Kraft's newest Mac & Cheese is ditching cheese (vegan -plant based)

[underpants]

Posting in GD - I think it’s GD worthy.

————-
Kraft’s new Mac & Cheese is ditching the cheese and going vegan.

For the first-time ever, the household staple is going plant-based with a new version of the boxed favorite that contains a dairy-free alternative to its signature cheese. It’s called “Kraft NotMac&Cheese” and will soon roll out on grocery store shelves in two flavors — original and white cheddar with shells — each priced at $3.49 per box.

Kraft partnered with NotCo., a company that makes plant-based foods, to create the new mac and cheese alternative, which is in response the growing hunger for “better-for-you” products from American consumers.

The company is joining a growing trend: Plant-based product sales surged 19% last year to $11 billion, according to research firm NIQ.

But there’s a risk for Kraft, too: Customers who have tried dairy-free alternatives sometimes don’t like the taste – and they often don’t give brands a second chance.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/29/food/kraft-mac-and-not-cheese-launch/index.html

[MLAA]

1. YEAH! I can't wait to try it.

Thanks so much for posting.

[Lucinda]

110. +1

❤️ ✿❧🌿❧✿ ❤️

[NCIndie]

2. Sounds horrible. But, at least it will be a lot more expensive.

Can't wait for organic mac & cheese for $10 per box.

[zeusdogmom]

3. I was thinking that too

Really pricey

[ProfessorGAC]

19. Being A Junky Of The Food Network...

...I have seen vegetarian & vegan chefs use nutritional yeast to make cheese sources, and then have the judges rave about it.
I've about trying it myself, but haven't gotten around to it.
Besides, my special mac & cheese has chunks of lobster in it. It's hardly vegan.

[Sky Jewels]

40. I've made some good sauces with nutritional yeast, garlic powder,

vegan "butter," etc. Sometimes I put finely ground cashews in. They're quite tasty. I don't make them with the expectation that they'll taste exactly like "real" cheese, but they add a nice savory flavor and creaminess.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

68. I find cashew dairy subs awful

The cashew flavor overwhelms *everything,* and in a decidedly unpleasant way.

[GP6971]

100. Hello.

[mucifer]

77. I love this vegan recipe Kraft is probably going to use palm oil I'm glad for the cows tho

?si=ToPqT9cfhIQ8YvnF

[Sky Jewels]

106. Thanks!

That looks good. I think the broccoli and mushrooms addition would be very tasty, too.

[getagrip_already]

49. Reality cooking shows?

Puhlese.... unless someone you trust is there to taste the food, I wouldn't trust a word those celebrity judges say.

They all have commercial interests they don't disclose, and the theater is more important than the reality.

It's the same with the home improvement reality shows.

Fun to watch, but probably inedible.

[ProfessorGAC]

78. Yeah, I Don't Believe That

Commercial interests?
Most of them have 1 to 3 restaurants in one or 2 cities!
Your objection is hilarious.

[getagrip_already]

91. Can they cook? Sure. Are they honest on tv?

Not a bloody chance.

You can find interviews with people who have sued the reality shows. Contestants, judges, and staff are under strict ndas and prosecuted frequently, so you only get glimpses in court filings.

And it's ugly.

Look, these guys can cook very well. But no chef can cook well in 30 minutes with curve balls thrown at them. It won't be garbage, but it won't be Michelin either. Looks over taste.

Prove me wrong.

[ProfessorGAC]

95. You Moved The Goal Posts

Nothing in this post has anything to do with what you originally wrote.
So, this is no longer an honest discussion.
I'm out.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

67. Nutritional yeast doesn't work by itself

You need a good non-dairy replacement to pair it with (act as a binder) to use it as a cheese alternative, and most non-dairy substitute have a decided not-dairy flavor. Or the wrong texture.

Because I have a rather severe dairy allergy, I've tried most of the non-dairy offerings out there. The problem is that even the good ones have tradeoffs that limit what you can do with them.

For the record, flavor-wise, Violife is the best. Their cream cheese tastes like cream cheese...but it only works if it's cold. If it gets warmed up, it turns into an oil slick.

Like I said, tradeoffs.

[Voltaire2]

81. Vegan mac and cheese using nooch is great.

It is really easy to make, inexpensive, and delicious. Fully satisfied my Mac and Cheese desire.

I wish I could say the same about vegan pizza, but so far all my efforts have failed to repro the melted mozzarella effect that is essential to the pizza experience.

[redqueen]

27. welcome to du

[TwilightZone]

101. Organic mac and cheese has been around for years.

The Annie's version is about $1.50 a box. The organic vegan version is usually about $2.99.

[ificandream]

4. They wouldn't be marketing this without testing it first.

I might try it.

[Rebl2]

51. My thought

to. No way they would put it out without a lot testing by consumers. It is kind of pricey though.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

69. LOL

Do you think testing matters?

Hellman's/Best Food once had a decent vegan mayo. Then they changed the recipe and supposedly ran taste tests on it. Probably to a crowd who love Cheeze Whiz, because now it tastes like eating melted plastic.

That's but one example I could use to demonstrate how taste testing is no assurance of a product having good flavor.

Never has been.

[harumph]

5. I suppose if one is into unpatatable substitutes that

probably are even more processed than the dairy based versions. Yum.

[Amishman]

60. Yeah, I am trying to cut out all the ultra processed crap

No more box Mac and cheese. Too easy and too delicious make the real thing.

This new Mac and cheese sounds really artificial.

[lastlib]

6. Yuck. Just YUCK.

Think I'll go with the generic.

[Celerity]

22. have you tried it?

[lastlib]

63. Chemistry-set cheese doesn't excite me enough to risk it.

I'll just stick with "Yuck."

[Celerity]

65. Thank you for admitting to that. It goes a fair length towards logical invalidation, as it shows

both a pejoratively prejudiced mindset, as well as a lack of experiential evidence upon which to effectively judge.

Cheers

Cel

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

70. Have you?

Because I've tried most of these major market plant based products.

They have been underwhelming, more often than not. If not downright inedible.

[Celerity]

75. I am not the one passing judgement on it. I am not a vegan but I eat plenty of plant-based food here in

Stockholm, much of it is quite good.

If you do not like it, no one is forcing you to eat it.

Kraft is not replacing their original mac n cheese, just adding this option. But even them simply adding the option gets some all up in arms.

[Happy Hoosier]

7. Ummmm....

.... look... I get folks who want to be vegan. I mean, I don;t agree, but for many, it a position of conscience.

What I DON'T understand is those who want to be vegan, butwant to eat fake versions of non-vegan food.

There are lots of delicious veggies, that can be prepapred in delicious ways? I mean, why eat a shitty fake versions of meat or cheese? Why not just eat GOOD versions of vegan foods?

[Sky Jewels]

20. I'm mostly vegan.

I generally eat well — lots of veggies, legumes, nuts, fruits, grains.

But once in a while I just want some convenient comfort food. Like, I freaking love French fries and eat them every so often (maybe every other month), even though the grease makes my stomach hurt afterwards.

Believe it or not, vegans are like everyone else in terms of being diverse in our level of commitment to “healthy” eating. Few people can eat entirely healthy every single meal.

[Happy Hoosier]

55. Not sure that this anything to do with "healthy"

I don’t believe that vegan=healthy.

But even considering “comfort food,” I guess my experience is that vegan versions of non-vegan “comfort foods” come up well short. But to each his own, I guess.

[FreeState]

43. Why are you gatekeeping food?

Vegan does not equal healthy.

[Happy Hoosier]

57. I'm not gatekeeping anything...

… and I agree, vegan does not equal healthy. Cheers!

[Voltaire2]

87. Perhaps we disagree on what 'gatekeeping' is?

Because your post above ‘ummmmmm’ is, to me, a rather good example.

[Happy Hoosier]

90. Not sure how that's gate-keeping?

I'm not a vegan. I'm not trying to say something is not "really" vegan or anything like that. I just don;t understand why some vegans want inferior, highly processed "vegan" versions of non-vegan foods when there are plenty of very good vegan/vegetarian dishes. That's it. I guess I could see it if these alternatives actually tasted like what they are trying to copy, but in my experience, they are not good alternatives.

I mean, if I'm a vegan, I'll take a Portabello Mushroom "burger" over some faked-up "impossible" product, but maybe that's just me?

[Elessar Zappa]

53. Some people want the taste of meat.

Simple as that.

[Happy Hoosier]

58. They won't get it...

… from hyper-processed fake meats…

[Voltaire2]

83. But you get it from hyper processed dead cows?

Lol. The arguments against vegans enjoying food are invariably ludicrous.

[Celerity]

85. +1

[Happy Hoosier]

112. I do prefer the animals I eat are dead at the time.

Makes them easier to chew.

[NoRethugFriends]

103. You have no clue about this it appears

[TwilightZone]

105. Some of them are pretty close to the real thing

Some of them are pretty close to the real thing, especially if one is using them in recipes, pasta sauce, etc.

Many of them have little or no cholesterol, trans, or saturated fat, so they likely pose less of a health risk than eating red meat, etc., even though they're processed.

If you haven't had them and have no interest in them, why is it so important to you to criticize those who do? Seems kind of odd when you don't seem to know anything about them, other than buzzwords.

[Happy Hoosier]

113. Jeez... you folks are sensitive

I’m not criticizing anyone. Eat what you like. I just don’t understand the preferences. But at the end of the day, I don’t have to. We don’t have to justify our food preferences to each other.

Bon Appetite!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

71. Because there aren't as many ways to make

What is effectively an endless diet of salads and side dishes. The vegan diet is quite limited without at least some of the subs.

[Dave says]

80. I'm vegan

My wife and I make wonderful soups and stews. We add to that, just as a meat eater would, salads and side dishes. It’s a wonderful, varied, and very tasty diet. (The only downside is the better dishes can take some time to prepare.)

We also make mushroom stuffed roasts and Italian-spiced sausages using seitan. We eat very, very well. But then we have the time and motivation.

[seleff]

94. Mostly vegan for health (CV) since June

A high calcium CT scan score scared me into a mostly plant based (I still eat fish 1x/week) diet. Although I use some vegan alternatives (mayo, "cream cheese", other non-dairy cheeses, sausages) I try to stay as non-processed as possible. I prefer my own homemade black bean veggie burgers over beyond burgers, and I also make a lot of bean and mushroom based dishes. The cooking is somewhat time consuming, and I make a lot of dirty dishes along the way, but I don't think I have ever eaten better. I still cook meat dishes for others in the household, but I've learned to hold my tongue and keep to myself that I think my vegan meal is far superior taste-wise. I found that it didn't take very long for me to lose my taste for meat (except for fish) and prefer plant-based foods. I personally wouldn't go for the Kraft product, but rather I'd make my own "cheese sauce" like in the YouTube link. Worried about palm or coconut oil for my arteries.

[Dave says]

98. I still crave cheese, but not meat

Give me a good brillat-savarin, Brie, appenzeller and I am in heaven.

I’ve been vegetarian on and off since I was 18. I’ve been vegan only about 5 years now.

[Voltaire2]

82. Huh? Why do you care?

You disagree with vegan diet as ethical choice for whatever reasons, but demand that vegans conform to your definition of what that diet ought to be.

It’s like christians complaining about atheists enjoying the christmas holidays.

I’ll make this really simple: I enjoy the experience of eating a ‘burger’. I choose to not engage in the slaughter of animals for food consumption. I eat plant based burgers.

[NoRethugFriends]

102. Very simple to understand. Like taste of meat. Don't want animals killed. Eat substitute that tastes similar.

And there are excellent non-shitty meat substitute dishes.
There are even gourmet vegan restaurants that are great.
You are being closed-minded

https://candlecafe.nyc/menu

[Jerry2144]

8. I am shocked!

I didn’t know their original blue box product actually had cheese in it

[JanLip]

25. So true

Mac and cheese in the blue box use to be so good but now it’s more Mac but very little cheese. The last box I prepared was rather tasteless. Needless to say I was very disappointed

Jan

[hlthe2b]

9. It does not seem clear whether or not they ar REPLACING the old version or simply introducing

a vegetarian option.

Given I have not had it in decades, I guess I'm not one they need to be concerned about. That said, I'd have a hard time imagining there won't be some issues with taste and texture (and price).

[IcyPeas]

62. That's the way i read it too. It's a new "option". Not replacing the original.

[GuppyGal]

10. Sounds good! I certainly wouldn't call it yuck or horrible without even trying it first. nt

[redqueen]

29. You would if you had a kneejerking hostility toward anything vegan

Which a lot of people seem to suffer from

[Sky Jewels]

41. Yes. Many (not all, not all) meat eaters seem highly offended

by the mere existence of vegans and vegan options. I don't know why they're so defensive about their choice to eat animals. It's not like this isn't a culture that consistently glorifies giant slabs of meat and the people who ingest them. Case in point: the Food Network. Almost all the shows focus on cooking animal proteins as the entrees or competitions about preparing or eating huge portions of meat (carnival foods, BBQ competitions, diners visited by creepy and annoying Guy Fieri, etc.).

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

73. We're not offended by vegans

We get offended when some vegans preach that everyone should eat the same way, and sneer at meat eaters for 'destroying the environment' or being 'animal murderers.' If someone talks about eating a steak, too many vegans jump on the poor sod, and then start haranguing them for their dietary choice. And worst of all, vegans too often act like evangelists trying to convert people to their point of view, much like the bible bashers who accost people minding their own business when they're at home or trying to get across a parking lot to go home.

Most omnivores and carnivores don't care a bloody fig what you eat or why, and are quite content to live and let live. It would be welcome if more vegans would return that courtesy. Because you don't have the faintest bloody clue why other people make the food choices they do. We're tired of you getting in our grill about something that, quite frankly, is not your bloody concern.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

84. But they aren't doing that here. Kraft is making a new product.

And as a vegetarian for 30 years, I'll let you know that non-vegetarians care a LOT about what we eat. The number of lessons I've had about the vegetarian diet from non-vegetarians who know very little is staggering. The number of people that told me that my kids would not get enough protein and would be weak as adults is funny given my son was a college wrestler.

[Voltaire2]

86. It is a general rule in these 'discussions'

that in a thread full of anti-vegan rants the defense of the ranters is: ‘all you preachy vegans made me do this’.

[TwilightZone]

109. This thread is really illuminating.

I'm not a vegan (though I do buy/make a lot of plant-based stuff), so I don't usually dip my toes in these discussions, but I had no idea that Kraft producing an alternative version of M&C would make people lose their freaking minds.

[Celerity]

66. And anti-EV mindsets.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

72. Maybe because so many vegans

Are so sanctimonious about their dietary choice, and openly rude to people who cannot go vegan, for a variety of reasons.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

88. I get that's the trope,

but, really, how many vegans have you had that have done that to you? What is "so many?" As a vegetarian, most vegans I know just keep quiet about it.

[TwilightZone]

108. The only people being sanctimonious in this thread...

aren't the vegans.

I'm not a vegan, but I find this thread rather illuminating. I had no idea that Kraft making an alternative version of mac and cheese would make people lose their freaking minds.

[North Shore Chicago]

11. Kraft Mac and cheese

had cheese as an ingredient? Surprise. Surprise. Surprise.

[Haggard Celine]

52. That's what I thought, too.

That powdered orange shit doesn't look or taste like cheese to me. Maybe the vegan version will be better. I never eat the regular version, though.

[David__77]

12. While skeptical about its flavor, I'm glad there's another option!

Personally, I prefer using the cheese packet and macaroni and using water instead of milk and butter.

[JanMichael]

13. For the we don't give a s*** about cows lives it's yucky

Me I think it's awesome.

[Sky Jewels]

21. So true.

I will never understand the cruelty of people who don’t give a shit about the mass suffering and torture of billions of smart, social, sentient animals in the food industry.

[Celerity]

23. and for people who don't give a toss about global climate change

[redqueen]

30. Put those two things together and what do you get?

I dunno but I don't like it.

[happybird]

14. Had a box of vegan mac and cheese not too long ago

from the food bank. It was tasty! The sauce was cashew-based and, along with the texture, it definitely fulfilled the macncheese craving. Yum!

[RobinA]

15. If People

care enough about their diet to be vegan, why in God's name are they eating Kraft Macaroni & Cheese?

[redqueen]

31. For some people it's about not wanting to contribute to the suffering of animals

[Sky Jewels]

42. Not all vegans eat "clean" every single meal.

They're the same as everyone else -- there's a range of eating habits and levels of adherence to healthy eating. Personally, I like to eat junk food/convenience food occasionally just because every sometimes my attitude is: ... "fuck it. Give me the tasty and easy-to-prepare processed crap food." But overall I eat well probably more than 90 percent of the time. Life is about a balance, IMO.

[FreeState]

44. "Clean" isn't a thing

It’s all marketing.

[Sky Jewels]

47. Yeah...

That's why I put it in quotes. I used that term as a shorthand term. ... Close enough.

[Chellee]

46. Veganism is not a diet.

It's a moral stance. It's about minimizing harm as far as possible and practicable. One part of that is the food we eat. All vegans eat a plant based diet, but not everyone who eats a plant based diet is vegan.

Some people eat a plant based diet solely for their own health, some because they want to reduce the incentives to factory farms and reduce the harm those cause to the environment. Most do it for animal welfare reasons. That last group, many of them have no interest in "clean eating." They're out there surviving on french fries, and Oreo's.

Most vegans didn't become vegan because they disliked the taste of meat and cheese, just the effects to the animals, and the planet.

[Lunabell]

16. I'm glad they're providing an artificial, chemical laden alternative

for health conscious vegans.

[dembotoz]

17. do you really think "health conscious vegans" are gonna eat kraft mac and cheese?

i would not anticipate a big display at whole foods.......

[Lunabell]

24. I guess the sarcasm was lost on you.

Sorry.

[redqueen]

32. Some vegans are vegan because they don't want to contribute to the suffering of animals nt

[Lunabell]

35. I know that.

I'm not stupid.

[Sky Jewels]

45. But health is only one reason people choose to be vegan.

It's a huge factor for some, not so huge for others. My reasons, in order, are: 1. the cruelty towards animals (confinement, torture, brutal slaughtering, ripping calves from mothers, etc. etc.) 2. the destruction of the environment through factory farming and meat/dairy agriculture and consumption 3. My own health (I have genetically high cholesterol and my doctor told me I'd be in trouble if I ate the Standard American Diet, aka "SAD." )

On edit: I get it. The sarcasm was lost on me...

[Lunabell]

74. Absolutely!

I am not vegan myself, but if I were it would be for the animals. The vegan versions of mac and cheese I've seen on cooking shows, are full of healthful ingredients like cashews and nitritional yeast and are apparently very tasty too!

But, for the health conscious vegans, this sounds like a nightmare. We all know the nonvegan box mac and cheese is a bowl of chemicals. Yikes!

[Sky Jewels]

18. Great news!

The dairy industry is an unspeakably cruel and environmentally destructive one.

[redqueen]

34. Indeed!

I'll definitely be trying this.

[Valdosta]

26. The "cheese" mac and cheese might not be vegan ...

... but it's not cheese.

It's "cheese food product" or some such.

[Takket]

28. We've been eating the Annie's brand vegan for years.

It isn’t as good as the Kraft. Maybe 75% as good. But my wife is dairy intolerant and like Mac and cheese lol curious to try the Kraft and see if it is as good or better.

[StarryNite]

48. Annie's has some great products.

I have not tried their non dairy mac and cheese. I need to give it a try though.

[Oopsie Daisy]

33. Is this going to REPLACE the old standard? Or is it just an "option" for those who demand such things? And ---

Shouldn't it be Kraft Mac & Not-Cheese rather than “Kraft NotMac&Cheese” (unless the macaroni is fake, but the cheese is real.)

If this is a total replacement, I think they're making a "New Coke" mistake and it will harm their reputation. Besides, I prefer to make Macaroni-Cheese from scratch anyway, so this won't make much difference to me in practical terms.

[underpants]

36. It's just an option

Remember a couple years ago they switched to real cheese and didn’t tell anyone until it was in a commercial about 6 months later. No one had noticed.

[brewens]

37. Those Kraft Mac & Cheese used to be a staple. I'd I think I left out the butter and milk but dumped in a can of

cream of mushroom soup, a small can of mushroom and a can of tuna with the "cheese" packet. If I had it, I tossed in extra cheese.

[Hekate]

38. Yes. Back in the day when I was feeding small children at the end of my long workday...

They thought Mac n Cheese was a treat — and I would hide the green peas in the mix, and slice up hot dogs into it as well.

[underpants]

59. Carbs ✅ Protein ✅ Dairy ✅

Growing up, I don’t remember Mac n cheese that much but my Mom (with 2 boys) was the Queen of the casserole. Pyrex baking dish size. That’s 2-3 days. I ate so much chicken rice and tomatoes you wouldn’t believe.

[Hekate]

39. I hope that works out for some people. As for me, though, there have been some food-adjacent items

…that tasted so awful I had to toss them out (fat-free cheese was one) .

However, I have a couple of close family members with specific dietary needs (gluten, milk, nuts) and Trader Joe’s sells things in small quantities so that if something doesn’t work out it’s okay.

[Fichefinder]

50. I never thought it was real cheese anyway

[underpants]

56. They pulled a trick a few years ago and actually went TO real cheese

and didn’t tell anyone until it was in a commercial about 6 months later. No one had noticed.

[LenaBaby61]

54. I've been vegan nearing 4 decades, and I wouldn't buy a $10 box of vegan Mac & Cheese.

Annie's Vegan Mac & Cheese cost $3.75 per box and I won't buy that. I just don't eat Mac & Cheese.

[Voltaire2]

89. Onions carrots cashews nooch.

You can make a cheap nutritious and delicious mac’n’cheese with healthy ingredients.

[Mosby]

93. Its 3.50 a box, not 10.00.

Nt

[TwilightZone]

107. It's $3.49, as clearly noted in the post.

Kind of hard to miss, frankly.

[flvegan]

61. Happy to have another alternative.

One that will likely be commonplace on the shelves of every grocery store/Target/whatever. I love Annie's but it's not always the easiest to find, so I tend to make my own when I want mac n cheese. I would also imagine that for many families raising plant-based/vegan children this will be a welcome new item, that will again, likely be easy to find.

[flying rabbit]

64. I can make a damn good mac and cheese from scratch...

but sometimes the blue box hits the spot. Childhood scarring? Who knows? Don't care.

[Groundhawg]

76. No thanks!

[moniss]

79. Back in the day when money

was really tight I used to buy the generic stuff in the white box. The big food warehouse store would have them on sale in the late '80's at a super cheap price if you bought like 10 at a time. I didn't have the money for butter or milk and so I just dumped in the powder on the hot macaroni and mixed with a little water. The stuff was neon orange and gritty and you had to eat quick because if it cooled even the slightest it got tough like a tire. You couldn't mix tuna or anything with it for the same reason.

I remember an old girl friend came and knocked on my door while I was chowing down right from the saucepan. She just about freaked because I had all of this neon orange crap around my mouth. I swear it could have glowed in the dark. But it didn't bother her that bad because she didn't offer to take me out for a meal.

[Mosby]

92. Its higher calorie than the original.

I eat some vegan foods, but not because their vegan. I might try this.

[elocs]

96. Eating a carnivore dietary lifestyle & being from Wisconsin, the Dairy State, I'll never try this concoction. No thanks.

[madville]

97. Bet it's high in sodium or sugar

That’s typically how they add flavor to faux foods. Like past marketing gimmicks, sugar-free, fat-free, all natural, vegan, etc does not often equal “healthy”.

[NoRethugFriends]

104. Many people are vegan for ethical/philosophical reasons having nothing to do with health,

[skip fox]

111. Fantastic.

Some brands of vegan mac and cheese are rather good.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

114. I'm definitely getting 2 or 3 boxes when it's available. I'm not a vegan, but dairy doesn't agree with me (or the cows).

It will just be a guilty pleasure for when my wife is out of town or gone for the day. I prefer the boxed mac & cheese to fancy, artisan mac & cheese. It will probably be no worse for me than the occasional french fries I order. Plus I'm 62, so I already have more than one foot in the grave.