And here’s theperfect appetizerfor your next watch party or event: macaroni and cheese bites.
And now, many different stores and brands offer versions of the tidbits.
But, the chain greatly impacts these areas and is one of my favorite places to shop.
Photos by brands. Design by Eat This, Not That!
I’d never reached for Giant Eagle’s store brandMac ‘N Cheese Bites.
A box of 12 cost me a reasonable $3.29.
The look:Triangular-shaped but with a batter coating that makes them resemble McDonald’s chicken nuggets.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The innards are a pale orange, and the macaroni noodles aren’t overly cheesy.
The taste:These bites are one of the few Giant Eagle products that disappoint me.
The inner mac and cheese portion tasted solely of cheddar cheese and was watery.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
6 dyes are thrown in to create that more appealing coloring.
The outer casing comes with its laundry list of problems, among them being more chewy than crispy.
The bites can be bought online through retailers such asthe Gluten-Free MallorThrive Market.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The look:Uniformly sphere-shaped with a crumbly outer crust.
Most pieces split open during the baking process, revealing bright carrot-colored contents.
The shade is less natural than the picture on the box.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:These bites come out of the oven with a nice crunch.
But, they cool off rapidly, losing all that great texture and even turning to the dry side.
This could be because there are more noodles than cheese.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
Louisa White Cheddar Toasted Mac & Cheese
Louisa does macaroni and cheese bites differently.
The company’s goal is to be a leader in frozen pasta.
This mission carries over into its line of appetizers, includingToasted Mac & Cheese.
Megan Hageman, Eat This, Not That!
The means the products outer husk is pasta rather than a breading blanket.
The bites also include white cheddar cheese instead of yellow cheddar and ricotta and mozzarella.
I gave them a fair shot by themselves.
The look:Flat and disc-shaped.
They look like fried ravioli.
The color of the mac and cheese is closer to white or cream rather than orange or yellow.
They’re not overly stuffed.
The taste:There’s a decent amount of cheese but not enough mac.
It seems like there are hardly any noodles.
I did enjoy the pasta exterior.
The edges crisped perfectly in the oven and their sturdiness makes them easy to eat and dip.
1 in this department.
They are part of the brand’s Bite-Fulls line and use real cheddar.
The look:These are a mouthfulthe largest bites in the taste test.
The size of each is inconsistent.
Two were morphed together in the box, forming one long macaroni and cheese clump.
At each bite’s core is a golden nucleus of cheesy elbow noodles.
The taste:Creamy and yummy, but nothing standout.
Just like Giant Eagle’s offering, there isn’t enough complexity with a single cheese.
The breading is lusterless, and it didn’t get crusty enough in the oven.
Perhaps the air fryer would have brought them to that desired textureI’ll try that next time.
In the frozen aisle, customers also find many appetizers and snacks sporting the Appetitos label.
Arelatively small boxwith 11 pieces sells for $3.49.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
The look:Not overly appetizing.
The shape resembles a mini corn dog, and the breading has the same look.
Some became smooshed down in the oven, but noodles are still visible in the middle.
The taste:I wasn’t expecting anything incredible, but the bites surprised me for a budget option.
It’s a box I would reach for again.
Each box comes with 10 pieces, costs $3.99, and sports a new and improved recipe.
With all this fromage, it’s a miracle that any elbow macaroni could still fit inside each nugget.
The look:In the shape of a ball, like Feel Good Foods Bites, but larger.
The size leaves room for plenty of curvy noodles, which take on a pale yellow color.
The taste:Trader Joe’s achieves the perfect ratio of breading to cheese to macaroni.
The TJ’s bites are good enough to eat plain, as I did.
But, they would be even better dunked in marinara or some dressed-up ranch.
