# Birdseye Steam Fresh Veggie Made Elbos Mac & Cheese > Health and ingredient intelligence for a real grocery product. Source: Supermarket Puzzle (Grocery Intelligence Index). Not a shop. ## Snapshot - **Brand:** Birds Eye - **Retailer listed:** Foodtown - **Category:** Frozen Foods - **Size:** 10 oz - **Human page:** https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/birds-eye-birdseye-steam-fresh-veggie-made-elbos-mac-cheese-10-oz - **Slug:** `birds-eye-birdseye-steam-fresh-veggie-made-elbos-mac-cheese-10-oz` ## NOVA classification **NOVA 4** - Ultra-processed foods This ready-to-heat frozen product combines whole-ingredient components (lentil and zucchini pasta) with processed cheese sauce and food additives (xanthan gum, natural flavor, color extracts, starches), consistent with an ultra-processed NOVA 4 classification. ## Review Birds Eye Steam Fresh Veggie Made Elbos Mac & Cheese is a frozen convenience side that you’ll find in the supermarket’s frozen vegetables and prepared-sides section, shelved near other frozen mac-and-cheese options, steamable vegetable mixes, and family-oriented frozen meals. It’s pitched as a bridge between comfort food and a vegetable boost — elbow macaroni replaced with zucchini-and-lentil pasta and a creamy cheddar sauce. Shoppers reach for it on busy weeknights, back-to-school shopping trips, or when they want an easy, kid-friendly side for dinners, potlucks, or quick meal add-ons for proteins like sausage or pulled pork. The Birds Eye brand leans on decades of vegetable convenience credibility, appealing to time-pressed parents and health-minded consumers who still want familiar flavors; marketing emphasizes real cheese, a half-cup of veg per serving, and no artificial flavors. The label carries health-halo cues rather than organic certification — statements such as "made with real cheese" and "no artificial flavors" sit alongside a standard ingredient list with stabilizers and color extracts. In plain terms it’s a factory-made frozen prepared dish that blends minimally processed vegetable pasta with an industrially produced cheese sauce. Sensory notes: the lentil-zucchini elbows offer a slightly firmer, more textured bite than traditional enriched wheat pasta while the cheddar sauce is smooth, richly colored, and slightly glossy from starches and stabilizers. Packaging is a 10-ounce steamable bag designed for microwave or stovetop heating, creating a quick ritual of pop-and-heat for busy households. Served hot, it functions as a comforting, familiar plate companion that aims to make vegetables more approachable for kids and adults alike. ## Diet flags - Vegetarian ## Nutrition - **Serving size:** 1.0 cup - **Servings per container:** 2.5 - **Calories:** 170 - **Total fat:** 5g (6% DV) - **Saturated fat:** 3g (15% DV) - **Cholesterol:** 15mg (5% DV) - **Sodium:** 410mg (18% DV) - **Total carbs:** 22g (8% DV) - **Dietary fiber:** 2g (7% DV) - **Total sugars:** 2g - **Added sugars:** 1g (2% DV) - **Protein:** 10g ## Ingredients INGREDIENTS: COOKED LENTIL ZUCCHINI ELBOW PASTA (LENTIL FLOUR, WATER, ZUCCHINI PUREE), WATER, CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CREAM. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), CORN STARCH, SALT, WHEY, NONFAT MILK, SUGAR, BUTTERMILK, XANTHAN GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR), CITRIC ACID, PAPRIKA, TURMERIC EXTRACTIVES, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR). ## Flagged ingredients - **annatto** (additive): Artificial coloring - **beta carotene** (additive): Artificial coloring ## Context tags - **Occasions:** back-to-school, weeknight-dinner, movie-night - **Vibes:** convenient, comforting, nostalgic, wholesome ## FAQ ### Is Birdseye Mac & Cheese healthy? Well, 'healthy' can be a bit subjective! This mac & cheese has 10 grams of protein and only 170 calories per serving, which is pretty decent for a quick meal. However, it does contain some added sugars and artificial colors, so it’s best seen as a convenient option rather than a superfood. ### Is it vegan? Nope, this mac & cheese is not vegan. It contains cheddar cheese and cream, which are definitely dairy products. If you're looking for a plant-based mac & cheese, there are other brands out there that offer vegan-friendly options! ### Is it gluten-free? Not quite! The pasta is made from lentil flour and zucchini puree, which are gluten-free ingredients, but it’s important to note that this product is not labeled as gluten-free. It could be processed in a facility that handles gluten, so keep that in mind if you have a gluten sensitivity. ### Does it contain seed oils? Good news here: Birdseye Mac & Cheese doesn't have any seed oils in its ingredient list! This means you won't find any canola or soybean oils lurking in there, which is a plus if you're trying to avoid those types of fats. ### Does it contain artificial sweeteners? Nope, this mac & cheese does not have any artificial sweeteners. Instead, it has a touch of added sugar, which is pretty common in processed foods to enhance flavor. So, you can enjoy it without worrying about those tricky sweeteners! ### Is it high in sugar? Not at all! With only 2 grams of total sugars per serving and just 1 gram of added sugars, this mac & cheese is quite low in sugar. It’s a good option if you’re looking to keep your sugar intake in check while enjoying a comforting meal. ### What are healthier alternatives? If you're looking for something with fewer processed ingredients, consider making your own mac & cheese at home using whole grain pasta and real cheese. Alternatively, there are brands that offer organic or whole-food options that might suit your health goals better. Just remember, convenience sometimes wins, and that’s perfectly okay! ### Can kids eat it? Absolutely! Birdseye Mac & Cheese can be a kid-friendly meal, especially with its cheesy flavor and fun elbow shapes. Just keep an eye on portion sizes and balance it with some veggies on the side for a more rounded meal. ### Is it good for weight loss? With 170 calories and a decent amount of protein, this mac & cheese can fit into a weight loss plan, especially if you're watching your overall calorie intake. Just make sure to pair it with some veggies or a salad to keep things balanced and nutritious! ### Is it ultra-processed? While it does contain some processed ingredients like cheese and corn starch, it's not as ultra-processed as some other frozen meals out there. It's a step above typical fast food, but if you’re trying to eat more whole foods, you might want to save it for the occasional treat. ## Related products - [Gortons Popcorn Shrimp](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/gortons-gortons-popcorn-shrimp-14-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/gortons-gortons-popcorn-shrimp-14-oz - [White Castle Hamburgers Club Pack](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/white-castle-hamburgers-club-pack-2528-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/white-castle-hamburgers-club-pack-2528-oz - [Joy Waffle Bowls](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/joy-waffle-bowls-7-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/joy-waffle-bowls-7-oz - [Boston Market Home Style Meals Beef Pot Roast](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/boston-market-home-style-meals-beef-pot-roast-15-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/boston-market-home-style-meals-beef-pot-roast-15-oz - [Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, New York Super Fudge Chunk](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/ben-jerrys-ice-cream-new-york-super-fudge-chunk-16-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/ben-jerrys-ice-cream-new-york-super-fudge-chunk-16-oz - [Earthbound Farm Organic Cut Spinach](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/earthbound-farm-organic-cut-spinach-8-oz) (NOVA 1) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/earthbound-farm-organic-cut-spinach-8-oz - [Main St Bistro Macaroni & Cheese, Baked 20 oz](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/main-st-bistro-macaroni-cheese-baked-20-oz-20-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/main-st-bistro-macaroni-cheese-baked-20-oz-20-oz - [Andrea Ravioli, Large Round](https://supermarketpuzzle.com/product/andrea-ravioli-large-round-52-oz) (NOVA 4) | markdown: https://supermarketpuzzle.com/__a2/md?path=/product/andrea-ravioli-large-round-52-oz ## For agents Prefer this markdown sheet over scraping the HTML page. 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