Boxed Macaroni And Cheese, Ranked From Worst To Best

Take a stroll down the macaroni and cheese aisle of your favorite grocery store, and one thing is clear — the boxed marriage of noodles and cheese isn't just for kids. Sure, the classic macaroni in orange-tinted sauce is still widely available, but there are varying noodle shapes and sizes, and cheese sauces that are spicy, smoky, and extra sharp.

To help you navigate this overwhelming category, I tapped my 25+ years of experience as a food writer and put myself to work. I sampled 16 nationally available boxed macaroni and cheese brands and ranked them from worst to best. When possible, I chose the classic combination of noodles and cheddar cheese sauce. And while the terms macaroni and mac are emblazoned on all labels, some of the brands feature shells, spirals, and other twisty noodles. I judged each brand on the flavor and consistency of the sauce and the texture of the noodles. While nothing beats homemade macaroni and cheese, there are some true winners in the boxed category. Thankfully, you're never too old for a cozy bowl of macaroni and cheese.

Bowl & Basket came in last, mostly due to the texture of the pasta. The noodles were allegedly spirals, but since they fell apart after cooking, you couldn't really tell. It was almost as if someone crushed the box and broke up the noodles before I had a chance to cook them (that didn't happen). In addition, the label indicates that the box makes two 1-cup servings, but once I cooked the pasta and added the cheese packet, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 3 tablespoons of milk, I didn't have 2 cups of mac and cheese. Perhaps it's because the pasta wasn't the plump spirals shown on the box.

The cheese sauce was decent, and I appreciated that there were no synthetic colors. But the sauce wasn't cheesy enough and left a bit of an aftertaste (possibly the turmeric). This brand came in last because both the pasta and sauce were the weakest when compared to the others in the category. 

While I was purchasing this Nice! mac and cheese, the cashier said, "That looks like a good lunch." I replied, "I'm about to find out." Sadly, it wasn't a good lunch. Of all the brands I tested, this was the only one where the sauce didn't cling to the pasta. In fact, there was a pool of runny cheese sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Some other brands in this ranking called for adding 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk, but that amount was too much here. And even though sodium was less than most other brands (570 milligrams per 1-cup serving), the sauce tasted salty, not cheesy.

This brand ranked higher than the previous macaroni and cheese because the noodles held their shape. That said, I suggest you relegate this brand to a time when you're craving macaroni and cheese and picking up your Walgreens prescription at the same time.

When I took my first bite of Signature Select's macaroni and cheese, I thought, "This isn't bad macaroni and cheese, but it's nothing special." The macaroni noodles held their shape and were pleasantly firm and plump, but they were unremarkable and lackluster compared to the other brands. 

I felt the same way about the cheese sauce; it's fine, but it's just not cheesy enough. It's like a watered-down version of the classic cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese. Not only is the sauce too mild, it's a bit waxy — so waxy that the sauce stuck to the bowl as much as it clung to the pasta. This brand simply couldn't compete with the winning brands that delivered tender pasta in a mouthwatering cheese sauce. This macaroni and cheese ranked higher than the previous brands because it's better overall, just not good enough to rank anywhere near the top.

I'm a fan of Stouffer's, so I was stunned when I tasted the brand's macaroni and cheese. "Holy salt bomb" was my first reaction. I raced to the label for answers and was even more shocked. One serving (1 cup) delivers 1140 milligrams of sodium. Note: The American Heart Association recommends that we consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. Truth is, many folks will eat the entire box (about 2.5 cups) and subsequently down 3060 milligrams of sodium, or two days' worth. 

Stouffer's ranked higher than the previous brands because the sauce is smooth and silky, even if it's overly salty. Sadly, the consistency of the sauce doesn't make up for the ridiculous amount of sodium. I liked the texture of the pasta shells — they cooked up al dente and held their shape nicely. I recommend this macaroni and cheese if you plan to share the box with about 10 people, and I strongly urge you to serve it with plenty of water.

Great Value macaroni and cheese is surprisingly good. I say "surprising" because it was a mere 58 cents, and the cheapest brand in this ranking. My favorite part about this mac and cheese was the thickness of the cheese sauce. There was a decent amount of powdered cheese mix, so when I added the recommended 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk, there was a copious amount of rich sauce with great cheese flavor. The sauces of previous brands (and some that scored higher) seem downright runny compared to this one. 

This brand ranked where it did because, while the sauce was thick, it was overly salty. I was surprised when I read the label and saw that one serving delivered 650 milligrams of sodium. Yes, that's a lot of sodium for one serving, but many of the other brands I tested had much more. So, if you're looking to save money and get some good-tasting mac and cheese on the table in about 12 minutes, this is a good choice.

Market Pantry macaroni and cheese was also a nice surprise, especially at 69 cents per box. When I first opened the cheese packet, I thought the aroma was off. There were distinct notes of whey and yeast, which I found off-putting. But once I mixed the packet with the pasta, 3 tablespoons of butter, and 3 tablespoons of milk, a more classic-tasting cheese sauce was born. And there was enough sauce to coat the noodles without being too thick or too thin. That said, this didn't rank higher because the cheese flavor was too mild; the sauce isn't cheesy enough for the pasta.

The pasta was plump and tender, and held its shape in the sauce. Since it was just the cheese sauce that needed some oomph, this mac and cheese ranked higher than the previous brands. If you plan to pick up a box of this macaroni and cheese when shopping at Target, I suggest you also grab some cheddar cheese to sprinkle over top.

If you're a fan of Cheetos snacks, you'll probably love this macaroni and cheese. The cheese sauce looks and smells exactly like the crunchy corn snack — it's extraordinarily orange and has a bold cheese flavor. The box says it's made with "authentic Cheetos cheesiness," so I suppose the label doesn't lie. Of all the brands I tested, this was the only one with MSG and artificial coloring, namely Yellow 6. So, if you're trying to dodge monosodium glutamate or the potential side effects of artificial coloring in food, skip this mac and cheese. 

When making the sauce, I hesitated to use the recommended 4 tablespoons of butter and ⅓ cup milk for fear it would make the sauce runny, especially because there didn't seem to be enough pasta to soak it up. The sauce was indeed watery, but it thickened up as it sat. The pasta spirals held their shape nicely, so I added bonus points for that. Overall, I enjoyed the robust cheese flavor and similarity to the snack. If you choose this mac and cheese because you think it'll taste like Cheetos, you won't be disappointed.

If you're one of the many folks obsessed with Velveeta cheese, you will love the brand's shell pasta and cheese sauce. When I was a kid, my after-school snack was often a few slices of Velveeta cheese melted over Pennsylvania Dutch hard pretzels. The velvety texture of the cheese (hence the name) partnered beautifully with the crunch of the pretzels. I had a similar experience when I tried this macaroni and cheese.

The cheese sauce comes fully prepared and tastes like the brand melted a block of Velveeta straight into the packet. That was both good and bad. I liked the resemblance to the cheese product, but the sauce was a bit gummy when added to the pasta. The sauce clung to the pasta like glue, which was nice, but it was too thick overall. The pasta shells were plump, ridged, and held their shape, and I appreciated that. This brand ranked better than the previous brands because the pasta was great, and the sauce was what you would expect from melted Velveeta.

I wanted to love Cabot's macaroni and cheese because I'm a Cabot cheese fan. So, I'll start with what I liked — the sharp cheddar cheese sauce is tasty. The pre-made sauce is nicely sharp (as cheddar should be), and it's not colored orange like most of the other brands. Not that natural food coloring is bad; I just like the idea that it wasn't needed here. I liked that the radiatori pasta is organic and has grooves to capture more sauce.

Here's what I didn't like — the pasta was largely broken up into small pieces. Radiatori pasta is small to begin with, so once it was fragmented, there wasn't much to it. When I added the cheese sauce, the result was more porridge than mac and cheese. Plus, the cheese sauce was too thin, almost watery. Thankfully, it thickened up as it sat. So, this macaroni and cheese landed where it did in the ranking because the cheese sauce had great flavor (but was too thin), and the pasta was mushy.

From the makers of Rice-A-Roni, Mac-A-Roni features elbow macaroni in a creamy white cheddar cheese sauce. The flavor of the sauce is quite good; there are clear nuances of aged white cheddar. There are some other natural flavors added, which I believe helped catapult the cheese flavor without the need for more cheese. The elbow-shaped pasta was plump and meaty, and held its shape perfectly. That's why this macaroni and cheese landed higher up in the ranking.

This mac and cheese didn't make it to the top of the list because, while the cheese sauce had great flavor, there wasn't enough of it. The directions on the box instruct you to add 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk — an amount I think is too much. Once added, the sauce becomes thin and doesn't stick to the noodles. The flavor of the sauce is nice, but it needs to be thicker and more clingy. 

The 365 brand macaroni and cheese is made with organic pasta and organic cheddar cheese, so I moved it up in the ranking for that. But that's not all — the flavor of the sauce and texture of the pasta are what really tipped the scales. When I combined the cheese packet, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 3 tablespoons of milk, I was surprised by the color of the sauce. It was more golden in color than the brands, with a bright orange hue. The natural food coloring annatto is added for color (as is the case with most of these brands), so I assume this brand simply uses less of it. Since the color was lighter, I expected the flavor to be equally weaker. That was not the case. The cheese sauce was mildly sharp and delivered some welcome complexity.

The pasta was firm and held its shape, and the sauce clung to the noodles quite well. The only reason this macaroni and cheese didn't make it to the top five is that the cheese sauce was too mild, especially when compared to the winners in the category. 

When I opened the cheese packet for Trader Joe's macaroni and cheese, I was instantly struck by how delicious it smelled. The aroma was that of sharp cheddar cheese, and I couldn't wait to marry it with the pasta. As instructed, I added 4 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk, and the aroma of the cheese sauce was even more robust. The classically shaped pasta cooked up plump and firm, and held its shape.

Once combined, I was delighted to find that the sauce was perfectly cheesy and there was enough of it to coat the pasta. There's depth to the cheese sauce, too, and I assume it's from the addition of dehydrated cheddar cheese. This brand ranked in the top five for a reason; it's an affordable, delicious macaroni and cheese. The only reason it didn't rank higher is because the top four were better overall.

There are several varieties of Annie's macaroni and cheese, but for a fair ranking, I chose the classic macaroni and cheddar. When I first opened the cheese packet, the aroma was reminiscent of buttermilk; I believe you can thank the cultured cream for that. Once I added the recommended 2 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of milk, a creamy, cheesy sauce evolved. The sauce is nuanced and tangy, and delivers great cheddar flavor. I assume the complexity of the sauce comes from the marriage of cultured cream and dried cheddar cheese. 

The organic pasta is firm and meaty and holds its shape in the sauce. Annie's is a solid brand, so I wasn't surprised that this mac and cheese made it to the top of the list. The only reason Annie's isn't in the top three is because the winners in the category had slightly better flavor.  

Kraft debuted its boxed macaroni and cheese in 1937, and it's become an iconic staple ever since. There are several Kraft macaroni and cheese flavors, but I chose the classic for this ranking. Each bite of this macaroni and cheese transported me straight back to childhood. The sauce was rich and cheesy, and the noodles were plump and firm. There was plenty of sauce to coat the noodles, with a little extra for licking the bowl clean. I noticed that the volume of cheese powder was greater than that of the other brands, so perhaps that's why there seemed to be more flavor and sauce to go around.

The reason Kraft ranked third is that the sauce tasted saltier than I remember. This brand doesn't have the highest sodium in the ranking (690 milligrams per cup), but it exuded salt with every bite. I still love the classic cheese flavor and feel confident giving this brand bronze.

There are plenty of Goodles mac and cheese flavors, but I'll be honest, the Cheddy Mac creamy cheddar and macaroni floored me. The sauce is crammed with cheese flavor and brimming with nutrients extracted from broccoli, spinach, kale, pumpkin, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, and wild mushrooms. You can't detect those ingredients, but they add complexity and depth. There's also an umami quality that no other brands delivered. 

Maple syrup is also listed on the label and, while you can't taste it, I suspect it balances the savory elements in the sauce. The chickpea-based pasta was plump and flavorful and held its shape in the sauce. This is the only brand I tested that didn't include butter as an added ingredient; just ¼ cup of milk. I can assure you, butter isn't needed. It was hard to give this brand second place; I found myself licking my fingers and the bottom of the bowl to get every last speck.

Meet your mac and cheese winner — Cracker Barrel. Hands down, this boxed macaroni and cheese had the best combination of sharp cheddar cheese sauce and tender pasta. The sauce was so delectable, it was as if the brand had melted a block of its white cheddar cheese and sealed it in a packet. The ready-made envelope of sauce is thick, rich, and complex. And since the sauce is pre-made, you simply boil the pasta, open the packet, and marry them together.

This was my favorite pasta shape, too. The elbow-shaped noodles were plump, meaty, and ridged, so they held every drop of the sauce. And when compared to the others in this ranking, this brand delivered the ideal amount of tasty cheese sauce for the amount of pasta in the box. Each plump noodle had a cozy, creamy cheese jacket. This brand got the gold for a reason, and it's sure to appeal to any and all mac and cheese fans. 

Ranking 16 macaroni and cheese brands is no easy feat, but it's certainly fun. I used the same whole milk and butter in brands that required it. I ranked the brands based on the flavor and consistency of the sauce and the texture of the pasta. When judging the sauce, if it was cheese-forward, creamy, and complex, I took note. If the sauce was runny and/or didn't cling to the noodles, I ranked accordingly. If the sauce was delightfully thick, not gooey or gluey, it ranked higher. I also judged the ratio of sauce to pasta — a desirable medley had enough sauce to coat the noodles (not too much, not too little; like the three bears scenario).

When it came to the texture of the pasta, if the noodles were firm and held their shape, they ranked higher. If the noodles were flimsy or mushy, they were scored appropriately. And since I knew tasting 16 brands of mac and cheese would be dizzying, I brought in friends and family to help.