Craving mac and cheese but need gluten free options that actually taste good and don’t waste your money? We bought and taste-tested every gluten free boxed mac & cheese we could find and share honest, unsponsored reviews so you can shop smarter.
This post was updated 3.8.2025
Eating gluten free—whether for celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or personal choice—often means paying more while trying multiple products to find one you like. That trial-and-error can get expensive fast.
Macaroni and cheese is no exception: boxed gluten free varieties can be pricey and hit-or-miss. After testing every brand we could purchase, we found clear winners and some we wouldn’t recommend.
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Note: Taste is subjective—what we liked, someone else may dislike and vice versa. Our tests included multiple adults and kids, so you’ll see a range of reactions in the ratings.
We bought and prepared every product ourselves; none of these reviews are sponsored.
If a brand is missing from our list and you can tell us where to buy it, leave a comment and we’ll try it in a future update.
On to the reviews.
Table of contents
GLUTEN FREE MAC & CHEESE BRANDS
We searched grocery stores and online retailers—including Walmart, Target, local markets, Amazon, and specialty sites—to assemble a wide selection of gluten free boxed mac and cheese for testing.
Brands we tested include:
Gluten Free Mac & Cheese Brands
Thrive Market Organic Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese
Annie’s Organic Gluten Free Red Lentil Spirals & White Cheddar
Annie’s Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar
Banza Mac & Cheese (chickpea pasta)
Funny Farm Goat Cheddar (brown rice & quinoa shells)
Kraft Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
Jovial Organic Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese (white cheddar)
Super Fat Low Net Carb Mac & Cheese (lupini bean pasta)
Gluten Free Vegan Mac & Cheese Brands
Jovial Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Vegan Mac
Banza Plant-Based Mac (chickpea shells + vegan cheddar)
Thrive Market Organic Plant-Based Mac (corn, rice & quinoa pasta)
Daiya Deluxe Mac & Cheeze (dairy-free sauce + gf elbow pasta)
RATING METHOD
Each box was prepared according to package directions. For dairy versions we used whole milk and optional unsalted butter; for vegan varieties we used unsweetened almond milk and dairy-free butter.
Pasta was cooked in a large pot to al dente, watched closely, drained (and rinsed for bean pastas), and served immediately.
We rated every product on a 1–5 scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent) across these categories:
- Flavor: Overall taste, cheese authenticity, any off or bitter notes.
- Texture: Pasta bite—al dente, mushy, or overly chewy.
- Appearance: Sauce color, pasta shape, and sauce consistency.
- Final Rating: Average of the three scores above.
GLUTEN FREE MAC AND CHEESE REVIEW
Our tasting panel included two adults and two kids. Below are concise, honest notes and the final scores for each product.
Thrive Market Organic Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Review
Verdict: Bland sauce, thin noodles that lacked structure, and an odd color. Not recommended.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 3 — a little bland
Texture: 2 — flimsy and overly chewy
Appearance: 2 — pale and not cohesive
Final Rating: 2.5 — would not recommend
Annie’s Organic Red Lentil Spirals & White Cheddar
Verdict: The white cheddar sauce had good flavor, but the lentil pasta carried a beany aftertaste and a delicate texture that can fall apart—likely not ideal for picky eaters.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 3.5 — tasty sauce, distinct lentil flavor
Texture: 2 — tender and prone to breaking
Appearance: 4 — visually unique, may not appeal to kids
Final Rating: 3 — a decent, nutrient-dense option if you like lentil pasta
Annie’s Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar Review
Verdict: Flavorful cheese but the noodles were thick and overly chewy, even with extra cooking. Appearance and texture were off-putting.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 4
Texture: 2
Appearance: 2
Final Rating: 2.5 — not recommended
Banza Mac & Cheese (Chickpea Pasta)
Verdict: Well-flavored sauce and attractive color. The chickpea elbows held together and looked great; expect a slightly firmer, bean-based chew. A top choice for fans of bean pastas.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 3.5
Texture: 3.5
Appearance: 5
Final Rating: 4 — great if you enjoy chickpea pasta
Funny Farm Goat Cheddar (Brown Rice & Quinoa Shells)
Verdict: A standout for texture—pasta held up and the sauce coated well. Flavor has a goat-cheese character that will polarize eaters: great if you like goat cheese, dislike if you don’t.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 3 — distinctly goat-like
Texture: 5
Appearance: 4
Final Rating: 4 — recommended only if you enjoy goat cheese
Kraft Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese
Verdict: A crowd-pleaser and the most nostalgic option. Texture and flavor closely matched classic Kraft, and it’s certified gluten free—ideal for families seeking familiar comfort food.
Certified Gluten Free? Yes (NSF) Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 4
Texture: 4
Appearance: 4
Final Rating: 4 — great for nostalgic fans and kids
Super Fat Low Net Carb Mac & Cheese (Lupini Bean Pasta)
Verdict: Thick, heavy noodles with an unpleasant texture and flavor. It’s one of the few keto-certified options, but we did not enjoy it.
Certified Gluten Free? Yes (GFCO) Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 2
Texture: 1
Appearance: 2
Final Rating: 1.5 — not recommended unless it meets a strict keto need
Jovial Organic Gluten Free Mac and Cheese (White Cheddar)
Verdict: One of our clear winners. The white cheddar tastes real and balanced, and the pasta cooks to a pleasant bite. Noodles are larger than some brands, which some people prefer.
Certified Gluten Free? Yes (GFCO) Allergens: Milk
Flavor: 4
Texture: 4.5
Appearance: 4
Final Rating: 4 — a top pick for white cheddar lovers
VEGAN GLUTEN FREE MAC & CHEESE REVIEW
Vegan versions were prepared with unsweetened almond milk and a dairy-free butter. Overall, plant-based mac and cheese is a tougher category—flavors and textures differ substantially from dairy versions and were not as well-received by our family.
Jovial Organic Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vegan Mac
Verdict: The best of the vegan bunch—less “dairy-free” tasting than other dairy-free options, with sturdy noodles and a believable cheese flavor.
Certified Gluten Free? Yes Allergens: None
Flavor: 4
Texture: 4.5
Appearance: 3
Final Rating: 4 — our top vegan pick
Thrive Market Plant-Based Mac and Cheese
Verdict: Strong, unpleasant flavor and floppy noodles—this one did not work for our panel.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: None
Flavor: 1
Texture: 2
Appearance: 2
Final Rating: 1.5 — would not recommend
Banza Plant-Based Mac and Cheese
Verdict: While the pasta texture was solid, the plant-based sauce flavor did not appeal to our testers and was discarded.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: None
Flavor: 1
Texture: 3.5
Appearance: 4
Final Rating: 2.5 — not recommended due to sauce flavor
Daiya Deluxe Mac & Cheeze
Verdict: The best dairy-free convenience option we tried. The premade sauce simplifies preparation and delivers a reasonable vegan cheese flavor and good texture.
Certified Gluten Free? No Allergens: None
Flavor: 3
Texture: 4
Appearance: 4
Final Rating: 3.5 — our second pick for dairy-free
CONCLUSION
Finding gluten-free mac and cheese that balances taste, texture, and cost can be challenging. Our testing highlights several reliable options and a few that miss the mark.
Top picks for dairy versions: Jovial (white cheddar), Banza (if you enjoy bean pasta), and Kraft (for a nostalgic, kid-friendly choice). For dairy-free options, Jovial’s dairy-free formula and Daiya performed best in our panel.
Always read product labels carefully for gluten-free certification and allergens—recipes change and manufacturers may update ingredients at any time.
Have a favorite gluten-free mac and cheese we missed? Share it in the comments and we may include it in our next round of testing.