Do you love Macaroni and Cheese?  I do, it’s perhaps the greatest of all comfort foods.  There’s so many different recipes for the stuff, it would be silly to claim the discovery of a new one!   Even so, let’s consider the venerable mac and cheese offering from Stouffer’s in your grocer’s freezer case, particularly the “Large” 20 ounce size.  I wondered if this rendition of the old favorite was in any way competitive with one of the quick-style recipes that we could make at home.

First, the numbers. In general, 1 ounce of cooked pasta will weigh 2 1/2 ounces.  So, in a 20 oz Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese there is likely about 4 ounces of dry macaroni which will become 10 oz cooked (2 servings).  If you buy Barilla, you can purchase that 4 ounces all day long for $.40.

In my quick version, you’ll use  2/3 cup milk which weighs approx 6.4 oz, which will cost about $.20.  Next, we’ll need some sort of cheese (Stouffer’s uses cheddar, so they say).  If you keep a 2 pound block of cheddar around, the needed 4 ounces will set you back about $.56. Then, 2 tablespoons of butter weighs 1 ounce and costs $.20.

Ready?  The cost to make 20 ounces of homemade Macaroni and Cheese is under $1.37.  The Stouffer’s equivalent at my store?  $3.99.  Let’s make some mac and cheese FAST!