Is Annie's Healthier Than Kraft Mac? 640 mg vs 530 mg Sodium

Annie's lists 640 mg of sodium per 2.5 oz dry serving against Kraft's 530 mg per 2.2 oz, and neither box lists certified FD&C dyes. The two labels also differ on fiber, fat, pasta type and the number of phosphate salts, laid out side by side below.

Key takeaways

• Neither box lists certified FD&C dyes. Kraft uses paprika oleoresin, turmeric oleoresin and annatto; Annie's uses annatto extract only.
• Per dry serving, Annie's lists 640 mg of sodium (28% DV) against Kraft's 530 mg (23% DV). Per 100 g the gap narrows to about 900 mg against about 855 mg.
• Serving sizes differ (2.2 oz for Kraft, 2.5 oz for Annie's), so the 100 g figures are the like-for-like check.
• Annie's pasta is organic and not enriched (iron 0.8 mg). Kraft's enriched pasta adds iron and B vitamins (iron 2.3 mg). Annie's lists 3 g fiber against Kraft's 1 g, and neither lists added sugar.
• Both boxes declare wheat and milk. Kraft's sauce lists three phosphate salts and Annie's lists one; amounts are not disclosed.

Does dye-free mean lower sodium in Kraft or Annie's mac and cheese?

Dye-free labelling does not address sodium. Annie's lists 640 mg of sodium per 2.5 oz dry serving (28% DV), compared with Kraft's 530 mg per 2.2 oz (62 g) serving (23% DV).

Kraft's product page says the product 'contains no artificial flavors, preservatives or dyes,' and Annie's says it is 'made without artificial flavors or synthetic colors.' Those statements describe additive classes. The ingredient lists name salt in both products and phosphate salts in both sauces; the amounts of phosphates are not disclosed. Kraft's cheese sauce mix lists sodium triphosphate, sodium phosphate and calcium phosphate, while Annie's lists sodium phosphate.

The FDA's Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day, a reference for the whole day rather than one food. For a related read on sodium additives on labels, see Sodium Beyond Salt: 6 Scanned Labels With Sodium Additives.

How do the ingredient lists differ between Kraft and Annie's Classic Cheddar?

Kraft's dry mix pairs enriched macaroni with a cheese sauce mix built on whey, milkfat, milk protein concentrate and three phosphate salts. Annie's pairs organic pasta with whey, cultured cream, cheddar cheese, butter and nonfat milk.

• Kraft, pasta: enriched macaroni (wheat flour, durum flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid).
• Kraft, sauce: whey, milkfat, salt, milk protein concentrate, sodium triphosphate, tapioca flour (less than 2%), citric acid, lactic acid, sodium phosphate, calcium phosphate, paprika, turmeric and annatto colours, enzymes, cheese culture.
• Annie's: organic pasta (organic wheat flour), whey, cultured cream, cheddar cheese, salt, corn starch, nonfat milk, butter, natural flavor, annatto extract, citric acid, lactic acid, sodium phosphate, silicon dioxide (anticaking).

The ingredient list does not break down what Annie's natural flavor is made of. The label names the phosphate salts in Kraft's sauce, but the amounts of phosphates in either sauce are not disclosed.

Both boxes declare wheat and milk. Kraft's label reads 'CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK,' and Annie's says 'Contains wheat and milk ingredients.' The FDA lists milk and wheat among major food allergens, so these statements matter for anyone managing those allergies. A related guide is To Protect Taste: 6 Scanned Labels That Explain Their Ingredients.

Which colours do Kraft and Annie's use, and what do the labels say?

What gives Kraft Mac and Cheese its color?

Kraft's cheese sauce mix lists oleoresin paprika, oleoresin turmeric and annatto, all added for color.

The FDA lists annatto extract, paprika oleoresin and turmeric oleoresin as colour additives exempt from batch certification under 21 CFR Part 73. The label does not state how much colour is used.

Does Annie's Classic Cheddar contain dyes?

Annie's lists one colour, annatto extract (for color), and its brand page says the product is made without synthetic colors. Its ingredient list names no certified FD&C dye. The FDA's colour additive inventory is the reference for the additives named on both labels.

How much sodium is in Kraft vs Annie's Classic Cheddar per serving and per 100 g?

Annie's lists 640 mg of sodium per 2.5 oz dry serving, and Kraft lists 530 mg per 2.2 oz (62 g) serving. Neither label's figure is a target on its own.

Which has more sodium, Kraft or Annie's?

Per dry serving, Annie's has more sodium, 640 mg compared with Kraft's 530 mg. Per 100 g the gap is smaller, with Annie's at about 900 mg and Kraft at about 855 mg.

The 100 g figure removes the serving-size difference, so it is the fairer side-by-side check. Box totals also differ: Kraft's 7.25 oz box makes about 3.5 servings, and Annie's 6 oz box holds 2.5 servings.

Prepared-state sodium is not disclosed for either box, so the packaged figures are the only values this comparison can use.

How do calories, fat, fiber and protein compare between Kraft and Annie's dry servings?

Kraft's 2.2 oz dry serving lists 220 calories, 2 g total fat and 1 g fiber, while Annie's 2.5 oz serving lists 270 calories, 4.5 g total fat and 3 g fiber. Protein is 8 g in both.

Nutrient (dry, as packaged)	Kraft Original (2.2 oz / 62 g)	Annie's Classic Cheddar (2.5 oz)
Calories	220	270
Total fat	2 g	4.5 g
Saturated fat	1 g	2.5 g (12% DV)
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	5 mg	10 mg
Sodium	530 mg (23% DV)	640 mg (28% DV)
Total carbohydrate	43 g	49 g
Dietary fiber	1 g	3 g
Total sugars	7 g	5 g
Added sugars	0 g	0 g
Protein	8 g	8 g
Calcium	120 mg	90 mg
Iron	2.3 mg	0.8 mg
Potassium	270 mg	270 mg

Annie's lists more calories and fat per serving, but its serving is larger. Kraft lists more total sugars (7 g against 5 g), and both list 0 g added sugars. Kraft lists more calcium and iron.

Does Annie's have more fiber than Kraft?

Yes, Annie's lists 3 g of dietary fiber per 2.5 oz dry serving, while Kraft lists 1 g per 2.2 oz serving. These figures describe the dry mix only. Any vegetables, sauces or sides added to a meal are not included.

Are enriched vs organic pasta differences visible on the Kraft and Annie's labels?

Yes, both labels name the pasta type. Kraft's macaroni is listed as enriched, with iron and B vitamins named, and Annie's is listed as organic pasta made from organic wheat flour.

Enrichment means nutrients are added to the pasta. Kraft's enriched macaroni lists niacin, ferrous sulfate (iron), thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and folic acid. This shows up in the iron figure: 2.3 mg per dry serving for Kraft against 0.8 mg for Annie's, whose pasta is not enriched. The amounts of the added B vitamins are not given in the figures used here, so check the Nutrition Facts panel for those.

The organic claim on Annie's is described for the pasta. The brand page says the product is made with organic pasta and real cheddar, but whether the cheese or dairy ingredients are organic is not disclosed. For how packaging claims compare with nutrition content, see Front-of-pack claims vs nutrition: 145,609 foods tested.

What do federal synthetic dye actions mean for reading these two boxes?

Neither ingredient list names a certified FD&C dye, so federal dye actions do not change what either box lists today. In April 2025, HHS and the FDA said they would work with industry to eliminate six synthetic dyes, including Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, from the food supply (FDA press announcement); those dyes remain listed for use. Red No. 3 is the one dye FDA has formally revoked for food, with a reformulation deadline of January 15, 2027 (FDA's Red No. 3 page).

How can you read the sodium, dye and phosphate lines on a mac and cheese label yourself?

Start with the serving size, then read the sodium line, then scan the ingredient list for colour and phosphate names.

• Serving size first: note the oz or g figure and servings per container. Kraft's dry serving is 2.2 oz (62 g), and Annie's is 2.5 oz.
• Sodium: compare mg per serving, then the % DV against the FDA reference of less than 2,300 mg per day for the whole day.
• Per 100 g: if the panel shows it, use this figure for side-by-side checks.
• Colours: look for names such as annatto, paprika oleoresin and turmeric oleoresin. Certified dyes are listed by name, such as Red 40 or Yellow 5.
• Phosphates: count the phosphate salts in the ingredient list. Amounts are not disclosed for either sauce.
• Prepared values: adding butter or margarine and milk changes the total, and the packaged panel does not include those additions.
• Allergen statement: check for wheat and milk, which the FDA lists as major food allergens.

These labels describe one dry serving each. The evidence here cannot show how any individual's body responds to sodium, colours or phosphates, and it does not cover people with particular medical conditions. Those questions are best taken to a clinician or dietitian, and research on synthetic dyes in children is still open.

Aurascan is a food-label scanner app for iPhone that explains each ingredient on a scanned label one by one, with cited evidence, instead of giving a single black-box score. Scan the product yourself with the Aurascan app to see how each line on the label breaks down.

Related reading: for a higher-protein pasta label, see Does Banza Have Xanthan Gum? Banza vs Barilla Chickpea Pasta.