Your favourite supermarket mac and cheese brands, ranked by calories
Whether you are feeding a hungry teen, or simply love the comfort factor of mac and cheese, there are certainly a number of different supermarket options to choose from.
Whilst there are some varieties that are lower in fat and calories, these tend to be pasta heavy options with processed cheese sauces, compared to a traditional higher-fat mac and cheese made with plenty of real milk and cheese, which bumps up the fat and calorie content of the more indulgent varieties.
Susie Burrell is one of Australia's leading dietitians, with 2 Honours degrees in Nutrition & Dietetics and Psychology. She is well known for her practical, easy to understand approach to diet, nutrition and wellbeing.
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Continental Classics Macaroni Cheese
Per 173 gram serve:
- 216 calories / 911kJ
- 5.2 grams of fat
- 35.6 grams of carbs
- 475mg of sodium
While this mac and cheese is relatively low in calories, it is also made with cheese powder rather than cheese and milk and as such is a highly processed version of traditional mac and cheese.
Lord of the Fries Mac and Cheese
Per 150 gram serving:
- 267 calories / 1120kJ
- 1.7 grams of fat
- 53.8 grams carbs
- 395mg sodium
Mostly pasta with a little flavoured sauce, this vegan variety of mac and cheese offers nothing nutritionally other than processed carbs and sauce.
Kraft Easy Mac and Cheese
Per 187 gram serve:
- 270 calories / 1130kJ
- 5.4 grams of fat
- 45.4 grams of carbs
- 345mg of sodium
The mix of 79 per cent pasta and 21 per cent cheese sauce creates a product that is relatively low in fat, but with shortening used as a fat source there are healthier varieties of mac and cheese available.
Coles Perform Creamy Mac & Cheese
Per 330 gram serve:
- 350 calories / 1400kJ
- 10.2 grams of fat
- 34.6 grams of carbs
- 726mg of sodium
Certainly a much lighter version of mac and cheese.
This option does contain some extra dietary fibre and protein but is still relatively processed with a number of additives used to create this low- calorie, low-fat version of creamy mac and cheese.
San Remo Macaroni Cheese
Per 317 gram serve:
- 350 calories / 1470kJ
- 7.5 grams of fat
- 56.9 grams of carbs
- 825mg of sodium
If you take a closer look at this product you will notice that it is actually described as macaroni and cheese flavoured pasta, and as such has a lot more pasta than creamy cheese sauce and there is nothing overly healthy about it.
The Big Cheese Mac and Cheese
Per 345 gram serve:
- 450 calories / 1800kJ
- 7.6 grams of fat
- 74.5 grams of carbs
- 983mg of sodium
High in total carbs and sodium, there is a myriad of ultra processed ingredients used to make this portion-controlled serve of mac and cheese.
Woolworths Macaroni Cheese Meal
Per 350 gram serve:
- 555 calories / 2330kJ
- 23.1 grams of fat
- 62.3 grams of carbs
- 651mg of sodium
With a high percentage of cheese and milk in the base, this is one of the best mac and cheese options when it comes to quality of the ingredients.
On the Menu Loaded Mac and Cheese
Per 400 gram serve:
- 580 calories / 2430kJ
- 24.8 grams of fat
- 69.2 grams of carbs
- 588mg of sodium
Mostly creamy sauce, this mac and cheese is one of the highest when it comes to fat and calories.
Coles Kitchen Macaroni Cheese
Per 350 gram serve:
- 608 calories / 2540kJ
- 32.5 grams of fat
- 57.8 grams of carbs
- 700mg of sodium
With a higher proportion of cheese sauce than pasta, with this product you are getting a richer, higher fat, more indulgent variety of mac and cheese, which is better as a side dish given the significant calorie load.
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