Wednesday, May 12

Annie's Homegrown Mac and Cheese Review


look at that pretty picture!!

We have been waiting to move until this project took place...It happened a lot sooner than I thought it would, P came home from Target with two daylight light bulbs and a clip lamp Monday and went to work. I now have an official light box!! Hopefully this will improve my pictures and until we break down and buy a SLR this will have to do!

Having random boxes laying around helped out!

and some white paint!

and some white fabric!


Who would of thought, I had most of the "ingredients" needed to make such an important piece of equipment!! :)

To test out the light box I decided to somewhat "cheat" and do a review on a very common, pre-made meal, in our kitchen. I'm ashamed to say, I have boxed mac and cheese in my cupboard but, man it makes for a quick satisfying side when your in a crunch. And, have I told you how much my husband loves mac and cheese??

I bought Annie's Homegrown Classic Macaroni and Cheese to see if P would notice the difference and somehow be satisfied with the healthier/organic alternative. Not to mention, I got a really good deal on these puppies. I'm so glad they turned out to be just as good because I ended up stocking our pantry with like 10 boxes!!!

Now is the time to persuade you from the fake, unknown ingredients, in your everyday boxed mac and cheese and try out Annie's! (I am not being paid by Annie's to say this, I promise!)
When interviewing the "subject", while eating, I couldn't help but notice the constant shoveling of the bright yellow noodles into his mouth. When asked "what do you think?", the "subject" responded with, "taste like mac and cheese!".

Need I say more?

Of Course!!

Not only does there need to be a review of the taste, but also (as I learned in my Food Science classes) there should be tests on cooking ease, nutrition, ingredients, and overall appearance!
As the cooker in this project, I must say, Annie's was just as easy to boil noodles, mix in powder, add a bit of milk and butter...although, I felt like mixing time was a bit more, all in all, the same!
Nutrition comparison?? take Kraft M&C for example:
While both products contain no trans fat Kraft Macaroni and cheese contains 23% more saturated fat, 2% more Cholesterol, 7% more sodium and 1 g more sugar prepared than Annie's Macaroni and cheese.

Annie's macaroni and cheese has 5% more calcium and 1 g more fiber, as well as Vitamin b1 and Folic acid which are not found in Kraft Macaroni at all! Kraft does however beat Annie out in the iron and vitamin A categories with 13% more vitamin A and 6% more iron.

The winner:
Annie's macaroni and cheese has less of what you don't want, and more of what you do.
source: an article in associated content

Ingredients? *Here is the FUN part!*

Kraft Mac and Cheese:
Ingredients: ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE [IRON], THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID); CHEESE SAUCE MIX (WHEY, SALT, MILK, SKIM MILK, MILKFAT, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM TRIPOLYPHOSPHATE, BUTTERMILK SOLIDS, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, LACTIC ACID, CHEESE CULTURE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, ENZYMES) CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK.
source: Kraft

Annie's Mac and Cheese:
ORGANIC SEMOLINA MACARONI FROM DURUM WHEAT, CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, NON-ANIMAL ENZYMES), WHEY, BUTTERMILK, SALT, CREAM, NATURAL FLAVOR, NATURAL SODIUM PHOSPHATE, ANNATTO EXTRACT FOR NATURAL COLOR.
source: Annie's

*I always love me some yellow 5 & 6 in my mac and cheese!! :)

Appearance:
Just as moist (i hate that word), just as yellow, just as "noodle like".

I guess I will let you decide for your self on what you want your kids, i mean, family members eating! We will stick with Annie's, especially if I keep getting them for the good price I did. Otherwise, I may try my hand and homemade!

3 comments:

  1. Wait, how can there be no Vitamin B1 in Kraft M&C? It says it has it on the ingredient list.

    Otherwise, I give you an A for getting your husband to eat and enjoy something new.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ashley, it just says that Annies has more! :)

    ReplyDelete

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