The go-to college meal for people who have absolutely no idea how to cook: Mac & Cheese. Even if you do have no clue how to cook, you should at least know what the best things to cook are, right?
The big shot in the world of macaroni and cheese is obviously Kraft, who calls their cheese “liquid gold”. The underdog in my eyes is Annie’s Homegrown. Kraft has more variety and is known most for their macaroni and cheese, while that is only one of Annie’s Homegrown’s many lines of products. In this article we will rank the top five box mac & cheese’s between these two companies.
Coming in 5th is Kraft’s Deluxe: Original Cheddar.
All this meal calls for is the pasta and the cheese packet that are in the box. You cook the pasta for 11-12 minutes, drain it, then put it back into the pot and mix it with the cheese packet from the box. Personally, I am not a fan of the gooey cheese packets that come in the box, they taste too artificial to me. Therefore, that is why Kraft’s Deluxe: Original Cheddar found itself in 5th on my list.
Fourth place is given to any Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Shapes (Minions, SpongeBob, etc.)
These were my entire childhood in one box, I always HAD to have them. I could never figure out if I just liked them because they were cool shapes or if they actually tasted better than other boxes of Kraft, but either way I thoroughly enjoy eating them to this day. In psychology, I learned about people’s need for affiliation. This is a prime example of that; I made my mom pay more money for something with a popular name on the outside just so in some way I could feel “cooler”. With having said that, they still taste incredible so my indecisiveness places this one at number four.
Coming in third, Kraft’s Velveeta
The “liquid gold” is almost as good as it sounds, I find Velveeta to be very delicious but I don’t know if I would go as far as to call it what many do. Kraft also makes microwaveable cups of Velveeta, which in many cases saved my food cravings during my freshman year of college (thanks Kraft). Even though this mac & cheese also comes with the gooey cheese packet, the taste does not come off as an artificial one like the Deluxe one does.
The Runner-Up, the oh-so-delicious Kraft Thick & Creamy Mac & Cheese
This is hands down the cheesiest Kraft Mac & Cheese I have ever tasted. I usually regret eating a lot of this a few minutes after I have but oh wow is it worth it. I don’t think many people have really ever heard of Kraft’s Thick & Creamy, but now you do. Run, walk, bike, drive, or fly to your nearest grocery store and give this a try… you will not be disappointed. There is an option for “light prep” in the cooking instructions and I think it tastes just as good so if you don’t want to eat an extra half stick of butter, the light prep is definitely the way to go (and you feel good about yourself after eating Mac & cheese, who would’ve thought).
The best macaroni and cheese you will ever consume… Annie’s White Cheddar Shells
The cheesiest, most delectable food to ever touch my tastebuds, THE Annie’s White Cheddar Shells. I have tried so many different types of macaroni and cheese in my 19 years on this earth and this one has not failed me ONCE. If you have never experienced this purple box of happiness, expect to never want to try another box of macaroni and cheese in your life. I suggest following the instructions on the back of the box (unlike my lovely mother). It says to stir the milk, butter, and cheese packet in a pan by themselves and then put the macaroni in after. I am not sure why but it makes a huge difference and if you want the best, I recommend doing what it says to.