Annies Organic Vegan Cheddar Mac

The first product we tried was Annie’s Organic Vegan Cheddar Mac. Annie’s has a couple of flavors (and I wish I had found their Deluxe Rich & Creamy Shells), but since it was the only vegan option available at Whole Foods I went for it. Right off the bat, Annie’s score points for being only one of two organic options. The preparation method was what I’ll call the classic boxed mac - cook the noodles in boiling water (I always add a bit of salt to my pasta water), while they're draining, heat up some non-dairy milk (I used Silk Cashew milk) and stir in the sauce powder. I find this frustrating when the powder clumps up but nothing a little vigorous stirring can’t fix.

On taste, Annie’s was top tier in our book. All reviewers agreed that while not a super-powerful taste, it could definitely pass for the real thing. Where Annie’s ost points in our book were for the noodles. They were too thin and slippery, making for a less than ideal eating experience compared to some other noodles we tried.