Contents
Introduction
Mac and Cheese is a creamy and enriched dish, which consists of pasta and cheesy sauce. Mac and Cheese are rightly called the national comforting dish of the United States of America.
This is a high-calorie food as it contains pasta, cheese, butter, and cream.
However, the calories of the Mac and cheese may vary as the brands, serving size, and ingredients of the Mac and cheese may vary.
You can swap the traditional Mac and cheese for alternative healthier recipes of Mac and cheese.
You can increase the nutritional value of Mac and cheese by choosing healthier alternative ingredients.
In this article, we will review the calorie content of the various types of Mac and cheese. Also, we will recommend how to lower the calories of the Mac and cheese:
The Calories of the Mac and Cheese in the Boxed Mac and Cheese
| Brand | Fats | carbs | Sodium | Fibre | Protein |
| Kraft Brand | 376 fats | 10 grams | 2 grams | 47 grams | 16 grams |
| Panera Bread Brand | 440 fats | 17 grams | 1 gram | 33 grams | 31 grams |
| Velveeta Brand | 310 fats | 13 grams | 2 grams | 44 grams | 9 grams |
| Daiya Brand | 300 fats | 5 grams | 2 grams | 48 grams | 9 grams |
| Annie’s Homegrown Brand | 360 fats | 9 grams | 2 grams | 51 grams | 4 grams |
| Chick-fil-A Brand | 440 fats | 19 grams | 8 grams | 29 grams | 27 grams |
| Homemade, regular, or gluten-free | 506 fats | 20 grams | 3 grams | 53 grams | 24 grams |
Calories in the Traditional Mac and Cheese
If you are making Mac and cheese in the traditional way, it is always high in calories. Mac and Cheese is a high-calorie food that contains 300 to 500 calories per serving.
It is also an amazingly higher content of sodium. A traditional recipe of the mad and cheese has 600 to 1200 mg sodium in a single serving of Mac and cheese.
Can you eat the traditional Mac and cheese every day? You can enjoy Mac and cheese many times a week if you work out.
You should work out after eating a plate of traditional Mac and cheese.
How to Reduce the Calories of the Mac and Cheese?
Sincce Mac and cheese is a high-calorie recipe, you can use many techniques to lower its calorie content. Here is how you can do it:
- You should use the high protein or high fiber paste that consists of chickpeas or beans. It is healthier alternative pasta.
- Chefs can select broccoli florets or cauliflower instead of plain macaroni for reducing calories and carbs in the dish.
- On every boxed mac and cheese box, there are instructions for light preparation. So, you can use the butter and milk in lesser quantities for preparing a healthier mac and cheese.
- We recommend you add the vegetables in the mac and cheese for increasing nutrient contents and fiber in the serving.
- You should halve the cheese amount and add the herbs as well as spices in the flavoured dish.
Conclusion
Mac and Cheese is a high-calorie food. You can use the above-mentioned techniques for enjoying amazing Mac and cheese recipes.
This is Himanshu Joshi, a Professional content writer, and freelancer.
I am the co-founder of this blog. In this blog, I always share food, health, and fitness related contents.