In our latest taste test, we sought out the best frozen mac and cheese available in grocery stores nationwide. Some promised ultra-creamy comfort. Others leaned sharp and cheesy enough to taste homemade. And a few, frankly, did not live up to the hype. But how did we get here?
Thousands of years ago a (admittedly very extrapolated) version of macaroni and cheese was made by the Romans. Today we’ve evolved. We’re no longer layering cheese between stacked sheets of whole grain dough, as Roman senator Marcus Porcius Cato did in 160 BCE for his gorgeously named dish, “placenta.” Whereas Cato’s version likely took hours to make, today we can simply pop a tray into the microwave and come back to a delicious, cheesy dinner in the time it takes us to change into our comfy pants.
Frozen mac and cheese is a shortcut of a shortcut. It’s quicker than the fastest, most delicious boxed mac and cheese, and it’s certainly more hands-off than making mac and cheese from scratch. However you’re preparing yours, don’t forget to dress it up: hot sauce, chili crisp, bacon bits, scallion, cilantro, and mint chutney—let your stomach be your guide.
How we picked the products
First, we identified the frozen mac and cheese brands available nationwide. We included only iterations marketed as having a classic mac-and-cheese flavor profile—no bacon or buffalo chicken macs. And for this test, they had to come out of the grocery store’s freezer section (no refrigerated or shelf-stable versions allowed).
How we tested
We prepared each frozen mac and cheese straight from the freezer, following its package instructions. We opted to use the oven rather than microwave (each contender offered either option), so we could heat them all at once. That way, they’d all arrive hot for our tasters.
We prepared each macaroni and cheese in its unmarked, oven-safe container, and presented them to our panel without revealing the brands.
How we evaluated each mac and cheese
Frozen mac and cheese is a convenience meal—easier to prepare than its boxed counterpart. But that doesn’t mean we sacrifice our standards. The best frozen mac and cheese starts with the sauce. It should be smooth, well-emulsified, and creamy. Soupy sauces or ones deemed stodgy or gluey were immediately discounted. It also needed to taste like cheese, but that doesn’t mean we expected nutty notes of Gruyère or grassy fontina. We were looking for that classic mac and cheese flavor: salty-savory, with a gentle tanginess reminiscent of cheddar. Other cheese notes were just a bonus.
The noodles should be evenly cooked, retaining some texture. Mushy pasta was out of the question, but we weren’t expecting textbook al dente, either. This is comfort food, not fine dining. A paste-like texture (from overcooked pasta or an exceedingly thick sauce) was a turn-off. We were also on the lookout for broken sauce—those with a slick of separated oil pooling on top. Any of these flaws knocked a contender out of the running.
The best frozen mac and cheese (classic edition): Stouffer’s
For many, Stouffer’s is a go-to brand for easy, frozen dinners. Its frozen macaroni and cheese is no different, with a list of ingredients typical of the genre, including cooked macaroni noodles, skim milk, water, cheddar cheese, and cheddar club cheese (a type of spreadable cheddar).
Why it won us over: Senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk described the color of this mac and cheese as “electric orange,” with some dismay. But other tasters actually preferred the shocking hue over paler cream-colored versions. Once everyone dug in, though, any lingering concerns gave way to praise. Stouffer’s larger-than-average elbow macaroni was evenly cooked—tender, but not mushy. The sauce hit that comforting sweet spot of salty and gooey, coating each noodle with a subtle nutty note that blander versions lacked. Stouffer’s frozen mac and cheese isn’t trying to be artisanal; it’s trying to be crowd-pleasing, and it delivered. “This is what I think about when I think of frozen mac and cheese,” said senior visuals editor Megan Paetzhold, reaching for her second bite.
The best frozen mac and cheese (four-cheese edition): Trader Joe’s
If Day-Glo noodles don’t fit your aesthetic, go for Trader Joe’s offering. This is white-cheddar mac and cheese done right with not just one, but four cheeses, including Havarti, Gouda, and Swiss.
Why it won us over: Upon first glance, Trader Joe’s entry into the competition looked a bit dry. But within moments of our panel’s first bites, the compliments started rolling in. Senior cooking and SEO editor Joe Sevier immediately clocked the four-cheese blend, praising its dynamic, layered flavor. Senior service editor Kelsey Jane Youngman highlighted the creamy sauce, noting that each elbow was evenly cooked and sturdy enough to hold its shape without turning pasty. Tasters also called out a comforting toastiness and a well-balanced sharp tang—details that won over both mac-and-cheese purists and lovers of big-flavor cheese.
Buy it
Trader Joe’s Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese: $3 for a 14-oz box, available in stores at Trader Joe’s
Our favorite frozen mac and cheese: Beecher’s
Beecher’s proudly touts itself as the “World’s Best” mac & cheese right on its packaging. And, to be fair, it has ranked highly in many other taste tests. The ingredients listed point to a very cheesy mac with both cheddar and Jack cheeses, plus a chipotle purée that includes lime juice, honey, and a range of herbs for a bit of contrast.
Why it won us over: Tasters unanimously voted this the best mac and cheese of the day—they also agreed it doesn’t taste like mac and cheese. Not exactly, anyway. For starters, it swaps elbows for penne pasta, the only contender to use the larger, thicker noodle. The sturdier shape gave each bite a more substantial chew. The sauce tasted more like a cheese-laced cream sauce (think American-style Alfredo), skewing sharp and nutty, with a subtle whisper of chile that added depth without tipping into heat. More than a typical frozen mac and cheese, this contender tasted like takeout you picked up from your favorite Italian bistro—or even something a home cook might whip up. As contributing writer Andrea Strong put it, “you could convince a date that you made this from scratch.”
- Amy’s Organic Macaroni & Cheese: Tasters noted a distinct, out-of-place nutty flavor and a gritty texture, likely due to the sweet rice flour used to thicken the sauce.
- Banquet Mac & Cheese: The pasta here tasted watery, but the bigger letdown was the sauce. It failed to emulsify into a cohesive creaminess, leaving the pasta and cheese oddly separate instead of unified.
- Kidfresh Wagon Wheels Mac & Cheese: The wagon wheels were fun in theory, but overcooked to the point that pasta and sauce blurred into a soft, indistinct bite (not so fun).
- Kraft Deluxe Original Cheddar Mac & Cheese: This one came off bland, with a sauce that bordered on soupy rather than creamy.
- Marie Callender’s Creamy Vermont Mac & Cheese Bowl: Overcooked noodles melted into the sauce, resulting in a pasty, mouth-coating texture.