I have to give full disclosure before I get into the shells and cheese of this review. Like most human beings, I am a big fan of Mac & Cheese. To be honest, pretty much everything that comes with a cheese option is a win for me. I was compensated for my time to write this review, taste all the flavors and tell you about my experience. However, I must say that I am encouraged to write my opinion towards the product in any light that my tastebuds see fit. So please, enjoy my review of the full line of noodles and cheese from GOODLES; a gooder noodle company.
I do my best to keep the caloric intake to a reasonable amount, but I do leave some wiggle room for stuff like this. However, after my taste testing companion, Young Sloane and I went through four boxes of various flavors of shells and cheesy goodleness, I came to the realization that I just don’t eat it often enough. What’s more is that to my surprise, Goodles is actually not bad for you at all. In fact, they boast a lot of nutritious ingredients and a good amount of excellent minerals and vitamins!
Most of you reading this know that I am fairly serious about what I eat and what I drink. I do my best to stay as healthy as possible and diet is a huge part of being and staying healthy. With that said, lately, we have been experimenting with replacing meals with an all-vegetarian day or one meal a day being vegetarian. Admittedly, I have found it boring and uninspiring. One thing I hadn’t even thought about is a plant-based pasta dish that fits into every single person’s wheelhouse. Let me introduce you to Goodles.
"Young Sloane and I went through four boxes of various flavors of shells and cheesy goodleness, I came to the realization that I just don’t eat it often enough."
A friend put me in contact with a company by the name of Goodles with the promise of a delicious plant based take on good old fashioned Mac & Cheese. I obviously couldn’t say no! When the package arrived, it was more than just Mac & Cheese, it was better! There was a Parmesan cheese twisty noodle, there was the traditional Mac & Cheese, a Shells and Cheese option and, a surprisingly delicious noodle combo that I had never heard of before; “Cacio E Pepe.” All of which had fun, clever names like Shella Good, Twist my Parm, Cheddy Mac, and Mover and Shaker; the branding was on point.
Packaging is an important factor in all marketing and, like I mentioned, the branding here is great! I have a habit of trying things just based on the packaging alone. Clever names pair perfectly to the flavors and packaged in brightly colored boxes that scream excitement. Twist my Parm may be my favorite of the names they chose, followed by Shella Good, Cheddy Mac, and Mover and Shaker. My list has nothing to do with flavor at the moment, I am just a sucker for great branding.
While it is still Mac & Cheese at its heart and therefore isn’t as healthy as a Kale salad, Goodles is still better for you than the average in the category. Boasting 14g of plant-based protein, real cheese, 6g of fiber, 21 organic plant nutrients and no GMOs, it's nearly guilt free. This also explains the company’s motto; “Noodles Gooder.” I also dug up a few stats in regards to the vitamins and minerals aspect of things which I found exciting! Goodles is above average in the recommended daily intake for Vitamin B6 at 10% RDI, Vitamin B2 & Riboflavin at 15% RDI, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid at 20% RDI and Folate at 15% RDI. These vitamins and minerals are big in helping energy production.
Boxed Mac & Cheese is, oftentimes, looked at as a college dorm room meal or a kids’ dinner, but everyone is a fan of the classic dish. Goodles has managed to create something unique here with the different flavor options and, in my opinion, has made something that I would be happy eating on a regular basis. It goes without saying that Young Sloane was a major fan of the Cheddy Mac, but she also helped me devour the Twist My Parm, so it seems like she is a shoe in for all the flavors. Luckily for everyone, the Goodles branding is prominent and the boxes are easy to spot.
These noodles are packed with plant-based protein and have a bunch of gooder stuff in them that other competing brands don’t and that is kind of a big deal packed into a tiny noodle! I highly recommend grabbing a couple of boxes, maybe even all four flavors and share in the Mac & Cheese nostalgia with this little noodle on a big mission. Learn more about Goodles by giving
them a follow on social media or visiting them online at GOODLES.COM