Velveeta vs. Kraft vs. Annie's vs. Sargento: Differences and Reviews 2025

• Velveeta

Love it or loathe it, Velveeta is a culinary icon. Initially developed as a way to stretch surplus cheese, Velveeta has fed American families for more than a century.

In the early 1900s, Monroe Cheese Company wanted to salvage its Swiss cheese wheels that were either broken or misshapen. So it enlisted the help of Emil Frey, a Swiss immigrant who tinkered with the scraps until discovering he could melt them together and add byproduct like whey until they melded back together in a velvety consistency. The Velveeta Cheese Company received a patent for its two varieties, American and Swiss, in 1925, and was purchased by Kraft in 1927.

Velveeta is a shelf-stable cheese product made from substances including whey, milk, milk protein concentrate, modified starch, canola oil, and cheese culture. It has a smooth consistency, mild taste, and vivid orange hue.

Velveeta triumps in its ability to melt, making it a great base for dips. However, you probably best know it as a cheese sauce for macaroni.

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• Kraft Singles

The genius of James L. Kraft, the Canadian-born founder of Kraft Foods, lay not in artisanal cheesemaking but in taking a milk-based product and making it long-lasting, consistent in quality and easy to slice.

Delicious any way you square it, Kraft Singles slices deliver the classic American taste and irresistible melt that take your favorite foods to the next level. Made with real dairy and no artificial flavors or preservatives, this sliced cheese has a mild, savory flavor and smooth, creamy texture that's perfectly melty. The individually-wrapped simple squares are ideal for more than just grilled cheese. 

Try adding to your breakfast sandwich, burger or tuna melt or transform steak and bread into a Philly cheesesteak. Or when you're craving classic comfort food, add America's favorite square to your mac and cheese.

KRAFT Singles American Cheese Slices are made with the following ingredients: Cheddar cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), skim milk, milkfat, milk protein concentrate, whey, calcium phosphate, sodium phosphate, contains less than 2% of modified food starch, salt, lactic acid, milk, annatto and paprika extract (color), natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor), enzymes, cheese culture, vitamin D3.

WHERE TO BUY: 

Walmart (up to 4% cashback from Extrabux)

Amazon

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• Annie's

If there were ever a contender for Kraft's place on the mac and cheese shelf at your local grocery store, it has to be Annie's. Founded in 1989, Annie's Homegrown is known for its healthy-ish prepared foods that seem appealing to buyers who are willing to spend more money on a premium product or upgraded flavors. But not all instant mac and cheese brands are created equally, and neither are all of Annie's offerings. 

Although the company's mac and cheese is super successful, Annie's also produces other foods, like yogurt, crackers, pretzels, cookies, frozen pizza, condiments, and fruit snacks.

Some of the brand's shapes and flavors are amazing and truly show off what a great boxed meal can do.

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Walmart (up to 4% cashback from Extrabux)

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Target

• Sargento

Since our founding in 1953, Sargento has been dedicated to innovation. What they do is for the love of 100% real, natural cheese and adding value for the Sargento Family. 

Sargento was the first company to sell packaged shredded cheese, and the first to develop zippered packaging for its cheeses. The company also produces and markets specialty cheeses, which it purveys on its website and in catalogs. Additional products include sauces, snack cheeses and snack foods, and the company also manufactures custom cheese and food products for corporate clients.

American, fontina, and cheddar are great for grilled cheese sandwiches. You can't go wrong with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses for pizza and other Italian dishes. For your burgers and other sandwiches, top them with cheddar, provolone, Swiss, or Monterey jack. Cheddar and Parmesan are most common for mac and cheese, but if you want to switch things up, try smoked Gouda, Brie, or Gruyere.

Whether you buy shredded or block cheese depends on your preferences. 

WHERE TO BUY: 

Walmart (up to 4% cashback from Extrabux)

Target

• Bestsellers Comparison & Reviews

| Velveeta Shells and Cheese Original Macaroni and Cheese Dinner

Price: $2.98/12 OZ at Amazon

Ingredients: Enriched Macaroni Product (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate [Iron], Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin, [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Cheese Sauce (Whey, Canola Oil, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk, Milk Protein Concentrate, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Lactic Acid, Sodium Alginate, Sorbic Acid As A Preservative, Oleoresin Paprika [Color], Enzymes, Cheese Culture, Annatto Extract [Color]

Nutrition (per 112g): 370 calories, 12 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 49 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 4 g sugars (0g added sugars)

For instant cheesy gratification, the original recipe hits the mark, with iconic, velvety meltability and tender pasta shells that grip the drip like no other. Made with real cheese, Velveeta’s supremely creamy texture and rich, savory taste satisfy your cravings any day of the week. 

It's very rich and cheesy, the shell noodles are amazing, and it only takes just a few minutes to cook which is great for a quick side dish. It you really like the zing of sharp cheddar, this may not be the Mac and cheese for you. If you like a more buttery, mild flavor, then this may be up yout alley.

| Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices

Price: $3.84/12 oz at Walmart

Ingredients: Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Skim Milk, Milkfat, Milk, Milk Protein Concentrate, Whey, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Lactic Acid, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor), Enzymes, Cheese Culture, Annatto (Color)

Nutrition (per 2.5 oz): 270 calories, 4.5 g fat (saturated fat 2.5g, trans fat 0g), 48 g carbohydrates, 5 g sugar, 9 g protein, 0 g sugars 

Delicious any way you square it, Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices deliver the classic American taste and irresistible melt that take your favorite foods to the next level. Made with real dairy and no artificial flavors or preservatives, the sliced cheese has a mild, savory flavor and smooth, creamy texture that's perfectly melty. When you’re craving classic comfort food, add America's favorite square to your mac and cheese for a simple joy that's sure to make you smile. 

It's always the best tasting cheese. It melts very nicely and is not to overpowering. The texture is great. You will love the individually wrapped because it stays fresh for a long time.

| Annie's Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Price: $1.44/ 6 OZ at Walmart

Ingredients: Organic Pasta (Organic Wheat Flour), Dried Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Non-Animal Enzymes), Whey, Butter (Pasteurized Cream, Salt), Nonfat Milk, Salt

Nutrition (per 21g): 60 calories, 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 2 g carbohydrates, 2 g sugars (0g added sugars), 4 g protein

Made with organic macaroni shells and real white cheddar cheese, Annie's mac and cheese offers a great-tasting adult and kids dinner option that is crafted with lots of care and packed with irresistible flavor. Annie's mac and cheese with organic pasta contains cheese from cows not treated with rBST, offering quality ingredients in every tasty bite. This pasta shells and cheese dinner side contains no artificial flavors or synthetic colors for a tasty serving of Annie's macaroni and cheese you can feel good about. 

It isn't overpowering in flavor but hits the spot. It's made with real cheese and no artificial flavor or coloring which you can get behind.

| Sargento Natural Mozzarella String Cheese

Price: $4.99/340g at Target

Ingredients: Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes

Nutrition (per 28g): 90 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 0 g sugars 

The perfect snack for everyone, Sargento Mozzarella Natural String Cheese Snacks answers your cravings with the delicious mild, milky flavor of Mozzarella. Mozzarella string cheese is a great snack on its own, but also pairs nicely with fruit, veggies and crackers. It's the perfect on-the-go snack for school, work, gym and road trips. 

This string cheese is always of consistent quality and freshness. Perfectly filling with the right balance of cheese. Doesn't taste artificial like some other products.

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