This stuff is truly good, especially if you like sweet potatoes.

And then another, followed by an entire bowl’s worth. After straining and stirring in Annie’s sauce, which has a dark apricot color, I cautiously nibbled on a small spoonful of shells. I usually opt for Greek yogurt to mix in with the cheese powder because I prefer a creamier, tangier taste, but, for the vegan option, I stuck with almond milk. In my book, Annie’s is the gold standard for boxed mac and cheese. The following experiment is the direct result of that curiosity, and includes a very scientific rating system split by noodle and sauce. Recently I noticed that the mac and cheese section of my local pasta aisle was expanding to include lentil, chickpea, and rice-based noodles as well as something called “ nut cheese.” As someone who is generally a fan of gluten-free baked goods and voluntarily had two servings of Gardein Holiday Roast at Thanksgiving one year, I was intrigued by these newcomers.

A person’s go-to mac and cheese is a pretty good barometer: Tell me what kind you make, and I’ll tell you who you are. Eventually, I shelled out for truffle oil instead of paying off my student debt, and started making baked truffle mac and cheese. After graduating, I stocked up on boxes of the Whole Foods 365 brand, elevating things to a very gourmet level by introducing a dollop of whole-milk yogurt or sprinkling in some dried basil and oregano.

I started off by making good old Kraft Easy Mac, the stuff designed to be chucked carelessly into a dorm room microwave to stave off a hangover. They say you have to learn to crawl before you can walk, much like you have to learn how to make boxed mac and cheese before you can make Ina Garten’s Grown-Up version.

Free mac and cheese noodles