Velveeta and Kraft have nothing to worry about with Trader Joe's Microwavable Mac and Cheese. The taste of Trader Joe's Microwavable Mac and Cheese was just ok. Most importantly, you'll have to bring your own dish.
The pros: Trader Joe's Microwavable Mac and Cheese is only 230 calories per serving.
The cons: You might need to add additional water beyond what the instructions call for as my pasta came out dry every single time.
The verdict: For $3.49 you get five packets of noodles and dry cheese. Trader Joe's Microwavable Mac and Cheese does not include any dish to heat this up, so you'll have to plan according. Inside both are a reasonable amount of pasta and a tiny packet of dry cheese.
The pasta was cooked perfectly in the microwave in about three minutes. However, my pasta came out dry every single time. Literally, there was no water left in my dish of noodles. I did have to add another 2 ounces of water (¼ cup) to give it enough moisture to allow the cheese packet to become, well, cheese. Even then, the cheese wasn't that great.
I was still fighting unpleasant tasting chunks of powdered cheese. The white cheddar packets were just enough to coat the macaroni, but nothing that made it feel special. I personally love Kraft's Shells and Cheese. It comes in a perfect lunch sized container. It's well done.
Trader Joe's Microwavable Mac and Cheese is not terribly well done. The portion size is small, the cheese did not dissolve well, and the cheese wasn't terribly tasty either. It's edible and it's nothing I would buy again.
The box:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients and allergy information:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
Would I buy this again? No. While the pasta cooked up just fine, I did not care for their powdered cheese sauce. It's a decent meal if you need an emergency meal. Just bring your own dish.
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