Organic Vegan Mac, Shells & Sweet Potato Pumpkin, 6 oz. (Pack of 12)

I just want to say thank you to Annie’s for producing a healthy and tasty alternative to Mac n cheese for kids. Every show they watch, or book they read makes them think they are supposed to eat and love Mac n cheese. I never raised my kids on it, but they kept asking because of shows and books. Finally I can make it for them and it meets my criteria for healthy and they love it! I must say growing up eating Mac n cheese (and being addicted to it), I actually love the taste of this product as well. We add a bit more seasoning just to give it a little kick, with onion salt, garlic, paprika, and a pinch of creole. I modify the cooking instructions a bit when I make it. I like to melt the “butter”, and add the seasoning packet to the “butter” in a warm pan while stirring with a whisk. It’s a similar method to making a roux. After the “butter” and seasoning packet are combined with no lumps, I evenly sprinkle my extra seasonings over the top and stir well. Once that is all a whisked together, I stir in about an ounce at a time of the 1/2 cup of plant based “milk” and whisk well to make a smooth “cheese” sauce. Once that is all combined I stir in the cooked & drained noodles. It’s creamy and delicious! I highly recommend this organic, good for you alternative to Mac n cheese! It’s a great product and you can add your own personal flare to it!

This sauce has a sweet taste to it that I personally did not like at all. I’m sure many people love it but it should definitely be warned that the pumpkin + sweet potato gives it a sweet flavor. Personally I prefer the taste of the gf / vegan Mac which I like better than the regular non gf version even.

I hesitate to even write a review, this stuff is so good. Prices have steadily climbed at the store, this is now over $4 a box for a single. Buying a case is way cheaper, and it's great to have extras in the pantry for when you need a quick meal. When we're fancy, we'll put some pumpkin seeds or spinach or peas in it. But it's perfect as is too. As a vegan who formerly loved some mac and cheese, this is the one.

I've tried Daiya (oft-putting and no worth purchasing; I also dont like any Daiya product), Uptons (very good but double the price; definitely worth trying) and Road's End (bland and very average, but not oft-putting, so I still buy). However, this is the best because it is very similar to the cheap boxed style Mac n Cheese (which I think has a more buttery flavor and consistency than a real cheesy product like the Velveeta style or homemade). This and Uptons are my go to, but this tastes more like traditional cheap mac n cheese from a box if thats what your going for. Uptons has precooked noodles and their sauce is a liquid (like velveeta just not as thick) that has more of a smoky flavor. Both are awesome

It took 4 boxes for me to like this. I followed the directions for boxes 2 & 3, but it just wouldn't come out that great. The first 3 times I made this it tasted a bit like baby food mixed with pasta and each time the powder came in contact with liquid it would clump up inside the shells and never mix properly. Finally on box 4, I treated the sauce like a roux: I melted vegan butter, mixed with the dry packet, then slowly mixed in liquid and it came out soooo creamy and delicious! I like adding hot sauce to this, but it tasted delicious without it. Definitely play around with it if you don't like it the first time!