Annie’s Organic Scandal- Phthalates Found In Mac and Cheese

Annie’s Mac and Cheese has recently been in the news for having chemicals known as Phthalates.

The concern here is that phthalates are chemicals that have been linked to birth defects, hormone problems, and all other sorts of problems.

For people who are really into health, this is not terribly shocking news as Annie’s Organic is what many consider “Faux” healthy.

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Annie’s Organic – A General Mills Company?

If you are someone who is casually into health and eating health food and organic, you might think that Annie’s is a small natural company.

The story behind Annie’s is interesting. It was founded 1989 but grew rapidly and by 2014 it was purchased by the mega company General Mills for almost a Billion Dollars.

The same company that makes Trix Cereal, Coco Puffs, and other sugar snacks and things like Bugles and Hamburger Helper.

News Articles Covering Annie’s Organic Mac and Cheese Phthalates Scandal

If you eat Annie’s Organic, this is probably a wake up call. Did you know that the company is owned by the gigantic Mega corporation General Mills? It’s not some small company making tiny batches of food. It’s a huge corporate product.

Annie’s Organic Mac and Cheese and Phthalates Chemical Coverage

What Are The Phthalates in Annie’s Organic?

The answer is not clear. Phthalates are chemicals that are used to make plastics and cardboard more flexible.

The bad news is that they often times get into the food, as they have with Annie’s Organic Mac and Cheese.

There is no reason to eat these chemicals and every reason to avoid them.

Phthalates cause a lot of dangerous health problems. Instead of covering them all here, I’ve linked to several studies and reports that detail why you should never eat a product that has Phthalates in it.

Mac and Cheese and Chemicals- A Doctor Explains Why To Avoid

Why Phthalates Are A Problem: Environmental Defense Fund (Non-Profit) Explains

The Dangers of Phthalates in Food: Peer Reviewed Study

What Should You Eat Instead of Annie’s Organic

The sad fact is that boxed Mac and Cheese has always been a problem. If you are someone who likes Mac and Cheese, I would suggest making it from scratch.

Here is a New York Times article that covered the Mac and Cheese problem years ago.

It’s not just Annie’s. It’s a problem with all box Mac and Cheese.

If you must eat Mac and Cheese (I’m an advocate for a Vegan diet, so I would suggest something that is a vegan alternative) then make it fresh and from scratch with real cheese.

Here are some recipes for real Mac and Cheese from Scratch (with real cheese).

Food Network Mac and Cheese

Allrecipes Mac and Cheese

Should You Make Vegan Mac and Cheese With Vegan Cheese?

Even though I am an advocate for vegan foods, I don’t advocate for vegan cheese. If you are going to make a vegan Mac and Cheese, then I would suggest you make a nut butter based mixture.

Vegan cheese is basically soy, and I am not a big fan of soy. There are to many health concerns with mass produced soy.

Cashew Vegan Mac and Cheese- My Alternative Suggestion

Stay far, far away from Box Mac and Cheese. It’s never some “natural” product. It comes in a box and the “cheese” is a mixture of chemicals and who knows what.

Make it yourself. Make it with Cashew cream.

This recipe is basically a great boilerplate to use. The cashew provides the fat and richness of cheese. The nutritional yeast gives you that savory flavor that real cheese has (it’s better than box mac and cheese)