All around the nation, macaroni and cheese is a kid-friendly classic that’s simple to prepare for a filling lunch. It can be energy-dense (greater in calories, poorer in nutrients) depending on how it’s made. Thus, it’s best used as a treat once in a while rather than as a pantry staple.
Kraft Mac and Cheese calories, for instance, has a lot of calories—350 per cup portion. Additionally, there are a lot of calories in other mac and cheese (even homemade).This meal has a lot of fat and salt as well. However, there are methods to modify mac and cheese recipes so that they have more protein fiber and less calories, fat, and salt.
Nutrition Information for Kraft Mac and Cheese
The USDA has supplied the following nutritional data for one serving (180g, or around 3/4 cup) of prepared Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Macaroni & Cheese, Kraft, Applebee’s, and items from the kids menu. FoodData Central. Department of Agriculture, United States.
- 257 calories
- Fat (7.8g)
- Sodium: 518 mg
- 37.9g of carbohydrates
- Fiber: 2.3 grams
- Sugar content: 6.7g
- 9g of protein
When you eat Kraft mac and cheese, you’ll get the vitamins and minerals thiamin, niacin, folic acid, and beta carotene. It also has phosphate, calcium, and iron in it.
Kraft mac and cheese calories
A one-cup serving of Kraft’s classic mac and cheese, made according to the recommended recipe with 4 tablespoons of margarine and 1/4 cup reduced-fat milk, has 350 calories and 11 grams of fat, or around 99 calories from fat, or roughly 28% of total calories.There are three one-cup portions in every box, for a total of 1,050 calories.
Variations in Preparation
To make your mac and cheese most in line with your nutritional objectives, you can vary the amount of butter and the kind of milk you use. Even though the packaging calls for 4 tablespoons of margarine, you can use less to minimize fat and calorie intake. There are around 81 calories and 9g of fat in one tablespoon of margarine. A tablespoon of butter has around 12g of fat and 100 calories.
You can also switch to a different type of whole or reduced-fat milk. Nutrients in milk vary depending on the kind. Nonfat milk has roughly 0g of fat and 21 calories per quarter cup; 2% (reduced-fat) milk has 31 calories and 1g of fat.
Calories & Nutrition for Mac and Cheese by Brand
Based on USDA statistics, here are the calorie and nutrition information for some well-known macaroni and cheese brands (all nutrition information is for a single serving).
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350 calories, 17 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 34 g carbohydrate, 15 g protein, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, and 920 mg sodium are included in one serving of Stouffer’s macaroni and cheese.
Trim Foods 300 calories, 6g fat, 48g carbohydrate, 13g protein, 2g fiber, 5g sugar, and 560mg sodium are included in macaroni and cheese.
The following are the nutritional values for Amy’s Organic Foods Macaroni and Cheese (frozen): 400 calories, 16g fat, 10g saturated fat, 16g protein, 47g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 6g sugar, and 640mg sodium.
360 calories, 12g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 49g carbohydrate, 13g protein, 2g fiber, 4g sugar, and 870mg sodium are included in Velveeta shells with cheese.
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Nutrition of Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Depending on the ingredients you use, homemade macaroni and cheese can have a variety of calories and nutritional values. However, one cup of a typical recipe has 506 calories, 20 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, 20 grams of protein, 53 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 837 mg of sodium.
Recipes and Advice on Preparation
Generally speaking, homemade macaroni and cheese are higher in nutrients than store-bought varieties that could contain artificial additives and cheese powder. Additionally, you may modify this adaptable recipe to suit your dietary requirements and tastes while cooking it at home.
For instance, you may increase the amount of fiber by using whole-grain or whole-wheat pasta, adding peas, tiny broccoli florets, or other chopped vegetables. In addition to its many health advantages, fiber helps increase the fillingness and satisfaction of meals. Antioxidants and vitamins are found in vegetables.
Protein is a crucial macronutrient that also adds satisfaction to meals. Adding grilled chicken or turkey to your mac & cheese can increase its protein content. Additionally, you may cut fat by consuming smaller servings, using lower-fat cheese, and lowering the amount of cheese you use.
You can eat mac & cheese even if you have dietary limitations. Replace with reduced-sodium or reduced-fat cheese, dairy-free pasta, cow’s milk substitutes, or whatever else you need to make this beloved dish healthy for you.
You should include mac and cheese in your diet sometimes as a soothing, quick-to-prepare, and familiar dish.
Hypersensitivity
Since several ingredients are used to make macaroni and cheese, the dish may include a number of possible allergies. Traditional mac and cheese should be avoided by anyone who has lactose intolerance, celiac disease, dairy allergies, or gluten sensitivity.
However, ingredients differ across brands and between recipes. Before eating anything, always be sure to read the ingredient list. A food should not be consumed until you have received specific guidance from your healthcare professional if you believe you may be allergic to any ingredient stated on the container or in the recipe.