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Boxing Match: The New Mac & Cheese Winner

Posted Fri, Jan 23, 2009, 1:28 pm PST
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To find the most outstanding box of mac and cheese, we at Yahoo! Food invited a trusted panel of mac and cheese enthusiasts to a dinner party taste test. Noodle by noodle and box by box, we tasted seven of the most common macaroni and cheese products on the market. Our mission was to get beyond brand loyalty and find the best box of mac and cheese, based on taste alone. You may be surprised by some of our findings...


THE QUICK RUNDOWN

The Winner at #1:   Pasta Roni Shells and White Cheddar
#2: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Original Flavor
#3:  Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Premium Thick ‘n Creamy
Tie for #4:   Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original
Tie for #4:   Back to Nature Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
#5:    Annie's Shells & Real Aged Cheddar
#6:   Generic Store-Brand Macaroni & Cheese


THE PANEL

Zoe Estrin: The organic traditionalist.
Griff Foxley: The home chef with a taste for gourmet.
Raul Gasteazoro: The hungry man.
Marguerite Moreau: The home baker with a scientific approach.
Chris Redman: The most likely to consider every angle.


THEIR REACTIONS...

The Winner:   Pasta Roni Shells and White Cheddar
    Up-side...
    Marguerite: "Knocks Kraft right out of the water. Tastes like fettuccine Alfredo. So thick, so creamy, delicious! The shells hold lots of sauce and are substantial and filling."

    Raul: "It tastes more like real cheese than Kraft."

    Down-side...
    Zoe: "Great but heavy. And gross when it cooled down!"


#2: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Original Flavor

    Up-side...
    Chris: "Good texture and color, cheesy, buttery flavor. Solid, middle-of-the-road choice." 

    Marguerite: "Not soupy, so it creates a great big bite on the fork."

    Down-side...
    Griff: "Nostalgic, but pretty flat and standard. Not sharp enough."

#3:  Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Premium Thick ‘n Creamy

    Up-side...
    Raul: "A little bland and watery.  Good texture.  Could use more cheese. Nice color."

    Chris: "Really mild flavor. Noodles tasted good. Overall, a safe bland choice. 5 out of 10."

    Down-side...
    Marguerite: "Thick? Nope. Creamy? Sure, kinda." 

SPLIT DECISION:   Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original

    Up-side...
    Marguerite: "Ate all of it and I went back for thirds. The best lukewarm choice.     Superior [to most of the others]. It left me wanting more."

    Zoe: "Fake-y. Like E-Z Cheese! But kinda good."

    Down-side...
    Chris: "Thick, very ‘cheesy,' if that's what you want to call it. Heavy. Tastes cheap. Still, at 3am...it's probably amazing. I give it a 4 out of 10."

    Griff: "Potent flavor made the first two bites fantastic, but the gummy, fake thing got worse as it cooled."


SPLIT DECISION:   Back to Nature Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
(No artificial preservatives or flavors)

    Up-side...
    Chris: "Smelled like childhood and tastes nice. Very mild but silky and felt lighter than the rest." 

    Griff: "Silky goodness. Cheese flavor is rather light, but quite tasty. Pasta felt lighter and less hearty, in a good way. Good balance of flavors."

    Down-side...
    Zoe: "Watery without any cheesy flavor. Kind of light. The noodles are flimsy and small. But it is natural-looking"

    Marguerite: "Unappetizing color. It's like cardboard. I do NOT want to finish it. I will not! Did I say cardboard?"
 

THE WORST WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS:    Annie's Shells & Real Aged Cheddar (Made with real cheese and 100% organic pasta)

    Griff: "Piddley little shells with soupy sauce, but somewhat tasty. I could tell it was real cheddar."

    Marguerite: "Real? ...Tastes like chemicals. I felt like I needed a spoon to get a good bite. Two words: watery chemicals."

 
THE VERY WORST:   Generic Store-Brand Macaroni & Cheese

    Marguerite: "A coated noodle but with no taste whatsoever."

    Zoe: "Just wrong. Can't eat even two bites."

    Chris: "No mac ‘n' cheese should be called ‘Ralph's.' Massively lacking in taste, any taste."


Have your own dinner party taste test and let us know your findings, or if you're thinking of making some from scratch, take a look at these 4 great ways to make mac ‘n' cheese.

  • 1. Posted by Bill on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:10 am PST

    Next time do it blindfolded you will get different results

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  • 2. Posted by dan o on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:16 am PST

    IMO... Kraft Dinner is #1 over ANY mac and cheese boxed, from a restaurant, home made, etc... Followed in a close second by Kraft shells and cheese...

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  • 3. Posted by Eh, Steve! on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:17 am PST

    Eating a bunch of Mac & Cheese... what a job, I'm jealous!

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  • 4. Posted by rose on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:19 am PST

    I used to be a Kraft mac N chz junkie until the economy hit a slump and now I am hooked on Lowe's Food store brand. It is the best ever, and I know my mac n chz.

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  • 5. Posted by westcm10 on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:19 am PST

    yeah exactly, i luv velveeta mac n cheese, and it doesnt tast like fake e-z cheese! it is wonderful! the y are just judging on the brands.

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  • 6. Posted by John Manning on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:20 am PST

    I will try Pasta Roni. I'm a little concerned that Kraft finished the way it did with your "tasters", it's not even allowed in our house (their mac & cheese, that is) - for years we have found many "house brands" to beat Kraft hands down. If Kraft is the only choice we go with out. - - Of course, none compare to home made! Especially when you consider how simple it is.

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  • 7. Posted by Jamie on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:20 am PST

    I don't know who Ralph is, but I will take store brand spirals any day over Kraft. Annie's is just best to avoid completely.

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  • 8. Posted by deanna s on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:21 am PST

    safeway shells and chees are great

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  • 9. Posted by redsox8945 on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:22 am PST

    Doesn't Kraft make the store brands?

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  • 10. Posted by rlynnruben on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:23 am PST

    Results would've been different if you tried the Trader Joe's "Joe's Diner" Mac and Cheese. For anyone reading this, I can't recommend it more. 800 calories in a box never tasted better.

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  • 11. Posted by Sharon S on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:23 am PST

    My (grown) kids and I continue to give Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Original Flavor a whole-hearted thumbs up.

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  • 12. Posted by Harry T on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:23 am PST

    I use the Kraft Original dinner, however, I put in 2 slices of Kraft cheese and add a little extra margarine and milk. It makes it more creamier and cheesy. But, nobody beats Stouffer's Mac n Cheese, it's even better then homemade, the elbow noodles are plump and full of cheese, and the cheese is evenly distributed throughout with no cheese clumps. Perfect!

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  • 13. Posted by Josh B on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:23 am PST

    Kraft...all the way pasta roni, is too creamy, not enough cheesy

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  • 14. Posted by Kam on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:24 am PST

    I get the little 33 cent blue off-brand at the grocery store...suits me and the kids just fine. :)

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  • 15. Posted by Rod Clark on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:24 am PST

    Craft Mac and Cheese Original Deluxe is the best, but you need to add mustard and pepper!

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  • 16. Posted by tart777 on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:24 am PST

    I prefer Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese!

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  • 17. Posted by Hobo Ninos rox ur sox on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:24 am PST

    I luv Kraft's Mac n' Cheese! But the whole grain kind tastes gross!

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  • 18. Posted by Mimi on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:24 am PST

    wow..i love annies...:(

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  • 19. Posted by Kevin Schmitt on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    Kraft Original is the best hands down!

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  • 20. Posted by Shayne on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    My kids ( and I) will pick the Annie's every time !

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  • 21. Posted by miab@att.net on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    I love President's Choice!!

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  • 22. Posted by falcon17_2000 on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    One of my favorite mac and cheese dishes is with hamburger and cream of mushroom soup. MMMMMMMM-GOOOOOOOOOOD

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  • 23. Posted by A H on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    I don't know what generic you used in your test, but I always use Great Value. I prefer it over Kraft. And I like the elbow shaped pasta rather than the straight noodles.

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  • 24. Posted by KK on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    Trader Joe's frozen mac n cheese is absolutely the best ever. Just ask anyone that's ever had any. These other brands can't even compare!

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  • 25. Posted by Pink Lips on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:25 am PST

    Annies mac rocks. This list is BOGUS!

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  • 26. Posted by Laura on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:26 am PST

    Obviously you guys never had the President's Choice White Cheddar!

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  • 27. Posted by emily w on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:26 am PST

    I completely agree with Bill - this whole "taste test" is a farce, since they know exactly what they're eating.

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  • 28. Posted by bc t on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:26 am PST

    kraft is crap these people must get money from them

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  • 29. Posted by jess6672 on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:26 am PST

    These really should have been done as a blind taste test. Many of these opinions are based on perception and not actual taste. Coming from a marketing research background I know that these results are less than accurate

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  • 30. Posted by ICu814FuN on Sun, Jan 25, 2009, 9:26 am PST

    Velveeta shells and cheese is the best! I like the real cheese, not the powder kind.

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