I Tried And Ranked 6 Store-Bought Protein Mac And Cheese Boxes

There's no denying that protein is having a moment right now. Whether it be cottage cheese recipes circulating TikTok, a protein version of your favorite snack food, or even protein water, high-protein products are hitting shelves everywhere. For some foods, like boxed mac and cheese, it's a welcome invitation.

Mac and cheese — one of America's most iconic comfort foods – is typically filled with refined carbs and saturated fats, with little fiber or nutritional value. However, when you only have minutes to put together dinner, or have a table of picky eaters to feed, oftentimes shelf-stable meals like boxed mac and cheese are the go-to. 

Fortunately, brands have attempted to boost the dish's health benefits, releasing high-protein and fiber-forward versions of the classic. From chickpea pasta to nutrient-filled noodles, we tried and ranked six popular protein mac and cheeses to find out which can compete with, and maybe even supersede, the classic.

Kaizen Food Company specializes in high-protein, low-carb pastas and rice. Compared to a standard boxed mac and cheese, Kaizen's has triple the protein and 80% fewer carbs. With 24 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of net carbs per serving, Kaizen's protein mac exceeds many of its competitors. However, with both taste and texture, Kaizen falls flat.

Kaizen's pastas use lupin flour, which is made from ground lupini beans, a protein-packed bean that has popped up as a healthy alternative to regular pasta. While using lupin flour is a great option for those looking to cut back on carbs, don't expect it to taste like the pasta you're used to. For one, the noodles caused the water to foam up quite a bit while boiling, so I had to keep an eye on it constantly while they cooked. Once boiled, the pasta didn't hold its shape well, and some noodles broke apart when the seasoning packet was stirred in. The noodles were mixed with ½ cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and the cheese packet. 

Upon trying, the most noticeable detail was the texture of the pasta. The noodles were very tacky and slightly grainy, and I found bits of it sticking to my teeth, which was quite unpleasant. As for the sauce, the cheddar flavor is present, and the dairy added a layer of creaminess, which allowed the sauce to coat the noodles well. While I have no qualms about the sauce — and this is a healthy option — I unfortunately just can't get past the texture of the noodles. Not to mention, a single box costs over $10. 

Legendary Foods has been in the protein game for a while now. With a line of Legendary Foods protein pastries, protein chips, and most recently, protein pasta, the brand is a force in the protein snack game. Its mac and cheese is filled with milk protein, casein, milk protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, and egg white protein. Each cup of mac has 35 grams of protein, 5 grams of net carbs, and 7 grams of fiber. This line of pasta can fit a variety of diets, as each pasta is gluten-free and GLP-1 and keto-friendly. As the only microwavable mac and cheese on this list, it had the quickest prep time and didn't require any extra ingredients. The noodles were microwaved with water for a few minutes and then covered before adding the seasoning packet. As instructed, I left the mac and cheese to sit so that the sauce and pasta could mingle together and the sauce could thicken.

As for flavor and texture, this was just okay. The noodles had a good chew but were slightly sticky and could have been a touch softer. The cheese sauce clung to the noodles well and had a creamy consistency with a mildly chewy, subtle sweet flavor profile. On the back end of each bite, though, there was a slightly artificial taste that lingered, which I couldn't directly pinpoint. Overall, this is a solid option for those with specific diet needs or goals. However, with a price point of nearly $5 for a single serving of mac and cheese that tastes average, I wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out.

Kraft is a legacy brand in the world of mac and cheese. Maybe you've dabbled in the specialty noodle shape varieties like SpongeBob or Super Mario Brothers and insisted to your parents that it tastes better than the original (it does). Or maybe you've scrolled through the grocery aisles and seen the rows and rows of bright blue Kraft mac and cheese boxes filling most of the section. Either way, Kraft is a household name that delivers a consistent, nostalgic flavor. With mac and cheese brands hopping on the protein trend, it's no surprise that Kraft released its own version. 

The Kraft Power Mac uses the same cheese packet as the original, but it packs 17 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in the noodles, which includes pea protein. The recipe took the longest to cook, with a boil time of 13 to 14 minutes, and required ¼ cup milk and 4 tablespoons of butter. If you're loyal to Kraft, you'll be pleased. The sauce had that familiar silky texture and mildly cheesy flavor. The change here lies in the noodles, which weren't as soft as the original. They had a chewier consistency, even with the long boil time. I also felt that the sauce was very dairy-forward, and the cheesiness was slightly muted by butter and milk. Overall, this is a solid, reliable option, but it didn't wow me.

One of the most popular chickpea-based pasta brands, Banza is a healthy alternative to traditional pasta that's filled with plant-based protein. Aside from pastas like penne or linguine, Banza also sells products like frozen pizza and, of course, mac and cheese. Banza's cheddar elbow pasta is gluten-free and has a low glycemic index. The pasta itself is made from chickpeas with natural binders like pea starch, tapioca, and xanthan gum. Each box of cheddar elbows contains 16 grams of protein per serving, and each serving is made with the equivalent of ¾ cup of cooked chickpeas. When cooking the pasta, the water foamed up a bit, but it was noted as a possibility in the instructions, which I appreciated.

I didn't know what to expect when trying chickpea pasta, but it had a much more familiar consistency than the lupini bean pasta from Kaizen. The noodles came out firmer than your typical noodles, and they had some distinctly nutty and earthy undertones. Even when covered in sauce, the taste of chickpeas was present. As for the sauce, the consistency was velvety and coated the pasta evenly. The addition of low-fat milk and butter muted the cheddar notes a bit, but each bite was still enjoyable. Aside from the slightly off noodle texture, I was pleasantly surprised by the chickpea pasta. This is a solid choice.

If you ever stayed over at a friend's house growing up, you likely learned pretty quickly whether your friend came from a Kraft or Annie's household. Annie's Homegrown is a major competitor in the boxed mac and cheese market and is often chosen for its organic ingredients. Annie's has a wide variety of mac and cheese flavors, including multiple types of Super! Mac. The brand's classic cheddar Super! Mac has 14 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. The pasta noodles are made with organic wheat flour and pea protein. The base of the sauce, like the majority on this list, bolsters the seasoning packet with milk and butter. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this mac and cheese. Although I grew up eating Kraft, this Annie's mac really surprised me. The noodle texture was perfect, with a soft bounce and chewy bite. Since the sauce was prepared by mixing the packet and dairy together before adding the pasta, the result was a smooth, uniform sauce that clung to the noodles evenly. While other macs had a mild flavor, you could really taste the cheddar in the sauce. It was both cheesier and saltier than other macs on the list, and tasted comparable to a traditional mac and cheese. Overall, this was a great mac and cheese. It ranks second purely because the top spot had even more nutrients packed into a delicious, traditional-tasting mac and cheese.

Although Goodles is newer to the market than established legacy brands like Kraft or Annie's, it really knows how to make a statement. With its vibrant packaging and trendy marketing, it immediately draws your eye. Goodles has tons of unique flavors, from Wild Wild Pesto to Smokey Dokey, but also features classics like Cheddy Mac. 

Each serving of its classic Cheddy Mac has 14 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. Each serving is also jam-packed with over 21 nutrients and has a low glycemic index. The noodles feature nutrients that were extracted from plants like broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms. Somehow, they taste virtually identical to traditional noodles, with that classic bouncy and chewy consistency. 

The cheese sauce, like the majority of sauces on this ranking, included butter and milk. The color of the cheese sauce was surprisingly vibrant, potentially due to the inclusion of paprika and turmeric. The sauce was velvety, not too thick or thin, and it coated each and every inch of the pasta. The flavor was creamy, cheesy, and slightly sweet from the inclusion of dried maple syrup. It tasted familiar, in the best way. 

To me, the best protein mac and cheese should taste as close to a traditional mac and cheese as possible. The feat of adding additional nutrients, protein, and fiber to such a well-loved dish, without sacrificing its indulgent qualities, is a challenge, but Goodles rose to the occasion. This might just be my new go-to.

For this store-bought protein mac and cheese ranking, my main goal was to find a mac and cheese that tasted as close as possible to a classic boxed mac and cheese. Making such a decadent comfort food healthier without compromising the heart of the dish is the biggest priority. In this ranking, I prepared each mac and cheese according to box instructions. 

I focused on texture and flavor for both the noodles and the sauce. A good macaroni noodle should be able to hold its shape upon cooking and have a bouncy, yet tender consistency. The sauce should be uniform, without any noticeable clumps, and it should cling to the noodles without pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The sauce should also have a balanced flavor, with a distinct cheesiness that isn't lost from the added dairy. Aside from flavor, I took into account the amount of protein, fiber, and any additional nutritional benefits of each mac and cheese.