I Tried 6 Protein Mac 'N' Cheese Brands, And Found One That Tastes Just Like Childhood

"To avoid soggy noodles, I cooked them all to al dente. If any became dry, I added a splash of milk to loosen the sauce before microwaving. We made scoring cards and based our judgment on taste, texture, cheesiness, sauce quantity, and the presence of a protein aftertaste. I also stuck to orange cheddar varieties; no white cheese allowed!"

"I made every box as per the instructions, no additions or changes, using plain unsweetened almond milk because lactose doesn't really sit well with me. I prepared them all in advance and heated them up in the microwave before serving. I labeled each box so we could taste blindly, and we tried each bowl slightly warmed."

"Over the past few years, I've seen a shift in the macaroni aisle, away from artificial colors and flavorings toward "all natural" and "protein-packed" varieties... but are they really a substitute for the classic brand? I decided to find out by sitting down and trying every protein mac I could get my hands on."

"The boxes have similar preparation, but when butter was optional, I didn't add it. There was a BIG range of amounts, from one tablespoon to four hearty tablespoons of butter. But would butter make everything better? We'll find out."

Childhood food memories center on mac ’n’ cheese, chicken nuggets, and fruit snacks, with mac ’n’ cheese still triggering strong nostalgia. Boxed mac ’n’ cheese is described as carb-heavy, low in protein, and salty, supporting emotional comfort more than physical nutrition. Recent macaroni aisle changes include “all natural” and “protein-packed” varieties, raising questions about whether they truly replace classic brands. A taste test prepared multiple protein mac boxes using instructions, plain unsweetened almond milk, and microwave reheating. Noodles were cooked al dente to prevent sogginess, with milk added if sauce became dry. Blind labeling and scoring evaluated taste, texture, cheesiness, sauce quantity, and protein aftertaste, using orange cheddar only and omitting optional butter.

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