Also called: macaroni and cheese, boxed mac, mac and cheese mix, makkaroni mit kaese, macarrones con queso de caja, macaroni au fromage en boite, maccheroni al formaggio, makaroni chizu, makaroni chijeu, macarrao com queijo, makarony s syrom, nui pho mai, tong xin fen pei nai lao, makaronia me tyri se kouli, μακαρόνια με τυρί σε κουτί, makaroni ando chiizu, マカロニ・アンド・チーズ, makaroni aen chijeu, 마카로니 앤 치즈, makarony s syrom v korobke, макароны с сыром в коробке, makkaroni lae chi saemret rup, มักกะโรนีและชีสสำเร็จรูป, makarony z syrom u korobtsi, макарони з сиром у коробці, hezi tongxinfen pei qishi, 盒装通心粉配起司, बॉक्सड मैक एंड चीज़, باکسڈ میک اینڈ چیز, বক্সড ম্যাক এন্ড চিজ, பாக்ஸ்டு மேக் அண்ட் சீஸ், బాక్స్డ్ మ్యాక్ అండ్ చీజ్, ਬਾਕਸਡ ਮੈਕ ਐਂਡ ਚੀਜ਼, બોક્સડ મેક એન્ડ ચીઝ, बॉक्सड मॅक अँड चीज, ಬಾಕ್ಸ್ಡ್ ಮ್ಯಾಕ್ ಅಂಡ್ ಚೀಸ್, ബോക്സ്ഡ് മാക് ആൻഡ് ചീസ്, ماك اند تشيز معلب, مک اند چیز بستهبندی, ቦክስድ ማክ ኤንድ ቺዝ
One serving (140 g) is high in folate and protein.
Nutrient score: Fair
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a food gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every food gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the food gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the food’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the food’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugar and sodium, each with its U.S. FDA daily limit. For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible food gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A food’s values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a food bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar foods. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
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