I always keep a few boxes of macaroni and cheese in my pantry for days when I want an easy lunch or a side dish for dinner. Mac and cheese has the benefit of being shelf stable for a long time, so it’s a good item to stock up on, even if it isn’t the healthiest of foods.
I often buy macaroni and cheese from Aldi, but my family has also tried and liked various mac and cheeses from Dollar Tree and Dollar General.
Here, we’re taking a look at a mac and cheese option from another dollar store, Family Dollar.
Chestnut Hill Macaroni and Cheese Dinner cost $0.50 for a 7.25-ounce box at the time of publication. This is the cheapest mac and cheese at Family Dollar, and it’s the kind that comes with a powdered cheese packet and calls for adding milk and butter. For $1.50, you can also buy macaroni and cheese boxed kits at Family Dollar that include ready-to-pour cheese pouches and require no additional ingredients.
This Chestnut Hill Macaroni and Cheese Dinner is made with real cheese, with no synthetic colors or artificial flavors.
It’s distributed by Midwood Brands LLC, which is the company behind Family Dollar.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
If you’re looking out for allergens, this contains milk and wheat.
To prepare, stir macaroni into 6 cups of boiling water. Boil rapidly for 7-8 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Drain and add 4 Tbsp. of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup of milk, and the contents of the sauce packet. Mix well and serve.
The noodles were done boiling after just 6-7 minutes. This is like most boxed mac and cheeses in terms of preparation. You drain the water and add butter, milk, and the powdered cheese packet. This calls for a fairly generous amount of milk and butter compared to some other boxed mac and cheese options, and in that sense it feels like a richer, slightly fancier pasta, perhaps a little more like Kraft Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese.
I served this as a side dish with some pulled pork sandwiches, grilled mixed veggies, and deviled eggs. It didn’t last long, and both the kids and grownups approved. I’d definitely buy this again without hesitation. It’s not a health food, for sure, but in terms of taste, it’s as good as or better than the basic name-brand Kraft boxed mac and cheese.
The Verdict:
Chestnut Hill Macaroni and Cheese Dinner is the Family Dollar version of a basic Kraft macaroni and cheese boxed pasta meal. It calls for a good amount of butter and milk to be added to the cooked noodles, and it includes a packet of powdered cheese. That extra butter and milk makes this a rich entrée or side dish, and it was better than we expected for a store brand. If you like mac and cheese, this is worth trying.
