The flavor of memories is everlasting. These five kinds of vegan macaroni and cheese in a box bring out the child in everyone.
There are a handful of dishes that the great majority of youngsters around the world and especially in North America grow up with and completely adore. Macaroni and cheese in a box are one of them. Cheesasaurus Rex, a lovable dinosaur character, surfed on molten cheese waves on the box and packaging of this pantry staple for the majority of consumers. The boxed macaroni and cheese were familiar, comfortable, and wonderful. Vegan grownups develop a liking and a need for boxed mac and cheese because of the combination of nostalgia and a flawlessly designed food product.
While the plant-based version of the blue box has yet to reach the United States several high-quality vegan packaged options provide the same level of enjoyment. The only difference between the macaroni and cheese you ate as a youngster and the vegan ones you’ll enjoy today is that you’ll likely devour the entire box of the latter. Let’s not deceive ourselves; one box cannot contain two and a half servings. Here are five brands of vegan mac and cheese in a box that will make you very happy.
A vegan macaroni and cheese diet
While it is true that vegan boxed mac and cheese is free of dairy and the negative health effects associated with it (cholesterol, trans fat, and inflammatory qualities, among others), this product tends to fall into the category of vegan junk food. Some manufacturers provide gluten-free versions and others make a serious effort to utilize only clean and/or organic ingredients, but macaroni and cheese do not contain many micronutrients.
We observed nutrition labels with calorie counts ranging from 260 calories per one-cup serving to 410 calories per serving, depending on the brand. Likewise, there was a broad variety in total fat and protein content. Depending on how you prepare your macaroni and cheese, the total fat per serving might range from 3 to 14 grams. The protein content of the noodles varies. Traditional wheat-based noodles typically include eight to twelve grams of protein, but bean- or legume-based gluten-free noodles can have up to sixteen grams of protein. This falls within the range of dairy-based macaroni and cheese, which contains 360 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 10 grams of protein per serving (in addition to 10 milligrams of cholesterol, which vegan variations lack).
The best source of micronutrients such as fiber, calcium, and iron is not vegan boxed mac & cheese. Again, it depends on the brand, and some products are fortified with calcium or have a moderate amount of fiber when made with bean-based noodles, but it’s ideal to meet the majority of your nutrient requirements with whole, plant-based foods.
Should packaged vegan macaroni and cheese become a daily staple? Most likely not. But consuming a box of cereal occasionally probably won’t ruin your health goals if you eat a predominantly plant-based diet.
Boxed vegan macaroni and cheese ingredients
Some people follow by-the-book and others exercise their creativity. The by-the-book followers of boxed macaroni and cheese adhere to the instructions to the letter, never deviating from the exact proportions of nondairy milk and butter and never adding a mix-in to something so flawless. The creatives concur that boxed macaroni and cheese is an excellent food product, but this is only the beginning. You can experiment with the proportions of dairy-free butter and milk. The less milk is added, the thicker the sauce becomes. Replace the plant milk with unsweetened vegan creamer to create a more luxurious cheese sauce. To intensify the cheesy flavor, simply add additional vegan cheese. Just be careful to choose a melting cheese (check our vegan cheese guide here). Try adding freshly cracked black pepper or go all out with a drizzle of pesto oil, when it comes to seasoning.
In addition to enhancing the cheese sauce, there are numerous additions to consider. Those with a nostalgic palate will find solace in the basics, such as frozen peas, broccoli, and sliced vegan hot dogs. Do anyone else’s parents serve Mac and Peas or Mac and Trees (broccoli) to persuade their children to eat their vegetables? It functions. Possibly not unexpectedly, roasted Brussels sprouts and wilted kale go well with the plain vegan boxed macaroni and cheese; nonetheless, it may be more difficult to convince children to devour this dish. Not only does mac and kale not rhyme, but it’s also not as entertaining. Meatier additions to macaroni and cheese include plant-based chorizo for a spicy kick, ground sausage, and ground beef (remember Hamburger Helper? This final condiment tastes like that).
5 brands of vegan boxed macaroni and cheese
- Modern Desk
This packaged mac and cheese is a tried-and-true favorite, gluten-free or not. The noodles are produced from a combination of lentil flour, white rice, and pea protein, which boosts the protein content without making them feel gritty like many gluten-free foods. (Prepared) Each one-cup serving contains 17 grams of protein and a delicious cheesy flavor. Classic Cheddar, White Cheddar, and Southwest Style flavors are available (cheese sauce with taco seasoning).
- Annie’s
Not everyone was raised on Kraft mac & cheese. If your parents were the organic, health-conscious type, you may have been raised on Annie’s macaroni and cheese. You do not need to switch brands, as the company offers multiple vegan options. The selection of plant-based pasta includes Original Vegan Cheddar (along with a gluten-free variant), Organic Vegan Shells & Creamy Sauce, and Red Lentil Spirals with Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Sauce. In all honesty, the original is the best of these bunnies.
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- Daiya Macaroni and Cheese
Daiya cheeses can be divisive, but the company has improved the flavor and texture of several of its products in recent years. Whether you’re a fan of the enhancements or not, most people agree that Daiya’s Deluxe Mac & Cheeze line is a home run. The cheese sauce is already prepared; simply boil the short noodles and add the vegan cheese packet. Cheddar, Alfredo, White Cheddar, Meatless Bac’n & Cheddar, and Four Cheese with Herbs are among the available options. Every flavor is gluten-free.
- Ch’eesy Mac by Upton’s Naturals
This product hasn’t always gotten rave reviews, yet some individuals swear by it. Compared to its competitors, The Original Ch’eesy employs minimum and relatively clean ingredients, and its nutrition label reflects this with low saturated fat and adequate amounts of protein and fiber (10 and three grams, respectively). Additionally, Upton’s serves Ch’eesy Bacon Mac. Both versions can be prepared in a matter of minutes; simply combine, heat, and consume. No extra ingredients are required.
- Banza
Add a box of Plant-Based Shells & Vegan Cheddar to your next shopping order if you currently purchase Banza products. Made with the same delicate chickpea-based, gluten-free Banza pasta, this product derives its cheese flavor from a combination of sweet potatoes, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and pumpkin (plus a few other ingredients). Similar to Modern Table, it is tough to discern that it is gluten-free.
