Muscle Mac
Pros
- Taste
- Texture
- Protein
Cons
- Poor Macros
- Similar to Kraft
- Powdered/Packaged Cheese
Muscle Mac is high protein mac and cheese aimed at the health enthusiast. Is it better for you than Kraft? Yes. But how much better is the real question? The real answer is it’s better but not much better. The use of pea protein in the actual pasta gives you 20g of protein, but more protein doesn’t always mean it’s healthy. If you have a Kraft kick, then I suggest replacing it with this, or find a better, healthier alternative.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LSJmN4i5Zw” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#2e2e2e” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”padding-5-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#efefef” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_color_hover=”#ffffff” background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”medium_depth” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”2px” column_border_color=”#000000″ column_border_style=”solid”][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-arrow-right” color=”Accent-Color”]
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Then we move into the taste of the different flavors we’ve tried. We grade each flavor separately and average the scores for their overall taste rating. We were able to test out regular Mac & Cheese and Aged White Cheddar.
We look at texture on this as well. We want to make sure it is edible/drinkable.
Finally, we talk about value. Value is the combination of profile, effectiveness, taste and texture in relation to cost. Another part of value are the competitors and other versions of this available on the market.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/2″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Ingredients Profile
[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]Muscle Mac comes in various types. You can buy it in a box, this is similar to your typical Kraft Mac & Cheese. You can buy it in shells, this is similar to Velveeta. Or you can get it in a microwavable bowl to-go.We were able to try two versions. The shells and the to-go.
The shells macros are:
Serving Size: 4.4oz
Calories: 400
Fats: 14g
Carbs: 48g
Protein: 20g
Here’s Velveeta Shells macros:
Serving Size: 4oz
Calories: 360
Fats: 12g
Carbs: 49g
Protein: 13g
The biggest difference is the protein content between the two. The pasta is also derived from different sources.
The pasta is the same across any type of Muscle Mac. It is derived from Durum Wheat Semolina and Pea Protein Isolate. Sure, a little better with the added pea protein isolate, but you’re still getting that cheese.
With the shell version, the cheese is just like Velveeta. There’s just something about melted cheese in a packet that gets me.
Let’s take a look at the to-go cups:
Serving Size: 3.6oz
Calories: 420
Fats: 13g
Carbs: 60g
Protein: 20g
Here’s Kraft Mac & Cheese to-go cup:
Serving Size: 58g = 2.04oz (less)
Calories: 220
Fats: 4g
Carbs: 40g
Protein: 6g
If you do the math to make these equal, the biggest different, again, is the protein content only.
The cheese packets on these are powdered. The actual units have an anti-boil powder in them as well to ensure the water doesn’t boil over in the microwave.
In all honesty, these are not great macros. These are a lot of calories for little food. There are a lot of carbs, which is to be expected with a pasta.
This profile would have been leaps and bounds better had they used a chick pea base for the pasta versus Durum Wheat Semolina.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/2″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”4941″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Taste
Original Cheddar: White Cheddar: [/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]If you like the taste of Kraft Mac & Cheese you will love Muscle Mac. It is essentially exactly the same. The good thing about this is you don’t have to add butter or milk.
Aged White Cheddar is unique. This is why I really liked it. Don’t get me wrong, ain’t nothin’ betta’ than chedda’ but aged white cheddar did a heck of a job of hanging in there with the main event.
I preferred the taste of Cheddar on the to-go cups versus the Shells. This is because I am not a fan of the cheese sauce used in the shells. Grosses me out.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Texture
[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]These are noodled heated up via stove-top or microwave. The texture should be what you expect.For the to-go cups, you microwave for 3:30 minutes, stir in the cheese powder and dig in. For the shells, you boil on stove-top for 10-12 minutes, add the cheese sauce and dig in.
The only way to screw up the texture would be the under cook or over cook the shells.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Value
[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]Muscle Mac is expensive. For (6) to-go cups, it can run you almost $25 on websites. That is over $4 per cup. For me, that is expensive, only because it is not incrementally better than other mac and cheeses on the market.Annies is an organic mac and cheese available online that retails for cheaper. The biggest difference is the 20g of protein. They add pea protein isolate to the noodles. If the noodles were chick pea, I would have been a bigger fan. I cannot justify $4 a cup or $3.50 for the shells. You still have to eat that cheese…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][heading]Available at these Fitness Informant approved retailers:[/heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#efefef” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”2px” column_border_style=”solid”][tabbed_section style=”default” alignment=”left”][tab title=”ALL SIZES” id=”1509114502646-02e98-c050″ tab_id=”1510418192887-8″][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” top_padding=”10″ bottom_padding=”10″ text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1509116724210{background-color: #2e2e2e !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text] PRICE COMPARISON:[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/tab][/tabbed_section][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/4″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
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See Price
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