When you next go to Costco, you might see customers crowded around the rotisserie chicken shelves. And don’t get me wrong, those birds are a delicious bargain.
But I’m going to reveal my own never-miss-it Costco purchase – and surprise, it’s not the chicken. It’s a generous two-pack of Panera Bread’s gooey, mouthwatering Original Mac & Cheese. I never leave the store without buying at least one.
There are seemingly unlimited macaroni-and-cheese varieties out there, from the classic Kraft blue box to fancy recipes with lobster. I have a teenage daughter, so believe me, we’ve tried them all.
But once we discovered Costco sells a two-pack of Panera Bread’s Original Mac & Cheese, we decided our search was over. This is our favorite quick and easy school-night meal.
You may be more familiar with Panera Bread restaurants for the signature soups or tasty paninis. But the creamy, comforting Original Mac & Cheese is a favorite for many diners. And until recently, I didn’t know there was a Panera Bread location anywhere near me, so my daughter could only indulge in a bowl when we traveled.
Then, I spotted their Original Mac & Cheese in the refrigerated section at my local Costco. (Look for it with other refrigerated pastas.) The two-pack contains two 24-ounce plastic cartons, with each carton serving up six 1-cup servings.
Prices may vary by location, but it’s priced at $13.50 on Costco’s website, and I found it for slightly less in my local store.
It’s a ready-made food, so when you’re ready to serve it, just scoop some into a saucepan and heat it. Watch it closely. It heats up very quickly, and you don’t want it to boil or scorch. You can also microwave it, but it’s easier to monitor the heat if you use the stove.
The package says you can also freeze the mac and cheese as long as you use it within nine months, but it never sticks around our house long enough for us to need to do that.
This is not a dry meal. My teen calls it “soupy,” and she means that in the best possible way. The macaroni shells bob like little boats in a gloriously gooey cheese sauce made with heavy cream. Keep a few napkins handy when you serve it up.
It’s cheesy and mild. So if the kids in your life turn up their noses at gourmet cheeses but are ready to take a step up from the Kraft blue box, this could be your new favorite meal.
You can find this ready-made food at other stores, but most sell a 16-ounce or 32-ounce size. Only at Costco can you buy a pack with a total of 48 ounces. So the warehouse likely has a cheaper price per ounce than other chains.
We recently discovered there is a Panera Bread in our neighborhood after all. But with this home version fitting the bill — and our stomachs — we’ve only dined there once.
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