The Ultimate Ranking Of Trader Joe's Mac & Cheese

I'm not going to say I'm a mac and cheese connoisseur, but I've had my fair share. I've ranked all the box mac and cheese options on the market, I've indulged in an array of steakhouse mac and cheese, and I keep up to date on new product drops, like Tillamook's frozen mac and cheese launch. Needless to say, there is a wealth of mac and cheese to be had in this culinary landscape. But one well-known store has its own line of mac and cheese: Trader Joe's. Known for a killer lineup of frozen food and sweet treats, TJ's offers its customers eight mac and cheese options — from boxed to frozen. I decided to check out all eight to see which options are worth the buy and which are overhyped.

I cooked up each package and focused on flavor and texture to see which TJ's mac and cheeses passed my taste test. While the store offers a decent selection of products, all mac and cheeses aren't created equal. Let's see which came out on top and which should be left on the shelves.

Last on the list and the absolute worst in the bunch was Trader Joe's Creamy Mac & Cheese. This one featured cheddar, Parmesan, and unexpected cheddar cheese over a pipette rigate pasta. Full disclosure: I hated this.

This option is the only pre-made the store offers, ready to eat in the refrigerator section. While it seems convenient, the taste just isn't worth the prep ease. And what the heck is unexpected cheddar?

Regarding texture, this one is super creamy, but there was something so off about the flavor profile. There was a lot of salt and something I just couldn't place in the aftertaste. I'm assuming it's that unexpected cheddar cheese, and man, now I definitely want an explanation. While the pasta texture was great and heated up nicely, it couldn't save this mac and cheese. I love this one in concept, but the taste just wasn't there.

When I was a kid, I couldn't get enough of boxed mac and cheese. As I got older, I realized this food product was not the stuff of my dreams. Maybe it was youth; maybe the ingredients were different. In any case, this Trader Joe's Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese didn't make the cut.

Regarding taste, even with milk and butter, the flavor profile was super bland. You have to use salted butter and milk for sure, and maybe some other additions if you're really looking to enjoy this one. The box also says to cook for eight to 10 minutes, but I would suggest no longer than seven. The texture was quite mushy when I pulled the pasta at eight minutes to check it. 

At the end of the day, this one just wasn't it either. Could you get weird and add hot dogs or some type of homemade cheese sauce to dress this one up? Sure, but TJ's has more to offer when it comes to flavor. I'd skip this one in search for the best mac and cheese.

Up next on this somewhat disappointing countdown is Trader Joe's Organic Shells and White Cheddar option. If you like Annie's, this is a good copycat. However, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I cooked this one up as directed on the box, adding milk and salted butter. The shells cooked well, but I wish there was more sauce. I followed the directions, but I would suggest adding more milk and stirring it in slowly to try and make a creamier base. It felt like the sauce absorbed into the pasta, leaving a lackluster texture.

Overall, the flavor was fine; it was just boring. And I think a lot of that sauce getting soaked up by the shells took away from the overall profile. There was a Parmesan cheese flavor without much salt, so it wasn't completely bland. This one wasn't bad, per se; it just wasn't anything special.

The number five spot goes to Trader Joe's frozen Gluten Free Mac & Cheese. I never have high hopes for gluten free food, but this one wasn't a total fail! This mac and cheese featured a blend of four cheeses: cheddar, havarti, Swiss, and gouda.

Unlike the other boxes, this pasta was somewhat chewy in places — my usual fear with a gluten free option. The pasta wasn't bad, but you could tell there was something off about it. The sauce was creamy which I liked, but it was thin. Within that thinness, the four cheeses got lost. It wasn't as flavorful as I'd hoped. 

Overall, this one wasn't bad, but like some of the others, it just wasn't great. As far as gluten free goes, this one is pretty decent in a sporadic landscape of GF products. It's wild to think I would pick this over other options, but the taste spoke. The four cheeses pulled this one ahead of the pack.

I have to say, out of all the options here, placing this one fourth was the most surprising. On that note, let's discuss Trader Joe's frozen Reduced Fat Mac & Cheese.

This one cooked up well. The pasta was a perfect texture, and the pasta to cheese ratio was on point. As for flavor, this one was fine. It was salty, there was a bold cheese flavor, but I swear I could taste cardboard from the microwaving. As an elder millennial, that's pretty standard from the HoJo days. #IYKYK. 

At the end of the day, this one is better than the others, but it's not great. I guess for a reduced fat option, I should be impressed, but when I eat mac and cheese, I'm not looking for health or wellness in any way. This one pushed ahead for the texture, but that's not saying much. I love a good cheesy mac and cheese, so whether you're watching your fat intake or not, this is a good option when it comes to the sauce.

Breaking into the top three is Joe's Diner Mac & Cheese. This frozen option is a well-known favorite in the larger lineup of frozen mac cheese brands, and it held its own in this ranking.

This is a quintessential frozen mac and cheese, but it's upgraded with a four-cheese blend of cheddar, havarti, Swiss, and gouda. I'm not saying this was gourmet, but it was an elevated option over the rest of the "regular" mac and cheese options on this list. You get the blend of cheeses in the flavor profile, and the pasta to creamy cheese ratio was solid.

For me, this was the closest to a Howard Johnson's feel. Maybe it was childhood nostalgia, or maybe it was that good. Either way, I enjoyed this one, and so did my entire family. If you want quick and easy mac and cheese, this is the option for you.

My friend described this one as a pasta bowl meets Chuck E Cheese pizza, but in my eyes, this was a winner. Placing second is Trader Joe's Uncured Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese Bowl. And man, is this one a sight to see.

As you can see from the picture, this one is a lot to take in. Essentially, this option is TJ's Diner Mac & Cheese covered with more cheese, a light red sauce, and pepperoni. I know it's a lot, but every bite grew on me. This one features a strong pepperoni flavor, but it's very acidic from the tomato sauce. However, the total bite of all the components just works. The pasta is cooked well, and the cheesy textures were great.

I will say: I was full after a couple bites; it's a hardy dinner if you love pasta and pizza. If anything, this is worth a try at least once. Let's call this a special occasion mac and cheese.

While this was a heated competition (please note the microwave pun), there was a clear winner. The top Trader Joe's mac and cheese spot goes to Hatch Chile. This frozen option was delicious, featuring roasted chilies from Hatch, New Mexico — a true standout of the bunch.

The flavor in this mac and cheese option shifted it into first. You still get the salty cheese within the profile, and the creamy cheese base, but the chilies added depth and a touch of heat to really make it bold and flavorful. It wasn't overpowering either. While the heat does build, it's never too much, so spice lovers and sans spice eaters alike can enjoy this option.

If you're looking for a creamy mac and cheese with a little heat, this one is for you. Out of all the mac and cheese options from Trader Joe's, this is my new go-to.

For this taste test, I went to my local Trader Joe's and grabbed every mac and cheese option available. Fun fact: They have a lot. I found two boxed options, one pre-made, and five frozen packages to try.

I cooked up all eight mac and cheeses based on the directions and dove into each flavor profile. I was mainly focused on taste, but texture did play a part when it came to tie breakers.