We’ve tried Stouffer’s Classic Mac & Cheese, and we’ve also tried their White Cheddar Mac & Cheese. So far, we’d say that Stouffer’s is a company that knows what they’re doing when it comes to macaroni dishes. So we decided to dig even further into their macaroni offerings to check out their Garlic Parmesan Mac & Cheese.
Normally we would add a link to this product on Stouffer’s website, but we actually couldn’t find it there. We’re not sure if that means this product is discontinued, or perhaps it’s a new product that hasn’t been added to the website yet. Whatever the case may be, we were able to find this easily enough at our local grocery store, so we’re still going to proceed with our review. Besides, at this point we’ve already purchased the thing, so we may as well eat it and share our thoughts with our readers.
This meal is no slouch when it comes to cook time. The microwave instructions on the box ask us to cook for three minutes, then remove the plastic film and cook for an additional five minutes. That’s eight whole minutes of cook time, meaning this thing takes longer to heat up than Stouffer’s White Cheddar Mac & Cheese or their Turkey Tetrazzini, both of which have quite long cook times.
Once this thing comes out of the microwave, a pungent garlic scent will fill your kitchen. This macaroni comes out smelling like a fresh loaf of garlic bread. Stouffer’s wasn’t kidding around with the garlic portion here.
It also comes out piping hot, so you’ll want to let it cool for a bit after cooking it. Yes, we know you’re probably already getting pretty impatient after that long cook time, but we don’t want you to burn the roof of your mouth, because that can be quite the inconvenience. Especially if you’ve got kissing to do later on (though we’re going to say that if you’re chowing down on a garlic-filled meal like this one, we hope you don’t have kissing to do afterward).
This comes in a white sauce that’s cheddar-based, though it’s also loaded with parmesan and garlic, as the title suggests. This isn’t so much a creamy macaroni dish as a savory, garlic-y one.
There’s also a decent portion of seasoned breadcrumbs, and those contain even more garlic. They add a pleasant crispy feel to the texture of this dish, which is actually quite good.
The noodles are your traditional elbows. While we enthusiastically welcome other noodle shapes — like shells, spirals, or even bowties — we can appreciate the “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” approach that this dish takes. When it comes to mac and cheese, it’s really hard to argue with elbows.
The front of the box claims this has 330 calories, which doesn’t sound too bad for a hearty bowl of mac and cheese like this one. Of course, the front of the box is a little deceptive, as it contains two portions. A full meal puts this up to a whopping 660 calories (240 from fat), which is no small thing. This is definitely not diet-friendly.
When you double the sodium content, this really goes off the charts, with 1,580 mg. That’s a sodium overload if we’ve ever seen one. In fact, this is one of the highest sodium levels we’ve seen in a frozen meal, and we’ve seen no shortage of frozen meals here at Freezer Meal Frenzy. If you’re trying to watch your sodium intake, keep this meal out of your home.
Stouffer’s Garlic Parmesan Mac & Cheese is a great-tasting adult-style macaroni meal, though it’s not for dieters. If you’re willing to enjoy this as a cheat day treat, we’re pretty sure you’re going to love it. If you can find it, that is.
To learn more about the nutrition facts and ingredients of this frozen macaroni dish, check out our package scans below.
