Options! Who in the gluten-free community doesn’t love options? For years, we’ve had the Annie’s Rice Pasta & Cheddar gluten-free mac and cheese cup and now there is a new kid on the block, Kraft’s gluten-free version of Kraft dinner in a cup. So let’s get started with Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Cups, a brand comparison.
Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Cups, a Brand Comparison
First up, the tried and true Annie’s Rice Pasta & Cheddar cup. Rice noodles in a cup with tapioca starch and a separate packet of powdered cheese.
The instructions say to microwave for 2:15, but I always end up cooking longer to get the noodles soft. The current price at my local grocer in Kansas City is $4.24 for a 2-pack, $2.12 each.
Second, the newbie! Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, gluten-free. This one has corn flour noodles, also with some sort of starch in the noodles, but it isn’t clear on the ingredient label which of the ingredients is loose with the noodles. Same as with Annie’s, there is a separate packet of powdered cheese.
The instructions say to microwave for 3:30, which worked well for me. No boiling over and the noodles were very soft. I didn’t quite get all of the powdered cheese blended in, still some little clumps. The current price at my local grocer in Kansas City is $6.49 for a 4-pack, $1.62 each.
Most important, flavor. The Kraft one tastes like the Kraft dinner of your gluten-eating days. The Annie’s one has a more mellow cheese flavor. The Annie’s version is labeled as non-GMO and the cheese is not from cows treated with rBST. Both options are free of artificial colors and flavors.
A note of caution on both of these for those of you who share kitchens with gluten ingredients: the labeling on both of these cups can be easily mistaken for the “regular,” gluten-full versions. Please be sure to check before opening to make sure you have the gluten-free version. I wish all companies would make the colors of packaging and the gluten-free labels LOUD.
Have you tried both of these? Which is your favorite?
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