Review: Annie's New Cheesier Mac And Cheese Delivers More Of What We Already Love

Ever since I was a kid, I have had a soft spot in my heart for boxed macaroni and cheese. While I grew up eating the stuff in the blue box, my palate has evolved as an adult. Among the many different brands out there, one brand has performed consistently in rankings and in my tummy — Annie's. This brand's commitment to quality and sustainability is well-established; it has been producing mac and cheese since 1989.

Though its classic mac and cheese is creamy and delicious, Annie's wasn't content to settle on its laurels. It decided to level up its game by introducing a new and improved recipe with even more real cheese. Beginning in September of 2024, Annie's Now Cheesier will be popping up at grocery stores nationwide. The Shells & White Cheddar and Shells & Real Aged Cheddar varieties will sell for a MSRP of $2.59 a box, though prices may vary by retailer.

‌I admit, when the opportunity to sample this new and improved Annie's boxed mac and cheese came up, I jumped at the chance to try it. I was sent a box of the Shells & White Cheddar to compare with the classic variety. I tasted them side by side, assessing their aroma, texture, and flavor. Read on to find out if Annie's Now Cheesier lives up to its moniker.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

At first glance, Annie's Now Cheesier Shells & White Cheddar may not seem like it is much different from any of Annie's other products. Once the cheese has melted together with butter and milk, you will notice a distinctly saucy, creamy texture that is somewhat more luxurious than other boxed macaroni and cheese brands that are made using powdered fromage. That said, it is not as rich as boxed macaroni and cheese made using a pre-liquefied cheese mix. It coats the pasta, but doesn't cling to it. The aroma of this cheesier option is also quite pungent, redolent of a quality aged cheddar.

When you take a bite, the first thing you notice is that it doesn't have that grainy quality that occasionally plagues boxed macaroni and cheese that uses a powdered mix. And, while the mouthfeel is not as velvety as some boxed varieties, it does coat your tongue pleasantly. It also feels relatively light, which is welcome if you are looking for stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.

Though there typically isn't a difference between the flavor of a chunk white or orange cheddar cheese, when it comes to macaroni and cheese from a box, we all know the two are not quite identical in taste. The white cheddar in this one is sharp, but not particularly salty, a welcome change from many store-bought varieties of this popular dish. It is flavorful and well-balanced.

When it comes to how the new Now Cheesier Shells & White Cheddar compares with the original, the latter essentially has the taste and mouthfeel of a lightened up macaroni and cheese. The sauce is quite watered down, essentially pooling around the shells, rather than coating them. Though it is creamy and not grainy, it has a less satiating mouthfeel than the updated version. Its aroma also feels subdued compared with the Now Cheesier version.

The flavor is cheesy, but not as potent as the Now Cheesier variety, and, there is a detectable tang that was not identifiable in the updated recipe. Again, I appreciated the notably less salty quality of this mac and cheese compared with many store-bought, boxed varieties. That said, if you wanted to enhance the savoriness of it, you could easily cook the noodles with some salt added to the water to help infuse the pasta itself with flavor. Once drained, it would help the sauce blend more seamlessly with the pasta, giving it a well-balanced taste.

It would be impossible to look at the nutrition of Annie's Now Cheesier Shells & White Cheddar without comparing it with the classic variety. I was surprised at what I discovered. My assumption was that something that is cheesier would likely have more calories and fat than its less fromage-filled cousin. In this case, I could not have been more wrong. Believe it or not, the Now Cheesier recipe is actually lower in calories (260 versus 270) and fat (3.5 versus 4.5 grams) per serving. It also contains less saturated fat (2 versus 2.5 grams), per serving. The one place where it performs less favorably is in sodium content, which explains its more robust flavor. The Now Cheesier blend contains 540 versus 460 milligrams per serving, which may be of note if you are monitoring your sodium intake.

This begs the question: Why is it so much cheesier? The key is clearly in the ingredients that make up the cheese powder. The Classic contains butter and nonfat milk. These are replaced with salt, cornstarch and lactic acid in the updated recipe. While you would think that butter and nonfat milk would lend creaminess, the truth is, cornstarch is a key ingredient in many recipes that require a thickening agent to yield a smooth, creamy texture. My best guess is that this is one of the superpowers of this mac and cheese. along with a sprinkle of fairy dust.

If I went to the grocery store and saw both the classic and Now Cheesier varieties of Annie's on the shelf, I'd definitely opt to purchase the latter. The minor differences in sodium content are not enough to deter me from doing so, and the flavor and texture is enough of an improvement that it is worth it for my cheese-obsessed palate. My only regret is that I did not have the chance to sample the classic versus Now Cheesier versions of the Real Aged Cheddar varieties. I suspect the results would have been similar in terms of a richer flavor and more satiating texture.

I do confess that once I sat down to eat a whole bowl of this mac and cheese, I tossed in some fresh zucchini to enhance its nutritional value and give it some color. This was a great option. The subtle, yet velvety sauce delicately coated the squash and the heat of the pasta just barely cooked it, giving it an al dente texture that complemented the mac and cheese beautifully. That said, this new and improved Annie's mac and cheese is delicious as-is and is a great staple to add to your pantry to have on hand for a quick, easy, convenient, and flavorful weeknight meal to please the whole family.