13 Frozen Mac And Cheese, Ranked

Macaroni and cheese is America's sweetheart when it comes to beloved comfort foods, and when the craving for it hits, nothing else will satisfy the itch. While homemade mac and cheese is a true wonder to behold, sometimes convenience is key. The next time you need a cheesy macaroni fix and don't have the time or energy to go full throttle, frozen mac and cheese is here for the win. Heck, sometimes making boxed mac and cheese is even too labor-intensive, but honestly, many frozen products are simply more cheesy, gooey, and delicious anyway.

I'm a true mac and cheese fanatic, and when I'm not ordering a scratch-made version from a restaurant or making it myself, I often default to a frozen product. So, if you've ever wondered which frozen mac and cheeses brands are worth your money and which ones should be overlooked, I've got you covered. I tasted 13 popular frozen mac and cheese options and ranked them from worst to best so you can skip over the duds and hone in on the good stuff. 

The best mac and cheeses are ultra cheesy, gooey, creamy, and downright delicious, so that's what I considered when ranking the upcoming products. A more in-depth look into my methodology can be found at the end, but I'm ready to get into the cheesy results, aren't you?

Lean Cuisine Mac and Cheese may be on the lower end of the price spectrum for frozen versions of the dish (it costs between $2.99 and $3.49 a box), but honestly, you couldn't pay me to eat it again. I know that sounds harsh, but the flavor is awful. Not only is it ridiculously bland, but the only detectable flavor is gross. It's almost like it was made with fake cheese, and I could taste a plasticky element. 

I will say that the cheese sauce Lean Cuisine uses is creamy, but considering the unappealing taste, who cares? The noodles were mushy too, so really, it fails on many levels. It looks a bit like Stouffer's (which ranked much higher), but sadly, the similarities end there. Lean Cuisine is targeted toward an audience that wants to lower caloric intake, but Trader Joe's reduced-fat version (coming up further down the list) doesn't sacrifice flavor — Lean Cuisine does. If you're looking for "diet-friendly" frozen mac and cheese, your money will be much better spent at Trader Joe's.

Upon first glance at the Tattooed Chef's Cauliflower Mac & Cheese box, I assumed it was made with cauliflower noodles, but boy, was I wrong. To my utter surprise, I opened the box only to discover that there were in fact no noodles, just cauliflower with a mac and cheese-style sauce. Maybe this is my bad, but even the picture on the box looks like your typical mac and cheese. Either way, consider me fooled. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has fallen prey to this before either.

Considering the fact that Tattooed Chef Cauliflower Mac & Cheese isn't really the authentic dish, I had no choice but to place it in one of the lowest ranking spots. Is the flavor okay? Sure. It's definitely miles ahead of Lean Cuisine. Is the sauce creamy? Yes, but there isn't any macaroni. All I can say is never again.

If you really want to avoid pasta, Tattooed Chef does give you a lot of the same flavor. Even so, it's hard to recommend, especially considering its relatively high cost (it's about $5.99). It could be good as a side dish, but it is by no means a substitute for real mac and cheese.

Good & Gather Pasta Shells in Cheddar Cheese Sauce is another frozen product that seriously let me down. I wasn't too surprised about this though, because it has an elephant on the box, so it's obviously marketed toward kids — but hey, children deserve yummy mac and cheese too. Sadly, they aren't going to get it with this product.

Regarding flavor, Good & Gather's shells and cheese is downright awful. It tastes grainy and overly wheaty. There isn't much sauce to speak of in the first place, but what is there is somehow cheesy without any cheese flavor. Weird, right? The texture of the noodles is off-putting too. I thought it was horrible, especially compared to all of the other yummy options on this list. It may be a kid's product, but I think it would fail many of them as well.

The nicest thing I can say about Good & Gather's frozen shells and cheese is that it only costs $2.99. Still, I'd rather buy the brand's boxed mac and cheese for a lower price and upgrade it with tasty ingredients.

Amy's is a popular organic brand, and while many of its products are quite tasty (I really like the canned soups and frozen burritos), the macaroni and cheese isn't. Simply put, it tastes organic, but not in a good way. Some organic foods feature fresh and wholesome flavors, but Amy's Macaroni & Cheese does not. Instead, it's fairly bland. The sauce has some flavor, and it's significantly better than the three lower ranking picks, but it's just not quite there.

The texture of Amy's Macaroni & Cheese is all wrong too. There's something up with the noodles. As opposed to giving the dish some bite, they are overly dense and chalky. The disappointing amount of sauce doesn't help. Overall, this dish does nothing poorly, but nothing great either. It's just meh. Sure, it's organic, so it's got that going for it, but I'd opt for one of the nine higher-ranking picks 10 times out of 10.

Before I even tried Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese, I already knew I had two issues with it. First, it's called reduced guilt, and no one should feel guilty about eating. It does contain 65% less fat and 25% fewer calories than the brand's regular mac and cheese, but still. Secondly, it's only 7 ounces. Translation: You only get half as much as Trader Joe's standard mac and cheese for basically the same price (it's 50 cents cheaper, but c'mon). Needless to say, this frozen product wasn't off to a great start.

After tasting Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese, I realized that it wasn't all bad. Actually, for a low-fat option, it's pretty good. For what it is, the flavor was fairly rich, and it tasted like a basic deli mac and cheese. Compared to Trader Joe's regular frozen mac and cheese, the sauce is a little watery, and it lacks a complex cheese flavor because it only features cheddar (the other one has four different types). I'll give the company props for making a low-fat product that doesn't taste like one, like, at all, but it's far from what I'd call impressive. In the end, it didn't have what it takes to rank higher than ninth place, and you should consider it one of the Trader Joe's frozen meals to skip.

Kraft's boxed mac and cheese is iconic, but sadly, the same can't be said for its frozen version of the dish. It's definitely creamier and tastier than the lower-ranking products, but it still falls a bit short of what I'd consider a worthwhile purchase. The main reason I didn't enjoy Kraft's frozen mac and cheese is that it is substantially blander than any of the higher-ranking products. The sauce has hints of cheese flavor, but it isn't very creamy or thick. Compared to Stouffer's, it also has a distinct artificial taste.

The larger elbow noodles in Kraft Original Cheddar Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese lend it a nice texture, especially since they have a great al dente cook. They also pick up lots of sauce. Even so, this product is underwhelming at best. If you're looking for tons of flavor, I'd look somewhere else. Sorry, not sorry, Kraft. Do yourself a favor and stick to the boxed version for this brand.

This is where my ranking starts to take a turn for the better. Are we into really good territory? Not just yet, but you can do a whole lot worse than 365 by Whole Foods Market Macaroni & Cheese. Overall, I'd say it is okay but not great.

One place this macaroni and cheese delivers is with its classic deli-style taste (something I like). In fact, it does most things pretty well, it just doesn't excel in any one place. I'd like it better if there was more flavor and more sauce, but it's competent. It's just kind of run-of-the-mill.

Whole Foods Market Macaroni & Cheese costs $6.79, but you get 15 ounces. So, all things considered, it's not a terrible price. Still, it's far from my ideal frozen mac and cheese. I wouldn't necessarily advise you to avoid it, but it isn't going to wow you — that's for sure.

Evol Truffle Parmesan Mac & Cheese is the only product on this list that's infused with a flavor other than cheese, and generally, truffle is an umami superstar. As a result, I thought this might be a bit unfair to the other classic picks, but when it came down to it, I wasn't all that impressed. I'm not saying I would never consider purchasing it again, but it'd probably have to be on sale.

After heating up my box of Evol Truffle Parmesan Mac & Cheese, I was immediately drawn to the yummy truffle aroma. Unfortunately, after giving it a taste, I noticed that the flavor didn't live up to the smell's intensity, and it had an artificial aftertaste. Bummer. In addition, the sauce wasn't super cheesy, and it lacked creaminess. As a result, it didn't stick to the noodles very well. Oh yeah, the noodles aren't anything to write home about either. Instead of being classic macaroni noodles, they're ditalini, and they are slightly overcooked. Something that helped Evol make a slight comeback in the rankings is that its mac and cheese features a nice coating of parmesan and breadcrumbs on the top, giving the overall texture a boost.

Coming in fifth place is none other than Stouffer's, but it's not the classic version, it's the brand's Ultimate Five Cheese Mac and Cheese. I must say, it's pretty good too. Actually, everything from here on out I could see myself buying again. Compared to the classic Stouffer's frozen mac and cheese we are all familiar with, the Ultimate mac has the added benefit of some additional shredded cheese, which gets stirred in after heating. This boosts the flavor a smidge, but it's still basically the same as the brand's original version. It's a touch salty (in a good way), super creamy, and it has lots of nostalgic flavor.

The noodles in Stouffer's Ultimate mac and cheese are on point too. They aren't super al dente, but they're not mushy either. Unfortunately, the texture was grainier than other top-rated picks though. But my main complaint is that you get ⅓ less than the brand's original version, and it costs about a dollar more. For this reason, I'd much rather buy the regular stuff and simply sprinkle it with some cheese of my own. Besides, the original Stouffer's ranks higher because I like the flavor and texture more.

Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese is basically the gold standard for me. When I don't feel like spending top dollar for my number one pick, or I'm not at Trader Joe's (which holds down the number two spot), I reach for Stouffer's original. Not only is it super creamy and cheesy, but it's packed with all of the classic deli-style flavor a person could want. Is it a gourmet option? No, but it certainly hits the spot when a mac and cheese craving hits.

I really struggled between third and fourth place for this ranking, but as you'll see coming up, Marie Callender's had a slight leg up due to the fact that it's a bit more complex. Even so, Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese is a force to be reckoned with. As noted, it's got lots of flavor, and the sauce is just right regarding texture. It's smooth and thick, so it clings to noodles with ease and gives you a rich mouthfeel with every bite. If I were going to improve one thing, it would be the consistency of the noodles — they are a bit too soft to be ideal. Really though, Stouffer's brings the taste we all know and love, and when it comes to frozen mac and cheese, it more than holds its own.

Third place is nothing to scoff at, and the award for this high ranking position goes to Marie Callender's Creamy Vermont Mac & Cheese. It's priced low (about $2.49 per 13 ounces), and it's uber creamy and rich. Plus, it gets a helping hand from a nice dusting of breadcrumbs on the top. Yum!

As the name suggests, this product features Vermont white cheddar cheese, and let me tell you: The flavors are nothing short of delicious. The delectable texture of the thick sauce clings to the large shell pasta (which is also on the thicker side) in expert fashion too. The result is a chewy, creamy mouthfeel that just about anyone can get behind. It's very similar to a deli-style mac and cheese, but instead of being a vibrant yellow-orange color, it's white. Somehow, this gives it more of an authentic, homemade look.

I'll admit that Marie Callender's Creamy Vermont Mac & Cheese doesn't bring a lot to the table as far as appearance is concerned. It looked mushy, and to be fair, the noodles were a bit overcooked for my liking. Even so, the bold flavors and creaminess overall raised the product to third place. Nicely done, Marie Callender's.

Trader Joe's frozen food section is second to none, and the Diner Mac 'n Cheese is a perfect example of why. It packs tons of classic flavor that borders on homemade, and it's super cheesy. There truly isn't a single thing I would change about it. It is even priced low, unlike my first-place pick. As we discussed way back in the first half of this list, it blows Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese out of the water.

The Diner Mac 'n Cheese features a blend of cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, and Gouda cheeses, and oh man, is it delicious. It's perfectly salty, uber creamy, and boasts a rich flavor profile. Delish! It even offers some eye-catching cheese pull, so there's no lack of the good stuff. Pair all of this with the perfectly cooked al dente noodles, and you've got a dish to remember. As you can tell, I was very impressed — and while the box says there are two portions inside, I don't see that being very realistic.

Lucky us, Trader Joe's also makes flavored versions of its drool-worthy mac and cheese, so you can enjoy it with a french onion or hatch chile infusion as well. Or, if you're so inclined, there's a gluten-free version.

The coveted number one spot for the best frozen mac and cheese goes to Beecher's World's Best Mac & Cheese. I wouldn't blame you if you were skeptical considering the box specifically calls it the world's best, but I can tell you, this time, it is not hyperbole. It is fan-freaking-tastic, and if you've never tried it before, this is your sign to add it to your cart the next time you go shopping.

Beecher's World's Best Mac & Cheese consists of penne noodles — perfectly cooked I might add — and a combination of Just Jack and Flagship cheeses (both of which are made by Beecher's). Combined, the ingredients provide you with a gourmet flavor that simply doesn't exist in any other frozen mac and cheese products. It's as close to homemade as you can get. And I'd say it's better than some homemade versions I've had.

The only issue with this product is that it's priced exceptionally high ($10 or more) — but honestly, it's proof that you get what you pay for. Even if it isn't your everyday choice, it is undeniably drool-worthy. It crushes the competition, and it is easily as good as a scratch-made restaurant mac and cheese. Beecher's also makes the best frozen lasagna, so as a brand, it won't let you down. It even has a gluten-free mac and cheese for anyone interested.

I love mac and cheese, like, a lot. So, when it comes to ranking frozen versions of the dish, I'm just the woman for the job. Now that you know my credentials, let's talk about the criteria I used to assign ranking. For starters, I tasted each of the 13 frozen mac and cheeses described above, so I didn't rely on other people's reviews to get the job done.

When assigning a ranking, the main consideration for me was flavor. The ideal mac and cheese is cheesy, a touch salty, and creamy. I also took into account the texture of the sauce and pasta and the sauce-to-noodle ratio. The best products had a thick, cheesy, gooey, creamy sauce and somewhat al dente pasta. I also talked a bit about price, but when it came down to it, flavor reigned supreme in my ranking. I recommend sticking to the top five. I know I will, but you do you.