american · Home-cooked bowl
How many calories in a bowl of mac and cheese?
About 880 kcal for a typical home-cooked bowl.
The high calorie count comes primarily from the refined carbohydrates in the pasta and the saturated fats found in the cheese and butter used for the sauce.
What each part adds
| Part | Portion | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbow Macaroni | 1 cup cooked, 140 g | 220 kcal | 6 g | 43 g | 1 g |
| Cheddar Cheese Sauce | 1 cup, 240 g | 560 kcal | 20 g | 6 g | 48 g |
| Butter | 1 tbsp, 14 g | 100 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 11 g |
| Whole plate | 1 serving, 394 g | 880 kcal | 26 g | 49 g | 60 g |
Estimates for a typical portion. Your plate will differ with portion size and how it is cooked. Not medical advice.
Swaps that change the number
- Use low-fat milk−80 kcal
- Add bacon bits2 tbsp+70 kcal
- Use whole milk+40 kcal
- Reduce butter1 tsp less−35 kcal
Cook it lighter · from Thyme, our cookbook appHomemade cauliflower mac and cheeseBlends in cauliflower to cut back on some of the pasta. Free recipe in the Thyme cookbook.
Open the recipe in Thyme