In the world of boxed mac and cheese, two iconic brands dominate grocery store shelves: Kraft and Velveeta. But a new contender has entered the cheesy ring. Stouffer's, the brand known for frozen microwaveable meals (including mac and cheese), has recently launched a boxed version, Supreme Shells & Cheese. So, of course, we had to try it and compare it to the mac and cheese OGs.
Stouffer's Supreme Shells & Cheese comes in two varieties: Cheddar and Three Cheese. Like Velveeta, both flavors use shell pasta and a packet of cheese sauce that you mix in.
They follow a similar cooking process as Kraft and Velveeta. You boil the pasta, then mix the pasta with the cheese sauce or powder. Kraft is the only one that also requires a small amount of milk and butter to be mixed in with the cheese powder.
How Does Stouffer's Compare?
The Delish team had mixed reviews, each with their own favorite.
Kraft is tangy and not nearly as cheesy as Velveeta and Stouffer's. As someone who grew up in a Kraft household and isn't a big fan of cheese in general, Kraft will always be a winner, partially out of nostalgia.
Velveeta and Stouffer's are really similar in terms of appearance and texture. Even thouse they are from a box, those two are the closest to a homemade version. Stouffer's looked the best, almost shiny. Both are super saucy, and the shell pasta holds the cheese for a juicy bite each time.
While you might not be able to tell the two apart by looking at them, the flavor was slightly different. In general, we thought the Stouffer's Shells & Cheese was a bit tangier and sharper than Velveeta, which was more mild.
So, what's the verdict? Between me and the three testers, Kraft came out on top with two votes. The OG powder cheese option reigns supreme.
Velveeta and Stouffer's each received one vote—a tie. But when it comes to boxed mac and cheese, it's not always about flavor or how real it tastes. Sometimes it's just about the nostalgia.
