It’s finally here! Kraft has officially launched vegan mac & cheese in the U.S., and it’s rolling out in not one, but two dairy-free varieties. Kraft Plant Based Mac & Cheese is now available in their iconic Original and popular White Cheddar flavors for boxed mac & cheese fans with non-dairy needs. It’s the second cheesy joint venture between the Kraft Heinz Company and NotCo.
Kraft Dairy-Free Mac & Cheese is All Boxed Up for U.S. Markets
Kraft launched their first vegan boxed mac & cheese two years ago, but it was only available in Australia. This new plant based iteration is for the U.S. market, and has a completely different recipe. It not only uses a classic wheat macaroni product, it also has a sauce packet with unique “Not Milk” type ingredients, like fava bean protein and dried pineapple. We have the full list of ingredients for each variety below.
Original
Ingredients: enriched macaroni product (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate (iron), thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), folic acid); sauce mix (coconut oil powder, gum arabic, modified food starch, sugar, yeast extract, fava bean protein isolate, salt, contains less than 2% of dried pineapple, citric acid, lactic acid, medium chain triglycerides, natural flavor, oleoresin paprika and turmeric oleoresin (for color), rosemary extract, ascorbic acid and tocopherols (added to support quality)). contains wheat.
Nutrition (per 1/2 box dry (unprepared)): 310 calories, 4.5g fat, 560mg sodium, 57g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g sugars (includes 2g added sugars), 10g protein.*
Nutrition (per 1/2 box prepared using margarine and unsweetened almond milk): 450 calories, 19g fat, 780mg sodium, 58g carbs, 4g fiber, 4g sugars (includes 2g added sugars), 11g protein.*
White Cheddar
Ingredients: enriched macaroni product (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate (iron), thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), folic acid); sauce mix (coconut oil powder, gum arabic, modified food starch, yeast extract, sugar, fava bean protein isolate, salt, contains less than 2% of maltodextrin, natural flavor, dried pineapple, citric acid, lactic acid, medium chain triglycerides, onion powder). contains wheat.
Nutrition (per 1/2 box dry (unprepared)): 310 calories, 4.5g fat, 560mg sodium, 57g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugars (includes 1g added sugars), 10g protein.*
Nutrition (per 1/2 box prepared using margarine and unsweetened almond milk): 450 calories, 19g fat, 790mg sodium, 58g carbs, 4g fiber, 3g sugars (includes 1g added sugars), 10g protein.*
More Facts on Kraft Plant Based Mac & Cheese
- Price: $3.49 per 6-ounce box
- Availability: Kraft Plant Based Mac & Cheese is rolling out to major retailers in the U.S. now. Look for it in the shelf-stable section with the other boxed mac & cheese products. So far, it’s been spotted at the Albertsons / Safeway family of stores and Harris Teeter. You can also order it direct from Amazon.
- Certifications: We did not note any certifications on Kraft Plant Based Mac & Cheese.
- Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Kraft Plant Based Mac & Cheese is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free (if prepared with a nut-free milk alternative), peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. In Australia, the vegan Kraft mac & cheese is made with gluten-free macaroni, but the U.S. version is wheat-based.*
- For More Product Information: Kraft and NotCo have not launched a joint website, and neither brand has been reporting these plant-based products on their respective websites. We will add more product information here as available. For more information on other Kraft NotCo products, see our post on Kraft NotCheese Plant Based Slices.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
Never had an issue with Kraft Mac & Cheese
Even though I am severely dairy intolerant I’ve never had an issue with Kraft Mac & Cheese. I’m not convinced they ever used real cheese to begin with.
I wish I could find a lactic acid free salami though… I can’t tolerate lactic acid at all.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Kraft Mac & Cheese is filled with milk. The very first ingredient in the cheese sauce mix is whey, and it also contains milk, milkfat, and milk protein concentrate. It’s perhaps a low lactose food (though I couldn’t say for sure), but it is definitely high in dairy.