I Tried Kraft's New Plant-Based Mac and Cheese—Here's What I Thought

You may have grown up with Kraft macaroni and cheese, and if you did, you remember its distinct, cheesy flavor. The creaminess embraced in every orange noodle, the quick and easy meal was—and still is—sure to satisfy kids across the nation.

However, you may have veered away from adding a box of Kraft mac and cheese to your shopping list for multiple reasons. Maybe you’ve grown away from the taste, or maybe your dietary preferences or restrictions have changed to a dairy-free eating pattern.

If it’s the latter reason, then Kraft’s new NotMac&Cheese might be up your alley. Set to release internationally in 2024, the new plant-based mac will come in two flavors: Original and White Cheddar. But there’s some things you should keep in mind before trying the product.

I was one of the first to try the new NotMac&Cheese product for myself to see if it will be worth the buy come the new year. Here’s what to know.

While I’m a fan of white Cheddar mac and cheese, I was more intrigued by trying the original flavor because it’s so iconic. And before we start with my review, I should note that I have yet to find a boxed vegan mac and cheese that has really impressed me.

The first thing I noticed about the product was the label. The official nutrition information is not available yet, but it’s important to note that although the ingredients listed did not include milk, there was a notice on the box that stated it “may contain” milk. This could mean that the product was manufactured in the same facility as other products that include milk. Whatever the reason, you may want to consider this if you have a severe sensitivity or allergy to dairy products before trying this out.

Making the mac was as easy as the original, as someone that keeps plant-based milk and butter stocked in their refrigerator. You need the boxed ingredients as well as 6 cups of water, 4 tablespoons of plant-based butter and ¼ cup of plant-based milk. (I used unsweetened, unflavored almond milk to whip this up.)

First, boil the water in a medium saucepan before adding in the pasta. Cook for the instructed amount of time or until tender, drain the pasta, add your ingredients … You get the gist, the instructions are standard.

Once the creamy and fake-cheesy ingredients were mixed together, the appearance was uncanny. The “NotMac” looked nearly identical to the original that we know and love. So, at first glance, I was excited. But then it hit me: the smell. I’m thinking that it was the coconut oil powder, but whatever it was, it was horrid. If you ever had vegan cheese before, it had *that* smell, so I wasn’t looking forward to tasting it.

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised, and the taste was good enough to get over the smell. It was incredibly buttery—maybe a little too buttery?—so make sure that you like the taste of the plant-based butter you’re using, as that may have a greater impact on the flavor than you’d think. 

The Bottom Line

This was one of the better boxed vegan mac and cheeses that I’ve had, but it’s still not beating the original I grew up with. But if you have dietary restrictions or preferences that make you want to test out this new product, I think it’s a great swap for that reason. 

Try Our Recipe: Vegan Mac & Cheese