Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese

My family and I have been working our way through trying some of the different macaroni and cheese options at Trader Joe’s. TJ’s, which is a cousin to Aldi, sells several different frozen mac and cheese selections, including a traditional diner style mac and a spicy hatch chile mac and cheese. They also sell a classic boxed mac and cheese kit.

Here, I’m taking a look at another boxed mac and cheese variety at Trader Joe’s. This one is organic and features shells and white cheddar.

The box states:

Contrary to popular belief, there is no law that states macaroni & cheese must be vibrant orange. In fact, Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar Cheese proves that color is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to flavor.

I paid $1.79 for a 6-ounce box of Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese at my local store at the time of writing. That’s about 30 cents per ounce. With about 2.5 servings per box, that comes out to about 71 cents per serving.

That’s more than the classic Trader Joe’s Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese, which costs around 14 cents per ounce, but you’re paying for organic with this white cheddar mac.

This is USDA Organic and is certified organic by Quality Assurance International.

If you’re looking out for allergens, this contains wheat and milk.

The full ingredients list includes organic pasta shells (organic wheat, organic durum wheat), organic white cheddar cheese (organic cultured pasteurized milk, salt, non-animal enzymes), organic whey, salt, sodium phosphate, and silicon dioxide (anticaking agent).

One 1-cup prepared serving has 280 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat (5% DV), 2 grams of saturated fat (10% DV), 530 mg of sodium (23% DV), 50 grams of total carbohydrates (18% DV), 4 grams of dietary fiber (13% DV), 4 grams of total sugars, no added sugars, and 10 grams of protein.

The box has directions for cooking this on the stovetop or in the microwave.

To make on the stove, boil 6 cups of water. Stir in pasta, bring to a boil again, and cook 8-10 minutes. Drain and add 3 tablespoons low-fat milk and the organic cheese packet. Mix well and serve. For richer flavor, add 2-4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

To make in the microwave, microwave 3 cups of water with pasta in a 2-quart casserole dish for 7-9 minutes. Drain. Add 3 tablespoons of low-fat milk and the organic cheese packet. Mix well and serve. Again, for richer flavor, add 2-4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

I made this on the stovetop, and I added the optional butter (I went all the way and put in a full four tablespoons). I liked this mac and cheese. Some of my family said it was on the salty side, and one person didn’t want to finish theirs, but most of us gave a thumbs up to this boxed mac and cheese.

If organic is important to you, or if you’re looking for boxed mac and cheese that’s a little different from the classic orange tubular noodles, this is worth picking up.

The Verdict:

Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese features small shell pasta in a rich, savory white cheddar sauce. Some of our taste testers thought this was a bit salty, but most of us enjoyed this.