Few foods scream “comfort” like a piping hot bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese. When it comes to the boxed stuff, let’s get one thing very clear: Though homemade versions may be undeniably delicious, boxed mac ‘n’ cheese will always taste like pure comfort.
I cook and write about food for a living, so I know, I know — in the flavor department, homemade mac ‘n’ cheese is basically unmatched…but there’s something so satisfying about that classic box o’ mac. The tiny, tubular noodles and radioactively orange cheese powder can’t be beat.
Growing up, I was a Kraft guy, with some Annie’s Shells & White Cheddar every now and then (for good measure). Let me tell ya, the instant I taste that stuff as an adult, I’m rocketed back to my childhood. It’s ~peak~ nostalgia. I know for a fact that I’m not the only one who feels this way, which is why I decided to figure out which box is the absolute best, once and for all.
I’ll admit that initially, I had an inkling that boxed mac ‘n’ cheese varieties wouldn’t taste all that different. Now that I’ve tasted them all, let’s just say that I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Considering the sheer range of flavors and varieties out there, it was tough to narrow down my contenders to a small-ish group. I mean, holy COW, it never ends! As a once-very-young millennial, I remember seeing only a couple of brands in the boxed mac section. Now you can choose from basically every type of “cheese” known to humankind. If you have a gluten or dairy intolerance — or both — you’re covered.
All this to say: Defining the parameters of this experiment wasn’t easy, but I eventually landed on nine popular varieties that were similar enough in flavor to be comparable.
• Velveeta Shells & Cheese
• Annie’s Macaroni & Classic Cheddar
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
Next, these were the house brands:
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