One important factor to consider is the sodium Of course, most of us don’t often have the time for that kind of thing, so I spoke with some nutrition pros to help us find ways to make the boxed stuff a little better-for-you. And when you’re making a healthy, baked mac and cheese from scratch, you can determine exactly what goes into it. Mac and cheese, when made with enriched grains, can provide vitamins and minerals and absolutely be part of a balanced meal. Regardless, I always look to balance out the plate with lots of veggies and focus on portion sizes,” said Krawczy. I look at what all I am serving in that week, and try to balance out prepared foods with simple-made foods. “In a time crunch, I have definitely used boxed or prepared versions to feed my kids.

“There are lots of quick and easy foods to feed kids, but probably the top of the list is mac and cheese,” says Stacey Krawczyk, MS, RD. But lately, a whole new category of boxed mac and cheese has made it to product shelves and freezer aisles - the kind that claims to be truly healthy. Boxed mac and cheese tends to be a lot more value-friendly, it’s easy to prepare, and it’s a fast way to make food for kiddos. While my own mac and cheese tastes absolutely lean toward the homemade, baked variety, sometimes boxed is just the undeniable best way to go. I’m happy to report I rose to the challenge, albeit to mixed results. Read next: 10 Healthier Mac and Cheese Recipes (That Still Taste Great) My assignment: investigate exactly how healthy these can possibly be, and also determine if any of them were tasty enough to be worth the effort. That dream recently became my reality, but with one important caveat: I could only try the mac and cheese that purports to be healthy, or at least healthy-ish.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake at 350˚ for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.It’s kind of a dream when your editor emails to ask if you’d consider eating a bunch of mac and cheese - for journalism’s sake. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT. Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add the salt, seasoned salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg.Don’t let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour.The macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot.

Mac and cheese best choices