I paid $2.49 per box of Pastato Mac & Cheese at Gluten Solutions (pasta-13) and have since found it cheaper at Gluten Free Mall for $2.24 (GFD186400). The Pastato Mac & Cheese has three servings per box. Compared to the Kraft boxes that I usually get this contained a lot more noodles, less orange in color with a more pleasing scent to it. I did make the mistake of overcooking the noodles a little bit, but this did not make a difference in the taste I had.
In fact I had an entire bowl with leftovers still for another meal. Last time I consumed macaroni and cheese was pre-children days when I was single. I would add corn and ham to a mac and cheese dish, sprinkle parmesan cheese and bake for a bit to get a crispy texture.
I had to move the noodles after draining to a large saute pan from the medium sized sauce pan to make room. The box stated to add 2 ounces of skim milk, which is the type of milk Nicholas and I consume. Luckily my measuring cup noted 2 ounces on the 1/4 cup container!
The sauce mix seems to be less than the other brands, which I liked and the amount of milk seemed to be less from what I recall. Nicholas was not overly excited about the mac & cheese, but he thought the noodles were too cooked.
The calories per serving is 226 with 60 fat calories. There is a note on the side of the box mentioning Canadian Diabetes Association Food Choice Value and in front it mentions being Kosher Dairy. It is approved for use by individuals with Celiac and/or gluten intolerance.
This is the box that has the Panda on the cover in a brown box. There is yellow cheddar and potato pasta. The ingredients are as follows:
Potato Pasta, Potato Flour, Rice, Cheese Sauce (Milk, Bacterial Culture, Salt, Microbial Enzymes, Disodium Phosphate (natural emulsifier), Xanthan Gum, Annato (natural vegetable dye), Citric Acid
I am looking forward to trying other varieties of this brand of pasta. Potato pasta is made in a totally gluten free manufacturing facility. The pastas are free of eggs and do not contain any preservatives.
I am happy to find a food item that I like the taste of that is gluten-free. It is really simple to make and takes no time at all with leftovers possible.
Feel free to visit the Forum to discuss diet issues.
