Packaged dry macaroni and cheese mix

Packaged dry macaroni and cheese mix is a convenience food. It consists of dry macaroni or similar pasta and a powdered cheese sauce mix which produces a type of macaroni and cheese when prepared. The macaroni is cooked and drained, then margarine, butter,or in some cases olive oil, milk, and the cheese sauce mix is added. There are a number of different products are on the market which use this basic formulation with minor variations in ingredients.
Store brands
Store brands such as Kroger, Shur Fine, Safeway, and Great Value generally share the nutritional values and ingredients of the original product, "Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, The Cheesiest" which contains enriched macaroni product (flour (wheat flour; niacin; ferrous sulfate (iron); thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1); riboflavin; folic acid), cheese sauce mix (whey; milkfat; milk protein concentrate; salt; sodium tripolyphosphate (, emulsifier)), contains less than 2% citric acid, lactic acid; sodium phosphate (, Antioxidant); calcium phosphate (, Antioxidant); milk; FD&C Yellow 5 ( lemon yellow food colouring); FD&C Yellow 6 ( yellow-orange food colouring); enzymes; and cheese culture.
A package of "Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, The Cheesiest" produces 3 servings of about 1 cup each of the prepared product. Each serving contains 400 calories of which 170 are from fat. If the product is made with margarine which contains trans fat and 2% milk a serving contains 15.5g total fat, 29% of the daily value, of which 3g are saturated fat, 23% of the daily value and 4g trans fat, 710 mg of sodium, 30% of the daily value, but only 1g of dietary fiber, 4% of the daily value.
Variations
Kraft Foods variations
The original Kraft Dinner packaged dry macaroni and cheese mix, a product of Kraft Foods, was by 2010 being produced in a number of formulations which vary the ingredients, size, or qualities of the product, or are geared to the interests of children:
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner THE CHEESIEST 7.25 oz., the original formulation, as improved over the years, about 3 servings after preparation.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Family Size 14.5 oz., about 6 servings after preparation.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Spirals 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation, spiral macaroni.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner CHEDDAR EXPLOSION 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation. Extra cheese sauce and larger, varied shapes of macaroni.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner EXTREME CHEESE EXPLOSION 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation. Extra cheese sauce and larger, varied shapes of macaroni, more intense cheese taste.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner GRILLED CHEESE EXPLOSION 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation. Extra cheese sauce and larger, varied shapes of macaroni, taste of grilled cheese.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner THICK 'N CREAMY 7.25 oz.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Three Cheese 7.25 oz. variation in cheese sauce, mini-shell pasta
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Cheesy Alfredo 7.25 ox. alfredo sauce-like taste with twisted pasta.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner White Cheddar 7.3 oz., white cheddar taste, colored with beta carotene.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner SPONGEBOB 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation, SpongeBob SquarePants shaped pasta, double calcium.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner SCOOBY-DOO 5.5 oz., about 2 servings after preparation, Scooby-Doo-theme shaped pasta
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Made with 50% Whole Grain 6 oz., about 2.5 servings after preparation.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Organic Cheddar 6 oz., about 2.5 servings after preparation, organic ingredients, no artificial flavors or preservatives.
*KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese Dinner Organic White Cheddar 6 oz., about 2.5 servings after preparation, white cheddar taste, organic ingredients, no artificial flavors or preservatives.
Kraft Dinners are produced in several formulations other than packaged dry macaroni and cheese mix.
Annie's Homegrown
Annie's Homegrown produces a complete line of natural organic packaged dry macaroni and cheese mixes which differ significantly from Kraft's original product. The original Annie's Homegrown product, Annie's Homegrown Organic Classic Macaroni & Cheese, is made with organic ingredients using annatto for coloring.
Annie's Homegrown produces a low sodium formulation, Lower Sodium Mac & Cheese, but even that formulation contains 430 mg of salt, 19% of the daily allowance.

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