Nothing soothes us more after a long day at work than a plate of warm, cheesy, and creamy macaroni and cheese. However, we often find ourselves too tired to make a big batch the old-fashioned way on our kitchen stovetop.
Luckily, there are now several top-quality frozen mac & cheese brand offerings aiming to be as satisfying as the homemade goodies we have grown to enjoy.
With that in mind, we made it our mission these past few months to identify the best brands currently offering frozen mac & cheese. Here are our findings.
Trader Joe’s massive popularity in the world of frozen and prepared foods did not come out of the blue. It has garnered the attention of millions of people worldwide by constantly pumping out high-quality frozen goods in an effort to be the best brand to ever have done so.
Their mac & cheese offering is no different. In fact, we believe it to be one of their best products, and thus, we have chosen it as our top mac & cheese brand this 2023.
Looking for the best frozen mac & cheese brand this 2023? Look no further than the list we prepared below.
Our Top Pick: Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has successfully cultivated a cult-like following on their frozen and prepared foods, but arguably none more so than its mac & cheese offering aptly named: Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese. It is by far the most comforting, delicious, and complete frozen mac & cheese we have tasted for a long while, and it will surely stick with us for the whole year.
Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese is made with four kinds of cheese: Swiss, gouda, Havarti, and cheddar. That fact alone would salivate the mouths of cheese lovers, and we are partly guilty of that as well.
While aesthetics may not be its strongest suit, a minute or two of constant stirring will bring together all the authentic cheese in a satisfying fashion that you won’t think twice about putting in your mouth.
Like most frozen dinner meals, Trader Joe’s frozen mac & cheese is large and comes prepared to be consumed by up to two or three people. To make it perfect, we recommend adding some bacon pieces, grilled chicken, or breadcrumbs before you put it in the oven to cook.
This frozen meal is so good; some prefer this already to genuine, non-frozen mac & cheese meals. That is saying something.
With all that in mind, we are choosing Trader Joe’s as the best brand this 2023 to offer high-quality frozen mac & cheese.
Summary Tables
Here are two tables summarizing our findings after observing several frozen mac and cheese brands to formulate our list.
The first one highlights the brand that provides the cheesiest, healthiest option and the best overall frozen mac and cheese brand based on its products.
The other is a straightforward table highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the brand’s offerings we chose to include in our list. Have a look:
Top Choices
| Cheesiest | Healthiest Option | Best Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Trader Joe’s | 365 Whole Foods | Trader Joe’s |
| Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese is made with four kinds of cheese, including Swiss, gouda, Havarti, and cheddar. These cheeses combine in the most satisfying manner. It mixes well in the mouth that no cheese-lover could ever resist. | 365 Whole Foods makes it a point to include organic products in their frozen mac & cheese offering. Furthermore, the salt and calorie content of their product is far lower than that of many of its contemporaries. Is perhaps the greatest choice for customers who are actively looking for a healthy mac & cheese alternative. | Trader Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese. It is by far the most comforting, delicious, and complete frozen mac & cheese we have tasted for a long while, and it would surely stick with us for the whole year. It would literally appeal to everyone. Cheese-lovers will love the fact that it incorporates 4 different types of cheese very well while macaroni enthusiasts will surely fall for how beautifully cooked their pasta is. |
Comparison Table
| Trader Joe’s (our top pick/ cheesiest/best overall) | Made with four kinds of cheese: Swiss, gouda, Havarti, and cheddar Can be consumed by up to two or three people per packaging Has that delicious comforting feeling that just sticks with you Not too aesthetically-pleasing |
| Bob Evans | Exceptionally creamy and satisfyingly thick Oozes with that comforting and exquisite taste Every container contains about 220 calories, lesser than most in our list Some may find the serving size a bit insufficient, only about 6 oz |
| 365 Whole Foods (healthiest option) | 100% organic ingredients used The salt and calorie content of their product is far lower than that of many of its contemporaries. Can easily appeal to health-conscious individuals Others may find its taste a bit bland |
| Chili’s | Perfect for bacon lovers Perfected the tasty combo of bacon and cheese Saves you a trip to the nearest Chili’s joint Has high sodium content, over 1000 milligrams per packaging |
| Devour | Its ingredients are admirably mixed well Presents customers with an entire meal in one package A relatively unknown brand in the world of frozen foods Has over 470 calories per package |
| Stouffer’s | One of the most recognizable brands in the frozen food industry Comes in several portion sizes Almost everyone already knows how to prepare its frozen dish offering optimally Tastes amazing; a classic in the frozen foods industry |
| Marie Callender’s | Has over 70 years of experience in its bag Has perfected that distinct homemade taste Every bite of its mac & cheese product is comforting Has a high amount of calorie and sodium content |
And with that, let us now take a deeper look at each of the brands we decided to include in our list.
Top Frozen Mac & Cheese Brands 2023
Bob Evans
Categorizing Bob Evans macaroni and cheese as a frozen meal may be a stretch, as it is technically a refrigerated dish, but we still choose to highlight it because of the impact it made on us ‘mac & cheese’ lovers.
Bob Evans is known for its top-of-the-line selection of pre-made homestyle breakfast meals and side dishes in the refrigerated section of your nearest grocery or convenience store. Their frozen mac & cheese does not disappoint.
It is exceptionally creamy and satisfyingly thick. It has perfectly cooked noodles that made us return for more after finishing the previous bowl. This frozen mac & cheese product oozes that comforting feeling and exquisite taste that we just can’t resist.
Every container of this mac & cheese has about 220 calories, which is less than most of its contemporaries per serving.
While the serving size may prove a bit insufficient to some (only 6 oz), you wouldn’t have to worry about its quality and taste. Bob Evans is a brand you can trust, and they almost never disappoint.
365 Whole Foods
365 Whole Foods makes it a point to include organic products in its frozen mac & cheese offering. Furthermore, their product’s salt and calorie content are far lower than many of its contemporaries.
This makes 365 Whole Foods’ Macaroni & Cheese arguably the healthiest option on our list and perhaps the greatest choice for customers actively looking for a healthy mac & cheese alternative.
With that being said, being the healthiest option sadly came with a price. Unlike other brands in terms of richness, flavor, and creaminess, 365 Whole Foods’ offering is a bit on the losing side.
That is not to say that it tastes awful and is ultimately displeasing; 365 Whole Foods’ Macaroni & Cheese is still delicious to us and will be absolutely appealing to health-conscious individuals.
We recommend adding spices and herbs to boost the product’s flavor while keeping its calorie count in check.
Chili’s
If you love bacon in your frozen mac & cheese, then look no further than Chili’s Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese. This tasty frozen delight from the geniuses at Chili’s has seemingly perfected that tasty combo of bacon and cheese, and we couldn’t help but fall in love with it time and time again.
In addition to having a cheese sauce that is powerful, creamy, and rich in flavor – not to mention the juicy bacon strips, this Chili’s Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese also has poblano peppers, which provides a bit of sting and an extra hit of flavor to the dish.
As delightful as this macaroni and cheese product is, you may want to try avoiding eating it way too often because of its staggering sodium content.
It is worth noting that each dish contains over 1000 milligrams of salt. Yikes!
Save your trip to Chili’s and purchase their frozen product instead! People will be able to enjoy their frozen mac & cheese in the same style as its restaurant-fresh counterpart by simply warming up this dish in the oven for a few minutes. However, consume them in moderation.
Devour
While not as well-known as some of the brands we highlighted alongside it in this list, Devour makes a compelling case as one of the best brands to offer frozen mac & cheese this 2023 by way of its excellent Chicken Cordon Bleu Mac and Cheese product.
It is made with a Swiss and provolone cheese sauce that’s got both grilled chicken pieces and delicious ham folded into one another, making for a truly wonderful frozen dish mixture.
As wonderful as their Chicken Cordon Bleu Mac and Cheese product is in our mouths, what got the most of our attention towards Devour is its intention to present consumers with an entire meal in one package.
Simply put, they want to provide more than a simple serving of good mac & cheese. Devour wants to give you a complete meal – and that is just commendable.
With that in mind, it is understandable that their meals come with a high-calorie count, typically over 470 calories per package.
Stouffer’s
Stouffer’s is one of the most recognizable frozen mac and cheese brands today. So much so that you can virtually find their products in every convenience store and grocery. Better yet, they come in several portion sizes: for one, for a small family, and even for a whole family reunion.
Stouffer’s mac and cheese has captivated the hearts of previous generations, and it might as well already have this generation’s hearts in the palm of its hands.
Stouffer’s has been atop the market for so long that many are now pros at preparing its frozen dishes, perhaps none more so than their mac & cheese.
Every Stouffer’s mac and cheese pro knows that if you leave it in the microwave for 30 seconds or a minute longer than what its packaging suggests, you might get that coveted ‘grilled cheese’-like crust around the sides of the container that many would die for.
Unfortunately, doing so may also lead to consequences. Leaving the product a bit longer than that may make the noodles too soft, which is a definite turn-off for many.
Related Article: Top Frozen Food Companies in the US and their Best Selling Products
Marie Callender’s
Marie Callender’s has been in the frozen foods business for more than 70 years, making it one, if not the most experienced brand still operating in the particular niche.
If you are looking for that distinct homemade, comforting taste in your frozen mac & cheese, then Marie Callender’s is where you should be looking. Its Creamy Vermont White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is one of the most popular frozen mac and cheese products today for a good reason.
The sharpness of the aged white cheddar is made into a perfectly delicious, savory sauce that thickly coats the long shell-style pasta for which the brand is well-known. It also separates itself from its rivals by not looking the same – it is not orangey like other mac and cheese products.
While its product is indeed to die for, it is also worth noting that its calorie count is significantly higher than some of the frozen dishes on our list, clocking in at about 500 calories per package. On top of that, it also has an outrageous amount of sodium, about 1,650 mg.
Conclusion
Only a few could resist the appeal and cheesy, creamy deliciousness of mac & cheese meals! While admittedly not as fresh as its non-frozen counterparts, frozen mac & cheese products can be just as good, if not better than them.
If you want the best frozen mac & cheese products this 2023, then look no further than Trader Joe’s. Their offerings aren’t just mouth-wateringly good. It will literally put cheese lovers in a spell because of how cheesy-delicious they are!
One taste of it is just not enough. Words cannot fully describe the goodness we received trying out Trader Joe’s top-of-the-line frozen mac and cheese product. Try it out now!
For more lists like this and everything about frozen foods, read our article titled: Definitive Guide to Frozen Foods or visit our website by following the link here.
