Shoppers Say They Would Never Buy Costco’s Mac and Cheese — And They've Got Good Reasons

Countless Americans regard mac and cheese as a delicacy and an all-time favorite casserole. To quote the numbers, more than 1 million blue and yellow boxes of Costco’s Mac-and-cheese are sold each day, per Pasta Pantry. A YouTuber said, “I don’t want to have anything to do with it if my holiday dinner doesn’t have Costco’s Mac & Cheese.” Sharing the review for Costco’s macaroni and cheese in a video, Chef Dawg said, “It tasted like it was homemade.” The main reason why consumers’ taste buds are so attached to this simple recipe is an ambrosial orchestra of flavors that it releases in the mouth despite containing very basic and plain kitchen ingredients.

The linchpin ingredient that makes this dish so tasty is a trio of cheeses. Costco employs a blend of three cheeses, all shredded, in its macaroni & cheese, per Food Republic. When someone delves into the velvety goodness of this appetizer, they are welcomed with a buttery taste of cheddar. Soon enough, their taste sensors detect the undertones of nutty-tasting Parmesan cheese and the tangy saltiness of Romano cheese. The box comes with cavatappi macaroni pasta. When the pasta is sent for a ride in the microwave, at about 400 degrees, the melting cheeses cling and enrobe its corkscrew-shaped strands, all the while exploding inside them through ridges and holes. Ingredients like butter, salt, peppers, paprika, and garlic powder further enhance the flavor of creamy golden cheese.

In a Facebook post, Costco revealed that its signature cheese sauce is freshly made in its deli department. But despite this delectable fusion of flavors and divine textures, Costco’s macaroni and cheese carries mixed reviews from people. In Home Alone, when Kevin went on a solo shopping trip and added a blue box of Kraft’s Macaroni & Cheese to his cart, he asked the supermarket cashier, “Are these microwavable dinners any good?” In real life, some people would likely answer this question with a no. On Costco’s website, one person said they found the noodles in the snack to be too gummy and mushy, so they kept sticking to their pan.

In a two-year-old Reddit post, user u/CactusBoyScout asked people to share the “single worst prepared food that Costco sells” according to them.  In response, people called out the retailer’s macaroni and cheese product, saying that “it’s bland.” u/tigerbalmz pointed out that it’s “quite really high in sodium.” Healthline explains that this is mainly due to the salty content of cheese sauce, which is not good for health. Another user, u/gramathy, said Costco’s macaroni and cheese “doesn’t have much flavor,” and so it “needs more punch to even it out,” although it has “good consistency.”

In another Reddit post, user u/Intelligent_Menu8004 described the snack as “bland, overly cheesy, has a slimy/sticky texture, and the noodles were gummy.” However, this doesn’t mean you ditch your favorite mac-and-cheese. Simple tricks can turn the bland and flavorless appetizer into something tasty. Food & Wine suggests that one just sprinkle some salt, like garlic salt, to combat the bland taste. To balance out the overly cheesy, Alfredo-dominant flavor of Romano and Parmesan, one can add more cheddar cheese. Additionally, one can add some protein or veggies like broccoli, peas, or spinach for freshness and protein. To enhance the flavor, blend in some chilli powder, smoky paprika, or toppings like breadcrumbs or jalapenos before slipping the baking tray into the oven.