Where do you fall on the great boxed mac and cheese vs. frozen mac and cheese debate? Because Stouffer’s mac and cheese, which you know and love from the frozen aisle, now comes in a box, which feels pretty historical to me. The brand-new shelf-stable Stouffer’s mac and cheese, which is technically shells and cheese, comes in two flavors—Cheddar Cheese and Three Cheese—and promises extra creamy, ultra-cheesy goodness with every bite.
Stouffer’s will always have a place in our hearts as one of the best frozen mac and cheese brands you can buy, so I have literally no reason to doubt these will be yummy. And that, my friends, is what we call “famous last words.”
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- Stouffer’s Supreme Cheddar Cheese Shells & Cheese
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With a shiny, metallic packet of gooey cheese sauce that looks (and smells) a whole lot like Velveeta cheese sauce, this boxed mac is easy to prepare. No butter or milk required—just cook the pasta and stir in the sauce. Sound familiar? It should.
Pros: This is Velveeta mac and cheese, straight up. And that’s going to sound real tasty to most of you, hence why I put it here, in the “pros” section. I didn’t do a side-by-side comparison with Velveeta, but this new Stouffer’s mac and cheese might even be slightly richer and creamier. Luckily, the shells have a sturdy, satisfyingly ridged texture that holds the sauce well. In fact, the pasta itself fixes what many don’t like about their frozen mac—how mushy it is out of the microwave.
Cons: Still, I love Stouffer’s OG frozen mac and cheese for one big reason: it tastes like Stouffer’s mac and cheese. Simple, creamy, balanced. The cheddar cheese sauce doesn’t have the consistency or flavor of melted plastic. Not to out myself as a Velveeta critic, but if I wanted to buy Velveeta mac and cheese, I would—and at a cheaper price, since this boxed Stouffer’s mac and cheese is currently $4.49 on Amazon. I fear this was a historical moment for Stouffer’s to be innovative, and instead…they copied another classic.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Stouffer’s Supreme Three Cheese Shells & Cheese
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Like the Cheddar Cheese flavor, Stouffer’s Three Cheese Shells & Cheese tastes like Velveeta in disguise. So much so, it led me down a rabbit hole where I tried to decipher why some people adore Velveeta mac and cheese, and why I’ve never been much of a fan. But I’m getting off topic, so first, onto the pros.
Pros: Stouffer’s pasta shells are, in my opinion, superior to Velveeta pasta shells. They have the perfect thickness without being too starchy, and the sauce really clings to them. The problem is: You don’t really want the sauce to cling to anything. The sauce is kinda, well, gross.
Cons: The cheese flavor certainly has depth, I’ll say that much. You get a hint of fake smoke, a nutty, almost “footy” aftertaste from the parm, a whole lotta gouda, and to top it all off, that funky Velveeta cheese flavor that America already knows and loves. Combined, the final product is jarring. It doesn’t have universal appeal, and it can’t be saved with black pepper, ketchup, or bread crumbs. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but…this is too much cheese. Less cheese, please. (Gosh, that was hard to type!)
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!