Original Macaroni & Cheese, Original

Processing Score

11.6Ultra-Processed

02.55.08.010+

Nutrition Score

3.5/10Fair

The processing score reflects 45 ingredients, including preservatives, modified ingredients, enriched flour or grain, plus 2 more we flag. No nutrient exceeds our high thresholds.

Tops Original Macaroni & Cheese, Original Boxed Dinners & Sides

Data Updated

Oct 18, 2026

UPC

070784004372

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Nutrition Facts

Serving size225 g

Amount per serving

Calories

280

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g

15%

Saturated Fat 6g

30%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 30mg

10%

Sodium 1010mg

44%

Total Carbohydrate 34g

12%

Dietary Fiber <1g

Total Sugars 3g

Protein 10g

Vitamin D 0mcg

Calcium 160mg

12%

Iron 1mg

Potassium 160mg

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

9 listed · 6 flagged for review

COOKED ENRICHED PASTA (WATER, ELBOW MACARONI [SEMOLINA (WHEAT), NIACIN, IRON (FERROUS SULFATE), THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, DAIRY BLEND (MILK, BUTTER [CREAM, SALT], SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, MONOGLYCERIDES), PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESE SPREAD (AMERICAN CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, WHEY, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF MILKFAT, SALT, SODIUM-ALGINATE, LACTIC ACID, APOCARATENAL [COLOR]), CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, POTASSIUM SORBATE, ANNATTO EXTRACT.

Listed in source order (heaviest first). Select any ingredient to see its category bucket and other products that contain it.

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

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

Modified Starches (Modified Food Starch): Chemical modification is a hallmark of UPF.
Chemical Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate): Synthetic preservatives are UPF indicators.

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, 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: Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]).

Fortification often compensates for processing losses.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

Natural ColorsProcessing indicator

In this product: Annatto Extract.

Natural sources but still indicate processing.

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Avoiding Milk, Wheat Or Soy?

This product lists milk, wheat and soy in its ingredients. Ketzal, our iPhone app, tracks these and other allergens and ingredients on your Avoid List. Download Ketzal to set up your own Avoid List and get an alert when a product you scan contains something on it.

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