Pasta Roni Shells & White Cheddar

I have a few boxes of mac and cheese I've been working through (and I use the word "working" pretty loosely) over the summer. For today's lunch, I was debating between a few different kinds. I chose the Pasta Roni variety, however, because I realized that many of my recent reviews have been of Kraft products, and while we all love Kraft, variety really is the spice of life.

I initially forgot that Pasta Roni products require slightly different preparation than normal mac and cheese meals, and therefore I had to start over after I accidentally boiled way too much water. After that, though, preparation was pretty uneventful.

Note: Actual pictures are coming soon, I just have to upload them from my sister's camera.

Ratings

Flavor: 3/5. The flavor was just kind of weird. It didn't really taste like cheese, per se; it was more of an awkward creamy sauce with a lot of salt in it. My sister sampled my leftovers and commented that they were "gross."

Consistency: 5/5. This sauce was creamy and thick, a rare feat for a boxed macaroni and cheese product.

Pasta Shape: 4/5. I've stated my love of shells many times before. My only objection is that thick sauces such as this one tend to clump unevenly inside the shell. Which can be really delicious, or moderately annoying, depending on your preference. Most people probably wouldn't notice at all.

Overall: 3.5/5. Not a terrible option, but definitely not the best I've ever had (or even close to it). It's a lot of effort to put in, relatively speaking, when there are plenty of easier and more delicious options out there.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size 1/3 box, prepared; 290 Calories, 110 Calories from Fat; 12g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 1.5g Trans Fat; 5mg Cholesterol; 730mg Sodium; 38g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6g Sugars; 9g Protein.

Annie's Deluxe Shells & Real Aged Cheddar

Although Annie's is known for its classic shells with white cheddar, they do have a number of varieties to satisfy people like my boyfriend, Steve, who refuses to eat macaroni and cheese that isn't neon orange. Upon opening the box and seeing the silver packet of sauce, his first comment was, "This looks like Velveeta in a more expensive package." This comment was not made in a derogatory manner, since we all know Velveeta is delicious, but it was definitely interesting. Despite the Annie's brand's commitment to organic ingredients and environmental issues, I often think that many of their products are Kraft foods in nicer packaging. Sure, they used real aged cheddar in this mac and cheese, but how processed is it? After all, cheese doesn't naturally come in a creamy form that can be squeezed out of a packet. That said, if a food is delicious, I'm not inclined to complain about the packaging or the company's marketing strategies.

Steve adding the sauce to the pot. Velveeta or Annie's?

Ready for serving.

Delicious!!

Ratings

Flavor: 4.5/5. This had a great, cheesy flavor, and I actually could tell that it was real cheddar. It definitely lacked the processed flavor of many similar products.

Consistency: 3.5/5. I always find it a little creepy when sauce comes pre-made in packets, like this one did, because it looks so gross and weird when you squeeze it out. However, it stuck nicely to the pasta and ended up being really good.

Pasta Shape: 5/5. See my previous Annie's review if you want to know my feelings on shells.

Overall: 4/5. I wanted to give this a 4.5, but Steve claimed that I shouldn't have because "we could have bought the same thing in a Velveeta box for less." We compromised on a rating of 4. This is a seriously delicious mac and cheese and it may have replaced original Annie's as one of my favorites.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size 1 cup prepared; about 3 ½ servings per box. 320 Calories, 90 Calories from Fat; 10g Fat, 6g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat; 25mg Cholesterol; 760mg Sodium; 46g Carbohydrate; 2g Fiber; 4g Sugars; 14g Protein.

Annie's Shells and White Cheddar

When I was a kid, I remember being caught in the eternal debate between Annie's and Kraft. I had friends on both sides of the (often-heated) argument, but I personally loved both and was therefore able to remain neutral. I knew that I would eventually end up writing about Annie's for this blog simply since I eat so much of it; it's not unusual for me to finish a box in one sitting, and my roommate and her boyfriend even bought me a six-pack for my birthday. As a freshman in college, I would order cases of Annie's and cook it in my dorm kitchen. Annie's has a lot of delicious memories for me, as you may have gathered, but I tried to remain neutral in my review.

A close-up taken just after preparing.

Deliciousness in a bowl? Perhaps.

Ratings

Flavor: 4.5/5. Annie's has a flavor that's pretty different from most other boxed mac and cheeses. They use white cheddar, as opposed to the typical orange cheese "product" used in many other products. This results in a less intense kick of flavor, but its mild goodness is delicious and comforting.

Consistency: 3/5. One of the things that has always bothered me about Annie's is the fact that the cheese sauce is relatively thin. I have found, though, that adding extra butter remedies this problem to an extent.

Pasta Shape: 5/5. I love shells; they're so versatile and I really feel that they can work with almost any type of sauce. In this case, they hold the white cheddar nicely and are fun and easy to eat.

Overall: 4/5. Annie's pretty much always comes through, and their mac and cheese is a delicious classic. I recommend adding more butter and a little less milk than instructed, as it really enhances the flavor and texture of the cheese.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size 2.5 oz (about 1 cup prepared). 280 Calories, 40 Calories from Fat; 4g Fat, 2.5g Saturated Fat; 10mg Cholesterol; 530mg Sodium; 47g Carbohydrates; 2g Fiber; 10g Protein.