Annie’s White Cheddar Nutrition Facts | Smart Bite Guide

One cup prepared Annie’s shells with white cheddar lists 260 calories, 9g protein, and 540mg sodium per labeled serving.

Annie’s White Cheddar Label: What One Serving Shows

The brand’s boxed pasta lists a serving as 2.5 ounces dry mix, which prepares to about one cup. One serving posts 260 calories with 48 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fat. The label also lists 540 milligrams of sodium per serving. Those numbers come straight from the manufacturer’s panel.

That panel uses standard reference Daily Values. If you’re watching salt, 540 milligrams lands at about one quarter of the day’s cap. The FDA pegs the Daily Value for sodium at less than 2,300 milligrams, which is why the label prints 24% next to sodium.

Label Snapshot: Per 1 Cup Prepared (As Packaged)

Item	Per Serving	What It Means
Calories	260	Fits a light lunch with add-ins.
Protein	9g	Comes from cheese and wheat.
Total Carbs	48g	Mostly from pasta shells.
Dietary Fiber	3g	Helps with fullness.
Total Fat	3.5g	White cheddar powder plus whey.
Saturated Fat	2g	Cheese-based; track if you limit it.
Sodium	540mg	About one quarter of a daily cap.
Calcium	90mg (6% DV)	Less than a slice of cheddar.
Potassium	260mg (6% DV)	From wheat and dairy.

Calories And Macros: What Drives The Numbers

Carbs headline the bowl, since pasta is the base. The three grams of fiber help, yet a cup is still a fast source of starch. Protein sits at nine grams per serving, which tracks with the cheese content. The fat number stays low because the sauce relies on dried cheese and whey rather than butter.

Portion size shifts everything. Half a cup trims calories to about 130. Two cups tops 500 and pushes sodium past 1,000 milligrams. If you tend to eat the whole pot, plate a portion and box the rest before you sit down.

How This Compares To Real Cheese

Cheddar is calorie dense. An ounce of cheddar lands near 114 calories with about 6.5 grams of protein and 9.5 grams of fat. The boxed bowl spreads the cheese flavor across pasta, so you get a lighter fat load per cup than a cheese-heavy dish.

This matters when you build a meal. If you top the bowl with extra shredded cheddar, you’ll add around 114 calories and 9.5 grams of fat per ounce. Swapping in steamed veg gives volume for few calories. Grilled chicken adds protein without a big sodium bump.

Ingredient List: What’s Inside The Packet

The pasta is organic wheat flour. The sauce blend lists dried cheddar cheese, whey, salt, corn starch, sodium phosphate, lactic acid, and a touch of silicon dioxide to keep the powder free-flowing. No artificial colors. No high-fructose corn syrup. Standard allergens are wheat and milk.

That list drives the numbers you see on the panel. Sodium phosphate boosts the melt and keeps the sauce smooth, and it brings some of the sodium total with it. The dairy ingredients supply protein, calcium, and the saturated fat line.

Serving Tips That Keep It Balanced

Build A Satisfying Plate

Pair your bowl with a fist-size portion of cooked veg. Broccoli, peas, or spinach slot in easily. Add a palm of cooked chicken or a can of tuna for a protein lift. Those moves change the macro split without relying on more pasta.

Mind The Salt

The 540-milligram figure can sneak up if you pour a large bowl. If salt is on your radar, keep the serving closer to one cup and season with pepper, herbs, or lemon. If you add bacon or ham, the dish will climb fast on sodium.

Nutrition Math: Portion Scenarios You’ll Use

Here are common ways people serve this dish and what the math looks like when you plate it. Values use the labeled cup as the baseline and scale from there.

Portion Scenarios (Approximate)

Serving Style	Calories • Protein • Sodium	Notes
1/2 cup solo	130 • 4–5g • ~270mg	Small side next to protein.
1 cup solo	260 • 9g • ~540mg	Labeled serving.
1.5 cups solo	390 • 13–14g • ~810mg	Bigger bowl night.
1 cup + chicken	260 + 120 • +23g • +60mg	4 oz grilled breast added.
1 cup + broccoli	260 + 55 • +2g • +50mg	1 heaping cup steamed.
2 cups party bowl	520 • 18g • ~1080mg	Plan the rest of the day around this.

Label Skills: Read It Once, Shop Faster Forever

Start with the serving size line. One cup prepared is the baseline here. Scan calories, then sodium, then protein. That order helps you balance energy, salt, and satiety at a glance.

Now check carbs, fiber, and added sugars. This product lists 48 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 0 grams added sugars per cup. If you want a steadier rise in blood sugar, balance the bowl with veg and protein as described earlier.

Smart Swaps And Budget Moves

Want More Protein?

Fold in shredded chicken, firm tofu, or white beans. Each choice brings solid protein without chasing extra cheese. Keep the portion near a cup of pasta so the calories don’t balloon.

Need Lower Sodium?

Season with garlic powder, paprika, or a squeeze of lemon. Salt-free spice blends wake up the bowl. If you’re aiming for a lower total, pair a cup of mac with a no-salt protein and a mound of veg.

How It Fits In A Day

A single cup lands near 13% of a 2,000-calorie day. It carries about a quarter of the sodium Daily Value. Plan the rest of your meals with those anchors in mind. A salad with beans at lunch leaves room for a cup at dinner; a salty takeout meal doesn’t. Water and a side salad round out the meal without moving sodium much. Fruit for dessert keeps the finish light too.

Finally, think about satiety. Protein, fiber, and volume drive fullness signals. That’s why the add-ins above aim for chicken or beans plus vegetables. You get more chew and more time at the table without chasing a second cup. Cook mindfully.

Want the exact panel for your box? The brand’s site posts the Nutrition Facts label, and the FDA explains the Daily Value for sodium.