Annie's Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese: Labelgrade C+ (68/100)
C+ 68 / 100 — Effectively zero sugar and high sodium per 100g.
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Annie’s Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese delivers 9g of protein and 260 calories per 2.5 oz dry mix About 1 cup prepared (USDA FDC 2747426). Per 100g that’s 12.7g of protein; per oz, 3.6g. The Labelgrade is C+ (68 / 100): Effectively zero sugar and high sodium per 100g.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C+ | 69 / 100 | 12.7g per 100g — moderate; the per-serving total matters more than the per-unit density |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 72 / 100 | 8 ingredients; flagged phosphate additives |
| Saturated fat load | B+ | 81 / 100 | 2g per serving (2.8g per 100g) — moderate |
| Sodium load | F | 26 / 100 | 560mg per serving (224mg per oz) — high; structural for cured/preserved foods |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 4g sugar, all naturally-occurring lactose (no added sugar) |
| Fiber | C- | 59 / 100 | 2.98g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | C+ | 68 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annie’s Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese (this product) | 9g | 12.7g | 3.6g | 260 |
| Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner | 6g | 10.9g | 3.1g | 210 |
| Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original | 15g | 10.6g | 3g | 480 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
Why this is the least-bad box
If you’re going to keep boxed mac & cheese in the pantry, this is the one to reach for — and the reason is the label, not the macros. Two things separate Annie’s from the Kraft and Velveeta boxes it sits next to:
- Real cheese, not a sauce. Annie’s is built on organic dried cheddar cheese — cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes — plus organic whey. Compare that to Velveeta’s “cheese sauce” or Kraft’s “cheese sauce mix,” which lean on whey, milk-protein concentrate, modified food starch, maltodextrin and corn-syrup solids to mimic cheese. Annie’s is dairy first and additives second.
- No synthetic dye. That bright orange in the classic blue box comes from Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Annie’s gets its color from the cheddar itself — there are no artificial colors on the list at all. For shoppers buying boxed mac for kids, that’s often the whole reason to pick it.
The full additive list here is short: sodium phosphate (an emulsifier that keeps the cheese smooth) and silicon dioxide (anti-caking). That’s it. It’s why ingredient quality is the one dimension where Annie’s clearly out-scores its shelf-mates.
Where it still falls short
Being the best box doesn’t make it a good food, and the grade reflects that. The honest knock is sodium: 560mg per prepared cup is roughly a quarter of a day’s limit before you’ve added anything, and it scores an F on its own. Protein is modest — 9g is enough to claim “good source,” but at ~29 calories per gram of protein this is a carb dish with some cheese on it, not a protein dish.
And remember the prepared number hides a step: the directions call for milk and butter, which add fat and calories the box’s “2.5 oz dry mix” line doesn’t show. If you want this to pull more weight nutritionally, the fix is to add to it rather than swap the brand — a cup of peas or some shredded chicken does more for the bowl than any box on the shelf can. If the point is protein, a higher-protein mac like Goodles (graded on the site) is the better aisle pick.
Scope
This page covers Annie’s Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese (6 ONZ), UPC 00013562300631, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2747426. Annie’s sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
Organic Pasta (organic wheat flour), Organic Dried Cheddar Cheese (organic cultured pasteurized milk, salt, non-animal enzymes), Organic Whey, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide (for anticaking).
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 2.5 oz dry mix About 1 cup prepared
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (2.5 oz dry mix About 1 cup prepared) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 260 |
| Protein | 9g |
| Total Fat | 4g |
| Saturated Fat | 2g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 48g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.98g |
| Total Sugars | 4g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 560mg |
| Cholesterol | 9.94mg |
| Calcium | 110mg |
| Iron | 0.802mg |
| Potassium | 240mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese (6 ONZ) · UPC 00013562300631. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
contains a gluten-bearing ingredient
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mac and cheese healthy?
Not really — it's refined-pasta comfort food, not health food. Boxed mac & cheese gives you modest protein (here, 9g) wrapped around a big serving of refined carbs and a lot of sodium. Annie's is the least-bad version because it's organic and uses real dried cheddar instead of a processed cheese sauce, but it's still a treat, not a staple. Eat it as one, and lean on the protein/fiber upgrades below.
Why does Annie's get a C+ (68/100)?
The protein density is only moderate (9g, 12.7g per 100g) and the sodium is high — 560mg per serving scores an F on its own. What lifts Annie's above the Kraft and Velveeta boxes is ingredient quality: organic pasta, real cultured cheddar, no synthetic dyes (no Yellow 5/6), and a much shorter additive list. It's the best of the three boxes, but a C+ is still a C+ — solid comfort food, not something to call nutritious.
Is Annie's organic mac and cheese actually better than Kraft?
On the things that move the grade, yes. Annie's uses organic pasta and real dried cheddar, and it skips the artificial dyes (Yellow 5 and Yellow 6) that color the classic blue box. Its additive list is short — the only flags are sodium phosphate and an anti-caking agent. The macros aren't dramatically different from Kraft, but Annie's has more protein (9g vs 6g) and a cleaner label, which is why it's our top-graded box of the three.
What's a serving of Annie's Organic Shells & White Cheddar?
2.5 oz of dry mix (71g), which makes about 1 cup prepared — 260 calories, 9g protein, 48g carbs, and 560mg sodium as the box is measured. Note this is the dry-mix basis; the milk and butter the directions call for add their own calories and fat on top.
How do I get more protein out of a box of Annie's?
Two honest moves. First, bulk it: stir in a cup of frozen peas (adds ~8g protein and fiber) or shred in cooked chicken to push a single bowl past 25g protein. Second, if protein is the goal, reach for a higher-protein mac instead — Goodles, which we grade on the site, packs noticeably more protein and fiber per serving than any of these classic boxes.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2747426. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.