be a decent amount of both protein and fiber.

The problem is that some of the brands that are higher in both protein and fiber are not always a hit with my kids.

So after looking at a lot of mac and cheese boxes, I decided to do a taste test with my kids (Their ages at the time of the taste test: 7, 5 & 3) to see which ones they would actually eat.

I chose two classics: Kraft and Annie’s Original. I also chose two that were higher in fiber & protein: Banza and Goodle. Then I threw in an Annie’s Vegan option and Annie’s 25% reduced sodium. Here’s the video of their taste test:

Best Healthy Boxed Mac and Cheese

Let’s look at these six options I chose for the taste test in a little more detail. Note- I’m sure there are other great options. I tried to stick to brands that were widely available in the two grocery stores by my house, not specialty stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s etc.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

9 grams of protein
2 grams of fiber
560 mg sodium
Kids liked it

high protein gliuten free macaroni and cheese

Banza Mac & Cheese (Made w/ chickpea pasta)

15 grams protein
5 grams fiber
640 mg sodium
Kids didn’t like it

Goodles (found at Target)

14 grams protein
6 grams fiber
590 mg sodium
Kids didn’t like it

Annie’s Vegan Mac (Red Lentil Spirals)

11 grams protein
3 grams fiber
240 mg sodium
Kids didn’t like it

Annie’s 25% Less Sodium

10 grams protein
2 grams fiber
400 mg sodium
Kids liked it

Annie’s Original Macaroni & Classic Cheddar

9 grams protein
3 grams fiber
430 mg sodium
Kids liked it

Don’t be fooled by the marketing like I was! I thought the Annie’s 25% less sodium meant 25% less than their original but it actually says 25% less than the leading brand and it only has 30mg less than the original Annies!

Best Boxed Mac and Cheese

So what’s my pick as a Registered Dietitian to feed my kids?

Overall I choose Annie’s. Either the 25% less sodium or the original – both have the lowest amount of sodium I found. They also have several organic options that are widely available if that’s important to you!

I love that Banza and Goodle are higher in both protein and fiber. Despite them also being higher in sodium, I still think they’re good options if your kids will eat them!

Boxed Mac and Cheese FAQs

Does boxed mac and cheese go bad?

Since it’s a shelf-stable food, it will generally last for several years. Remember that the expiration date is speaking to the quality not the safety so in general it’s fine to eat it 1-2 years past the expiration date. It’s likely the packets of cheese that will go bad before the noodles.

How to make boxed mac and cheese better?

Choose one with 500mg sodium or less per serving
Try not using the whole packet of cheese
Mix in Greek yogurt instead of butter for extra protein
Look for whole wheat, whole grain or alternative noodle options for more fiber

Boxed Mac and Cheese Hacks

To make it creamier, try using Greek yogurt. You can either add it right along with the milk instead of butter, or you can skip the milk and try just adding Greek yogurt. Adding less milk also makes it thicker and creamier.
To turn it into a full meal, try adding leftover cooked chicken or some chicken sausage. You can also add cooked vegetables. One easy hack is to add some frozen peas to the water for the last few minutes of cooking the noodles.
For a different cheese flavor, try using half the packet of cheese and mixing in some shredded cheese of your own.
Try putting your own spin on it! Want pizza mac? Grab some white cheddar boxed mac, put it in a pan, top with a little pizza sauce, pepperoni and shredded mozzarella and broil for a couple minutes.
Add some spices. Try mixing in a little garlic powder or paprika when you add the cheese.

Boxed Mac & Cheese Baked

Want to fool a crowd? Make boxed mac and cheese as directed, add any mix-ins you want, then put it in a baking pan, top with some extra shredded cheese and breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees Faherenheit for 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted.

How To Make Mac and Cheese From A Box

If you’ve never made boxed mac and cheese you can follow the directions on the box which involves boiling water, adding the noodles and then draining them before adding cheese milk and sometimes butter.

Recently I’ve started making it a different way that involves adding the cheese, butter and noodles right at the very beginning before you even boil the water and I think it turns out much better. You can find directions for the TikTok Mac and Cheese Recipe here.

Boxed Mac and Cheese in the Microwave

While I haven’t tried this myself beyond eating the Kraft microwavable cups in college, here are directions for how to make boxed mac and cheese in the microwave. The microwave gets the water hot enough to boil so it can cook the noodles, you just have to remember to stir frequently and there won’t be water to drain out at the end.

Instant Pot Box Mac and Cheese

If you have an instant pot, you can also use that to cook a box of mac and cheese. Add one cup water to the instant pot with butter and pasta. Cook 4 minutes, quick release and stir in cheese and milk. Here’s a whole post about how to cook instant pot box mac and cheese.

Can you make boxed mac and cheese without milk?

If you don’t have or don’t want to use milk, try saving 1/4 cup of the water you cooked the pasta in. You can also mix in cream, plain Greek yogurt or even cream cheese or sour cream instead of milk.

How to make box mac and cheese with ground beef?

This is a great way to use up leftover ground beef or turkey, taco meat, etc. Just cook the beef and stir it into the macaroni once you’ve mixed in the milk and cheese. Try adding a little taco seasoning for taco mac or just salt and pepper for some cheesy hamburger mac.

Best Mac and Cheese From A Box

Looking for the best store-bought macaroni and cheese? Here are some picks for healthy mac and cheese from a Registered Dietitian. Plus I had my kids do a taste test!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay—