Original Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Original

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

In our analysis, Original Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Original scores Ultra-Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

• Modified Starches (Modified Corn Starch): Chemical modification is a hallmark of UPF.
• Other Additives (Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acids, Monoglycerides): Miscellaneous additives generally indicate processing.
• Emulsifiers (Mono And Diglycerides): Industrial emulsifiers indicate UPF.

Within Boxed Dinners & Sides, this product is more processed than about 53% of the 4,145 products we've analyzed.

Processing classification reflects ingredient and additive analysis, not a judgment of any product's safety, quality, or healthfulness.

What These Ingredients Tell Us

We group Original Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Original's ingredients into ingredient categories and note how each relates to food processing. The notes below describe the category, not this specific product's formulation.

Synthetic VitaminsProcessing indicator

In this product: Enriched Macaroni Product: [ (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron {Ferrous Sulfate}, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Glycerol Monostearate].

Fortification often compensates for processing losses.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Cheese Sauce: [Maltodextrin, Semisoft Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Palm Oil, Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Nonfat Milk, Contains 2% Or Less Of Each Of The Following: Modified Corn Starch, Sodium Phosphate, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Phosphate, Butter, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor, With Turmeric Oleoresin Added For Color, Guar Gum, Dipotassium Phosphate, Monoglycerides, Sodium Silicoaluminate, Yellow 6 Lake]; Maltodextrin, Potassium Chloride.

Added minerals often compensate for processing.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.