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Review: Kraft's Everything Bagel Mac And Cheese Proves More Is More

Column: industry Tag: review,kraft mac and cheese Published: 2024-11-21 09:30 Source: www.mashed.com Author: Helena Nichols/Mashed

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

Kraft Mac and Cheese is a staple childhood meal for many of us. Even now, as an adult who appreciates homemade macaroni and cheese, I cannot resist the allure of the signature blue box when it's calling my name. So when I heard that Kraft Mac and Cheese was coming out with an Everything Bagel flavor, I knew I had to try it.

At first I was skeptical. I love everything bagel, but the idea of throwing seasoning into random foods threw me off. But what is the classic bagel and cream cheese, if not a combination of cheese and carbs, just like mac and cheese? So maybe it could work.

Kraft sent me a box for the purposes of reviewing. To me boxed mac and cheese is its own classification of food, not to be compared to other types of pasta. As such, I judged this mac and cheese against the original flavors and other flavors of boxed mac and cheese out there.

What is everything?

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

Everything Bagel Mac and Cheese is exactly what it sounds like. It is original Kraft Mac and Cheese but with an extra dose of everything bagel flavor. As with original Kraft Mac and Cheese there are no artificial flavors or preservatives in this box, which is appreciated. Instead of artificial dyes, ingredients such as paprika and turmeric are added to give this mac and cheese its signature bright orange color.

Now, everything bagel isn't literally everything, but it is a combination of spices and flavors. In this case, Kraft defines everything as garlic, onion, poppy seed, and salt. Different brands have different interpretations of what "everything" consists of, with some adding sesame seeds, which are notably not in this blend. However, it is worth noting that instead of using granulated onion and garlic, Kraft Heinz stuck with the traditional dehydrated pieces, such as those you would find on an everything bagel. I give them points here for authenticity. However, I am unsure as to how this will impact the texture of the final product.

A look at nutrition

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

As noted, the seasoning of everything also contains salt. This is in addition to the salt that is already in Kraft Mac and Cheese. Because of this there may be some concern over the health and overall sodium in the Everything Bagel Mac and Cheese. The good news is, this mac and cheese is not substantially worse or even all that different from a regular box of mac and cheese. So, if that is something you can regularly work into your diet, this should not be a problem.

One prepared serving is 310 calories and has 570 milligrams of salt. The Original Kraft Mac and Cheese has 350 calories 690 milligrams of sodium. The serving size for the Original Kraft Mac and Cheese is also slightly higher, so, the totals really are not all that different. Each serving of Everything Bagel Mac and Cheese also has 11 grams of fat and 7 grams of sugar compared to the original, which has 12 grams of fat and 8 grams of sugar.

When will it be available?

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

Does your Black Friday shopping list include this item? Well, now it might. This Kraft Everything Bagel Mac and Cheese will be available starting Friday, November 29. If you are really worried about not being able to get your box, though, it will be available for pre-order starting Monday, November 25. Boxes are priced at a reasonable $1.58 per box.

Now, where's the catch? Well, this mac and cheese is only available for a limited time. And there is a very real possibility the stores could sell out. This flavor is only available on Walmart.com. The good news is it means you won't have to fight Black Friday crowds like it's 2004, the bad news is this means it will be survival of the fittest on the internet landscape. Kraft is also only making 14,000 boxes. This might sound like a lot. However, Kraft produces upwards of 1,000,000 boxes of mac and cheese per day. Suddenly, that 14,000 number isn't looking too big anymore. If you want to try it, you know what to do.

A whole world of everything

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

We have seen an onslaught of everything bagel flavored items. It's no wonder, really, that everything seasoning can take just about anything plain and make it magical and flavorful. From crackers to bagel chips to, yes, even ice cream, America has decided to make everything flavoring our thing. This product proudly follows a long line of everything bagel flavored products.

So it is no wonder that Kraft is looking to dabble in the everything flavor themselves. Kraft is no stranger to playing with flavor. As of this article,the company offers a selection of cheese flavors, as well as jalapeño, and ranch dressing. Clearly, the company is not afraid of adding to the line. It is worth noting though, that based on the ingredients, it appears the base of this mac and cheese is the original orange mac and cheese we all know and love. So, I hope this mac and cheese will be both familiar and different.

How does it taste?

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

You know, sometimes less is more. But this is not one of those cases. Everything bagels are for when you want it all, for when you don't want to make a choice, and for when you aren't afraid of flavor. That is this box of Mac and Cheese.

This might be the most flavorful box of Kraft Mac and Cheese I have ever had in the best way possible. The addition of the onions and garlic brought a whole new level of flavor I am simply not used to from a box of macaroni and cheese. This is a very good thing. While this box still brings the comfort and ease of a boxed macaroni and cheese, it really ups its game with these additions.

Now, I will say that the texture was a little confusing. The pieces of everything topping were incredibly noticeable and got stuck in my teeth. The poppy seeds were the worst offenders. That said, I think it was better to leave them in rather than pulverizing everything for the sake of smoothness. Look, I know boxed mac and cheese is basically the epitome of processed foods, but sometimes it is nice to remember that some real ingredients went into this. Plus, the overall flavor more than made up for the fact that I will be flossing extra carefully tonight. I happily ate the whole box in one sitting, and that really says it all.

Methodology

Review: Kraft

Helena Nichols/Mashed

I have eaten a lot of mac and cheese in my time, so when it comes to taste, I compare this against the one, the only Kraft Original Mac and Cheese. The goal here was to take boxed mac and cheese as its own thing and not compare it against a freshly made mac and cheese.

Obviously, a taste test was required here. Making boxed mac and cheese requires a few ingredients, so I made everything exactly as described. Usually, I would just eyeball the milk and butter, but for this mac and cheese, I followed everything exactly. I made the mac and cheese according to the manufacturer's directions using Kerrygold unsalted butter, and 1% Fairlife milk and then got to tasting. I made and consumed the mac and cheese in rapid succession to avoid letting it get cold and dry — only the best for this box.

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