Mac ‘n’ Cheese Taste Test

I’m back from maternity leave and instead of writing about myself and my baby I thought I’d give my brain a change of pace for this month’s article.  So why not write about something near and dear to many of our hearts, well at least to our stomachs, macaroni and cheese.

There are so many different brands and types of boxed macaroni and cheese on the store shelves but is there really a nutritional, cost, or taste difference in these products?  In an attempt to answer these questions, I conducted a highly scientific (ha!) macaroni and cheese taste test with ten people in our office.  I decided to purchase four different kinds of boxed macaroni and cheese:  A – Kraft Original ($0.77); B – Annie’s ($1.42); C – Kraft made with whole grains ($1.09); and D -Store Brand ($0.52).  Annie’s box has 6 ounces and the other three boxes has 7.5 ounces.

After a blind taste test the results for which macaroni and cheese my coworkers like the best was all over the board.  The most votes were for B – Annie’s (4 out of 10 votes), and 2 votes each for the remaining three macaroni and cheeses.  When asked which macaroni and cheese they thought was most nutritious the majority voted for B – Annie’s and in second was C – Kraft made with whole grains.  Many stated they thought these were more “nutritious” because of the way they looked.  Annie’s was a lighter color orange and Kraft made with whole grain looked brown.

Most participants stated that it was hard to tell much of a difference in the macaroni and cheeses and a few were surprised when they thought the Kraft original macaroni and cheese was actually the store brand, thus saying they were now more likely to purchase a store brand.

Nutritionally I was surprised to find that there was not much difference between the macaroni and cheeses.  Here are some of the more significant differences:

• The Kraft macaroni and cheese made with 50% whole grains had 5 grams of fiber per serving, which is 3 grams more than the other types.
• For one cup of prepared macaroni and cheese Kraft original had 410 calories, Kraft made with whole grains 390, Store brand original 380 and Annie’s 280.
• Annie’s macaroni and cheese had fewer calories and fat content because their recipe called for low fat milk and no margarine.  The other macaroni and cheeses called for 2% milk, and 3-4 tablespoons of margarine.  The other macaroni and cheeses could easily match up to Annie’s if they are prepared with less or no margarine and low fat milk.
• Annie’s had the least amount of ingredient, less additives and preservatives than the other brands.

Macaroni and cheese is still not a super food, but it can fit into a healthy diet.  When serving your family macaroni and cheese include a vegetable and fruit on the side, then you’ll be providing a more balanced and nutritious meal with little effort.