Annie's Homegrown Real Aged Cheddar Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese, 12 Cups, 2.01oz (Pack of 12)

FIRST time ordering, it was on sale and I wanted to try one without all the chemicals. You know the blue box one most of us grew up on. Anyway, CONS FIRST: HOW to prepare and directions - I read reviews before even ordering. This is one the directions did NOT do it for me. Here's how I prepared and will adjust next time (this was for very first one out of the box). I filled to line as it said, but stirred really well before putting in microwave. Microed for one minute, stirred, microed another minute and it was thick and slimy. ONLY word I can think, look and felt slimy when I stirred. I added a little more word, microd about another min. still slimy, but added packet of cheese and stirred and let sit for about five minutes. NOT as slimy when I went to eat, but noodles, even with extra cooking time, still a little too al dente, not soft enough, for me. NEXT time I will do this but stop and add MORE water after cooking a min, stirring, cooking again, stirring, will add about a third cup more water (it cooks down). AND I will also let sit for at least five-ten mins before eating because when I stir seems less slimy. Portion you wind up with - after cooking you're lucky getting a HALF of the cup to actually eat, another reason I will add more water next time, because it doesn't seem noodles cooked enough. TASTE - I have this as a CON and a PRO. Not super tasty. Not bad, but better if you doctor it up a bit. PROS - INGREDIENTS - I wanted something that I would KNOW what ingredients are in it (looking at the blue box one, I can't pronounce, much less know, what all the ingredients are, some I looked up). I wanted something I felt was healthier, this one ticks that box. EASE of COOKING - After doing one, I figured out how to do the next one. Microwaves vary and you may have to experiment. TASTE - not bad, but again, adding pretty much anything will make it less blend. And I like it doesn't taste unnatural. TEXTURE - depending on how you cook and waiting (crucial) for 5-10 minutes after stirring in cheese, makes the slimy go away a lot. COST - well, I did get with a 20% discount which is one of the reasons I wanted to try, so cost was good BUT considering you only get about a HALF of the carton when the product is done, if you're hungry, you're going to need two. BOTTOMLINE: NOT sorry I got it, the only thing that might prohibit me getting often is the price and quantity you end up with. If I have to make two, becomes obviously more expensive and I will go thru all 12 in six days. CONSIDERING healthy alternatives for quick, relatively healthy meals, this is only one I found, I can eat it, and it was on sale. Will see for future.

Very tasty but it ALWAYS boils over in my microwave. I have to cook it for 1 minute, let the hot water soak into the pasta for a minute or so, and then cook it again for another minute, and then wait again for the pasta to soak in the water, and THEN cook for the rest of recommended time. I make ramen and macaroni cup meals frequently and none of the others EVER boils over. Something needs to be changed or adjusted. Otherwise 5 stars.

These were just the right snack

I've had a Subscribe and Save subscription for these mac and cheese cups for a long time. I have a chronic disease that makes it difficult to find energy to even feed myself on occasion, and not eating one day just makes it more difficult the next. These cups have been among a few different instant meal type of options I've kept at home to help as much as possible on such days, because non-GMO ingredients are a must. It has helped that the taste is mild. For me, it's been better to get bored of something that's mild but can be made to taste different in several ways with the addition of hot sauce or particular spices to suit my mood, than of something with a flavor that's strong and couldn't be at least moderately altered by quick means. The taste is not offensive in any way -- it's just very light. My big complaints have been that: 1. Portions are truly small. I'm an underweight and small-framed woman, with a generally sedentary lifestyle as of the last few years, and with a life-long tiny appetite, but I typically must eat 3 cups (ie 3 servings) to make a small and not-lasting dent on hunger. It's strange, given that I can feel the difference that 1 Ensure drink/serving makes immediately, and for some reason I've expected more from Annie's, since, as a vegetarian for 30+ years and a past vegan, I've known the brand well for a long time. 2. Given the small portions, the cost of the cups, even in "bulk" -- if a pack of 12 can be considered "bulk" -- seems a little high. I've felt the same about other products from Annie's, especially given the increasing availability of vegetarian, vegan, and non-GMO instant meal products as of the last few years. This is all well and good, but my review today is mostly to express disappointment about my recent Subscribe and Save delivery of a 12 pack of cups. In its own, original box from the manufacturer, at least one of the cups arrived open, with ingredients spilling out all over the inside of the box and other cups, as seen in the attached photo. From the outside, the box appeared to be perfectly healthy -- no dents, nothing. Given my kitchen's tendency to attract ants and other pests if I even think about keeping anything not stored in an airtight container, I cannot salvage the other cups. I'd be too nervous to eat them one after another now -- which I could probably do, given the small proportions -- as the spilled ingredients are powder, and uncooked macaroni covered in powder. I just want to get the box out of my home. I'm not sure how this could happen without damage to the original manufacturer's box. The thought makes me assume practices about the processing/packaging facilities that are unappetizing. I'm saddened to see this from an established company like Annie's.

Packaged in a way that allows the rim of the cup to be impacted. This opens the container and spills the contents in the box. 5 out of the 12 cups were open.