6 Boxed Macaroni And Cheese Brands Nutrition Experts Love

These are the brands they keep in their own cabinets.

In the ’90s, choosing a box of macaroni and cheese was simple: Kraft reigned supreme. It wasn’t the only brand on the market, but those blue boxes were synonymous with the neon-orange delight.

Today, the macaroni and cheese landscape has vastly transformed. Options abound with well-known brands like Annie’s and Cabot Creamery going up against up-and-comers like Goodles. When it comes to choosing a boxed mac and cheese now, it can be a little overwhelming: Which one is both healthy and delicious? We spoke with experts to help figure that out.

First things first: No matter how great a boxed macaroni and cheese may seem, it’s important to remember that it’s an ultra-processed product, said Cayla Bousaba, a registered dietitian in Richmond, Virginia.

“We still use it,” she said. “My family is like, ‘Oh my gosh, we have to eat something.’ At least add some protein to it and hopefully some fiber. The reality is, sometimes life makes it hard to avoid the delicious, typically affordable product (like, say, you have kids or you lack energy to cook yourself a full meal) — but it’s all about balance.”

One way to boost the nutritional profile of boxed mac and cheese is by adding veggies to it (spinach or frozen peas incorporate nicely) or swapping out the milk with plain yogurt (which also makes it creamier). Proteins like chicken or tuna also kick it up a notch.