The proof is in the pictures

My daughter and I decided to do an experiment. She volunteered to make the cheeseburger Mac from the box and I made cheeseburger Mac from scratch. We both took 27 minutes. We both used already cooked meat.

My recipe cost 1.75 excluding the meat. It made 9- one cup servings for a cost per 5 servings of .97. It contained vegetables, tomatoes, tomato paste, macaroni, and a cup of real cheese and spices. I added a salad and a piece of crusty bread for a total cost of 2.47 plus the cost of the meat.  ( 4.72 for the meal)


Her box cost 2.33 excluding the meat. It made 5 servings for a cost of 2.33. It contained macaroni, 2cups of milk, and 1.57 ounces of a sauce mix that contained cornstarch,salt, flour,sugar, Cheese whey, lactic acid,salt. Tomato, msg,flavor, citric acid, hydrogenated soy oil, modified corn starch, paprika, spice, colors, ,monoglycerides, cheddar cheese (milk,cheese cultures, salt enzymes)
cheese, buttermilk, cheese , milk, cheese cultures, salt,silicon dioxide, sodium phosphate and modified cheddar cheese. They have to list the ingredients in the order of volume. The first ingredient on the list is cornstarch, the last ones are cheese cultures, salt and enzymes and words I cannot pronounce. 1.57 ounces is translated to two tablespoons. 

The top dish is the box mix.; the bottom is the scratch recipe. 

You be the judge.