When switching to eating dairy-free and gluten-free, one of the first things I did was see if Amy’s had a mac and cheese version. Imagine my surprise that they did not. I mean, they had a rice-based gluten-free mac and cheese, and Daiya existed – there was no reason that Amy’s could not make a gluten-free, dairy-free version of its mac and cheese.Apparently Amy’s made the same assessment because a few months later they rolled out this new item and yes, it is made with rice-based pasta and Daiya. I tried it last week, and I was impressed. It tasted more like their original mac and cheese than their soy-based lactose-free (but not vegan) mac and cheese had. You see, ever since I got out of college, I have always kept a box of Amy’s Mac and Cheese tucked away in the freezer just in case I had a craving. As much as I liked homemade mac and cheese, portion control was so much easier with this system, plus once in a while a bit of processed food can hit the spot. And at some point, I had switched to the soy-based version because it was lower in saturated fat and pretty satisfying too.
But back to the gluten-free vegan version – the best part is that it tastes pretty real (even my husband agreed that it could be mistaken for a dairy-based mac and cheese). The taste is achieved by mixing Daiya and nutritional yeast. And look, there are even crusty bits.
The downside is that to get such an effect, it’s higher in fat and calories than both the regular and the soy Amy’s Mac and Cheese. Still, seeing as Amy’s Mac and Cheese (of any kind) was a once every six month treat in the past, I am so pleased to be able to tuck a box of the vegan version in the freezer for an emergency craving. And in the meantime, I am going to keep trying various nutritional yeast sauces for pasta – there are a whole variety of them, allowing for fat and sodium adjustments.
General Disclosures & Disclaimers
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Thanks for posting this! I have been wondering if this version is any good. I might have to try it.
Yay I've been waiting for this review!!! I can't wait to try it.
This looks yum- I need to try this line soon sometime..especially this mac and cheese.
I have a quick question about nutritional yeast though- I have read/heard that it is a good substitute for achieving that salty cheesy parmesan like taste (yummy!!) However, I have also read that it contains a compound similar to MSG (or contains something that is broken down similarly- I am unsure of the details)..Is this something you have looked into? Is it of any concern at all..Would love your take- Thank you!!
Glad the review was helpful.
Lavanya – I have seen information to that effect. It's conflicting though, and ultimately i went with the "do you react to it the way you react to MSG" test and the answer is no – MSG used to make me really sick, and I would always know if I had consumed it, whereas I feel fine after eating nutritional yeast. Ultimately, the common denominator between MSG and nutritional yeast is an amino acid present in many foods, so it's make a definitive determination, particularly in light of the conflicting information. That said, I also dont eat nutritional yeast regularly because I know it can contribute to yeast issues if consumed too much.
Thanks CGL!!
I'm so excited to try this. I've been eating their soy mac and cheese for years. And I'm not really bothered by MSG. I actually have low sodium levels and MSG doesn't seem to bother me in any other way, so this will definitely be in my shopping cart soon. Thanks! I'm hoping we can get Daiya in Chicago.