

At this point the kids were asking what was wrong. I stopped in my tracks and grabbed a box. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the magical words “GLUTEN FREE” on the box. This past Thursday I was in Target getting a few items (that’s a joke – you can’t go to Target for a few items!) and walked past an end cap with Kraft blue box. I had seen photos for the gluten free Kraft Macaroni & Cheese online but hadn’t found it in real life. You can even find cheaper store brand Mac and cheese that gets the job done. And to be honest, the mixes have gotten a lot better. 9 years ago there were not as many GF options as there are now.

Mac and cheese was a staple in her diet, so I quickly found gluten free alternatives. When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease we had an 18 month of daughter. Kraft blue box was the only Mac and cheese option as far as I knew. I never remember eating homemade Mac and cheese until I got married. Needless to stay we only had blue box Mac and cheese as kids. He smiled and said it was good but blue box was just as good and less work. It was so good!Įarly in my parents marriage my mom made homemade Mac and cheese for my dad. Just remembering that meal puts a smile on my face. As a kid when dad was in charge of dinner he would make Kraft blue box Mac and cheese and add sliced hot dogs. I have always loved blue box Mac and cheese. I won’t be running back to the grocery store for this one, and if I were looking for a gluten-free and dairy-free option, the Annie’s vegan mac would still be my go-to.FINALLY! Blue box Kraft gluten free macaroni and cheese. It’s almost like creme fraiche’s hippy-drippy cousin who went off to alternative summer camp. It wasn’t particularly appetizing, and the brown rice noodles were weighed down by the heavy Daiya goo. The flavor was a little sweeter than I’d usually want on my pasta, so I added some salt and pepper for balance. When I ripped open Daiya’s sizeable aluminum “cheeze” pouch, I was overwhelmed by the distinctive, yeast-like smell that I’ve now come to associate exclusively with the brand.

This was the first (and only) box I picked up that didn’t require some kind of milk or butter base to mix in with the cheese topping, which I could see serving as a real lifesaver––there’s nothing worse than finding a forgotten box of mac and cheese in your pantry only to realize you don’t have milk. This was easily the best dairy-free offering I tried.īuy Annie’s Vegan Shell Pasta and Creamy Sauce, $2.58 To Annie’s: If you could somehow turn this sauce into a shredded “cheese,” I’d put it on pizza, tacos, whatever. The sauce, which Annie’s actually abstains from calling "cheeze" or "cheese," is a pumpkin-sweet potato hybrid (unlike Daiya’s, which is made of arrowroot and cassava), which gives it a creamy taste that I could definitely see myself opting for over cheese on healthier nights. This stuff is truly good, especially if you like sweet potatoes. And then another, followed by an entire bowl’s worth. After straining and stirring in Annie’s sauce, which has a dark apricot color, I cautiously nibbled on a small spoonful of shells. I usually opt for Greek yogurt to mix in with the cheese powder because I prefer a creamier, tangier taste, but, for the vegan option, I stuck with almond milk. In my book, Annie’s is the gold standard for boxed mac and cheese. The following experiment is the direct result of that curiosity, and includes a very scientific rating system split by noodle and sauce. Recently I noticed that the mac and cheese section of my local pasta aisle was expanding to include lentil, chickpea, and rice-based noodles as well as something called “ nut cheese.” As someone who is generally a fan of gluten-free baked goods and voluntarily had two servings of Gardein Holiday Roast at Thanksgiving one year, I was intrigued by these newcomers. A person’s go-to mac and cheese is a pretty good barometer: Tell me what kind you make, and I’ll tell you who you are. Eventually, I shelled out for truffle oil instead of paying off my student debt, and started making baked truffle mac and cheese. After graduating, I stocked up on boxes of the Whole Foods 365 brand, elevating things to a very gourmet level by introducing a dollop of whole-milk yogurt or sprinkling in some dried basil and oregano. I started off by making good old Kraft Easy Mac, the stuff designed to be chucked carelessly into a dorm room microwave to stave off a hangover.
#BOXED GLUTEN FREE MAC N CHEESE HOW TO#
They say you have to learn to crawl before you can walk, much like you have to learn how to make boxed mac and cheese before you can make Ina Garten’s Grown-Up version.
