USDA source topicPasta, rice & grains

Macaroni and cheese: nutrition range, portions, and source records

This wiki page organizes 16 exact USDA Survey Foods records labeled “Macaroni and cheese.” It shows the median and central spread of reported nutrients per 100 grams, explains the portion and preparation language present in the records, and keeps every underlying profile and citation available for inspection.

What is included?

The exact descriptions define the topic.

USDA places these records in the “Macaroni and cheese” survey-food category. Within Feast’s broader navigation, they appear under Pasta, rice & grains (16 records). The category label is useful for discovery, but it does not mean every record uses the same recipe, brand, cooking method, or portion.

The current collection includes Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type; Macaroni or noodles with cheese and tuna; Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat; Macaroni or noodles with cheese; Macaroni or noodles with cheese, canned; Macaroni or noodles, creamed, with cheese and tuna. Those examples show why the exact wording matters. The complete alphabetical catalog farther down the page preserves all 16 descriptions instead of replacing them with one generic average.

A robust view of the data

Median and central nutrient ranges per 100 grams

The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the records on this page. The observed minimum and maximum are included for transparency, but the middle interval is generally more useful for seeing the collection without letting one extreme record dominate.

Nutrient	Median	Central 80%	Observed span	Records
Caloriesper 100 g	161 kcal	121 kcal–215 kcal	82 kcal–223 kcal	16
Proteinper 100 g	6 g	3.7 g–10.3 g	3.3 g–12.5 g	16
Carbohydrateper 100 g	18.7 g	13.2 g–22.5 g	10.3 g–23.1 g	16
Total fatper 100 g	7.2 g	3.5 g–11.1 g	1.9 g–12.2 g	16
Dietary fiberper 100 g	0.8 g	0.5 g–1.3 g	0.3 g–2.2 g	16
Total sugarsper 100 g	2.4 g	0.6 g–3.2 g	0.5 g–3.5 g	16
Sodiumper 100 g	256 mg	167 mg–359 mg	131 mg–361 mg	16
Potassiumper 100 g	95 mg	46 mg–133 mg	36 mg–135 mg	16
Calciumper 100 g	52 mg	31 mg–135 mg	25 mg–173 mg	16
Ironper 100 g	0.8 mg	0.6 mg–1.2 mg	0.4 mg–1.3 mg	16

All rows use the same 100-gram denominator and values from the cited records. The interval is descriptive, not a recommended intake range or statistical confidence interval.

Calories context

161 kcal at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported calories value is 161 kcal per 100 grams. The central records run from 121 kcal to 215 kcal, while the complete observed span is 82 kcal to 223 kcal.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Protein context

6 g at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported protein value is 6 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 3.7 g to 10.3 g, while the complete observed span is 3.3 g to 12.5 g.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese and tomato is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Carbohydrate context

18.7 g at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported carbohydrate value is 18.7 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 13.2 g to 22.5 g, while the complete observed span is 10.3 g to 23.1 g.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese and chicken or turkey is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from packaged mix is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total fat context

7.2 g at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported total fat value is 7.2 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 3.5 g to 11.1 g, while the complete observed span is 1.9 g to 12.2 g.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese, canned is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Dietary fiber context

0.8 g at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported dietary fiber value is 0.8 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.5 g to 1.3 g, while the complete observed span is 0.3 g to 2.2 g.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese, canned is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total sugars context

2.4 g at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported total sugars value is 2.4 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.6 g to 3.2 g, while the complete observed span is 0.5 g to 3.5 g.

Macaroni or noodles, creamed, with cheese is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese, from restaurant is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Sodium context

256 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported sodium value is 256 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 167 mg to 359 mg, while the complete observed span is 131 mg to 361 mg.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from packaged mix is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Potassium context

95 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported potassium value is 95 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 46 mg to 133 mg, while the complete observed span is 36 mg to 135 mg.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from packaged mix is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles with cheese and chicken or turkey is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Calcium context

52 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported calcium value is 52 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 31 mg to 135 mg, while the complete observed span is 25 mg to 173 mg.

Iron context

0.8 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records, the middle reported iron value is 0.8 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.6 mg to 1.2 mg, while the complete observed span is 0.4 mg to 1.3 mg.

Macaroni or noodles with cheese and tomato is nearest the lower central boundary, and Macaroni or noodles, creamed, with cheese and tuna is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Preparation language in the records

Source descriptions reveal meaningful distinctions.

The counts below report words and phrases that appear explicitly in the 16 USDA descriptions. They can help narrow a search to a closer record. They do not prove that the named preparation caused a nutrient difference, because these survey-food records are not controlled experiments.

canned

1 records use this wording, including Macaroni or noodles with cheese, canned.

restaurant

1 records use this wording, including Macaroni or noodles with cheese, from restaurant.

whole grain

1 records use this wording, including Macaroni or noodles with cheese, whole grain.

Portion context

Household measures answer a different question than 100 grams.

16 of 16 records (100%) include at least one named measure in the source data. Together those records provide 21 usable named measures.

Across the pooled named measures, the midpoint gram weight is 230 g. The central 10th-to-90th-percentile interval runs from 230 g to 288 g, while the complete observed span is 212–423 g. This pooled summary mixes different measure types, so it is a navigation aid rather than a suggested portion.

A cup, slice, piece, sandwich, fillet, or fluid ounce can represent a different amount of food. Even two measures with the same label may have different gram weights across records. Open the closest profile and use its listed weight instead of transferring a measure from another record.

USDA’s representative source amount is also not necessarily what a visitor ate. For equal-weight comparison, use the 100-gram table. For meal estimation, match the exact description first, then match the amount, and finally account for additions or preparation details absent from the selected record.

Common named measures in this topic

1 cupAppears on 16 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese →

1 large microwavable package, preparedAppears on 1 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type →

1 large microwavable tub, preparedAppears on 1 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type →

1 microwavable package, regular size, preparedAppears on 1 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type →

1 microwavable tub, regular size, preparedAppears on 1 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac type →

1 microwave singles package, yieldsAppears on 1 recordsExample: Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat, prepared from Hamburger →

Choosing a closer record

Use a sequence, not a guess disguised as precision.

01
Match the exact description
Look for the closest food name, preparation, additions, and context. “Macaroni and cheese” is the collection label; the individual description is the actual reference.
02
Compare on equal weight
Use the per-100-gram values when comparing two records. This keeps the denominator fixed and prevents different source-serving weights from masquerading as a food difference.
03
Scale the closest listed measure
Open the profile, select a named household measure when one fits, or enter a gram estimate. Treat scaled decimals as arithmetic from the source—not greater certainty about the plate.
04
Add missing context
Brand, recipe, cooking fat, sauce, toppings, substitutions, and edible portion can move the result. A current package label or weighed recipe may be more specific than a generic survey-food record.

Complete source catalog

All 16 “Macaroni and cheese” records

Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a complete Feast profile with household measures, all reported nutrients, estimate factors, and methodology, plus the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.

Exact USDA description	Calories	Protein	Fiber	Sodium	Source amount	References
Macaroni or noodles with cheeseFDC 2708811	223 kcalper 100 g	8.7 gper 100 g	1.2 gper 100 g	358 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and chicken or turkeyFDC 2708823	178 kcalper 100 g	12.5 gper 100 g	0.7 gper 100 g	229 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and eggFDC 2708822	185 kcalper 100 g	5.9 gper 100 g	0.8 gper 100 g	176 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and frankfurters or hot dogsFDC 2708821	209 kcalper 100 g	6.2 gper 100 g	0.8 gper 100 g	299 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meatFDC 2708818	210 kcalper 100 g	11.8 gper 100 g	0.7 gper 100 g	238 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and meat, prepared from Hamburger Helper mixFDC 2708819	144 kcalper 100 g	8.2 gper 100 g	0.3 gper 100 g	284 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and tomatoFDC 2708820	148 kcalper 100 g	3.9 gper 100 g	1.1 gper 100 g	131 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese and tunaFDC 2708817	164 kcalper 100 g	7.6 gper 100 g	0.8 gper 100 g	176 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, cannedFDC 2708814	82 kcalper 100 g	3.4 gper 100 g	0.5 gper 100 g	302 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, Easy Mac typeFDC 2708815	110 kcalper 100 g	3.3 gper 100 g	0.5 gper 100 g	259 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, from restaurantFDC 2708812	151 kcalper 100 g	5.4 gper 100 g	1.1 gper 100 g	361 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from packaged mixFDC 2708813	179 kcalper 100 g	4.6 gper 100 g	1 gper 100 g	161 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from reduced fat packaged mixFDC 2708816	131 kcalper 100 g	4.6 gper 100 g	0.6 gper 100 g	172 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles with cheese, whole grainFDC 2708824	219 kcalper 100 g	8.8 gper 100 g	2.2 gper 100 g	360 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles, creamed, with cheeseFDC 2708928	158 kcalper 100 g	4.7 gper 100 g	1.3 gper 100 g	260 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗
Macaroni or noodles, creamed, with cheese and tunaFDC 2708929	143 kcalper 100 g	7.9 gper 100 g	1 gper 100 g	252 mgper 100 g	230 gUSDA reference amount	Full profile USDA source ↗

Boundaries and provenance

What this collection can—and cannot—tell you.

This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published 2024-10-31. FNDDS supplies standardized reference descriptions used to represent foods reported in dietary surveys. Each value on this page remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.

The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Macaroni and cheese” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The robust range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.

The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.

Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.

Why no overall ranking appears.

A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.

For the full import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read Feast’s nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.

Common questions

Using the “Macaroni and cheese” collection responsibly

Is the median the expected nutrition for my food?

No. It is the middle value among these 16 source records on a 100-gram basis. Your recipe, brand, preparation, and portion may align more closely with one specific record or may fall outside this collection.

Why compare 100 grams instead of one serving?

Source servings can have different gram weights and measure labels. Holding weight at 100 grams makes concentration comparable. After choosing a record, its household measures are more useful for estimating the amount actually eaten.

Does the upper end of a nutrient range mean “better”?

No. The position only describes that nutrient within this source collection. It does not evaluate the whole food, determine an appropriate portion, or account for an individual’s needs.

Which number should I log?

Start with the record whose exact wording most closely matches the food. Use a listed measure or gram estimate, then add missing recipe or preparation context. Keep the result as an estimate unless you have a current label or weighed recipe.