Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese: calories, sugar and salt

Per portion of Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 581 kcal, 3.8g of free sugar (0.9 teaspoons) and 1.5g of salt. It is classified as NOVA 3 under the NOVA food processing classification system.

Dietary: Vegetarian | Allergens: Milk, Mustard, Wheat / Gluten

Nutrition by serving: calories, sugar and salt

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 581 kcal, 27g of fat (16g saturated), 59g of carbohydrate (3.8g total sugar), 24g of protein and 1.5g of salt per portion.

Nutrition by serving: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Serving	Calories	Salt	Total sugar	Free sugar	= teaspoons	Carbs	Protein
Per portion	581 kcal	1.5g	3.8g	3.8g	0.9 tsp	59g	24g

Sugar in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 3.8g of free sugar per standard serving. Low free sugar

The NHS free sugar limit is 30g a day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6. Free sugar excludes the sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit.

Free sugar by portion: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Adult (female) 30g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 30g	Age 7 to 10 24g	Age 4 to 6 19g
Per portion	3.8g 13%	3.8g 13%	3.8g 13%	3.8g 16%	3.8g 20%

Boone calculates these percentages from Starbucks UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Salt in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 1.5g of salt per standard serving. Moderate salt

Children have lower salt limits: 3g a day for ages 4 to 6, 5g for ages 7 to 10.

Salt by portion: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Adult (female) 6g	Adult (male) 6g	Age 11 to 17 6g	Age 7 to 10 5g	Age 4 to 6 3g
Per portion	1.5g 25%	1.5g 25%	1.5g 25%	1.5g 30%	1.5g 50%

Calories in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 581 kcal of calories per standard serving. Moderate calories

Daily calorie needs vary by age and sex.

Calories by portion: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Adult (female) 2000 kcal	Adult (male) 2500 kcal	Age 11 to 17 1936 kcal	Age 7 to 10 1553 kcal	Age 4 to 6 1291 kcal
Per portion	581 kcal 29%	581 kcal 23%	581 kcal 30%	581 kcal 37%	581 kcal 45%

Saturated fat in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 16g of saturated fat per standard serving. High saturated fat

The saturated fat guideline is 20g a day for women and 30g for men, and lower again for children.

Saturated fat by portion: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Adult (female) 20g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 20g	Age 7 to 10 18g	Age 4 to 6 16g
Per portion	16g 80%	16g 53%	16g 80%	16g 89%	16g 100%

Fibre in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 3g of fibre per standard serving. Low fibre

Fibre is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under. UK guidance is 30g a day for adults and 15g for ages 4 to 6.

Fibre by portion: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Adult (female) 30g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 25g	Age 7 to 10 20g	Age 4 to 6 15g
Per portion	3g 10%	3g 10%	3g 12%	3g 15%	3g 20%

Free sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Portion	Total sugar	Free (added) sugar	Naturally occurring	Free sugar in teaspoons
Per portion	3.8g	3.8g	0g	0.9 tsp

Effectively all of the sugar in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese counts as free sugar. There is no dairy or whole fruit in it to hold any of it back.

NHS daily free sugar limits: 30g for adults and children 11+, 24g age 7 to 10, 19g age 4 to 6. Sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit are excluded. Sugars in fruit juice count as free sugar.

UPF classification: is Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese ultra-processed?

NOVA 3: processed

Reading the published ingredient list, Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains colours. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy.

Ingredients

Cooked macaroni pasta (34%) (water, durum WHEAT semolina), béchamel sauce (whole MILK , water, single cream ( MILK ), salted butter [butter ( MILK ), salt], [ WHEAT flour, calcium carbonate, folic acid, iron, niacin, thiamin], cornflour, salt, white pepper, ground bay leaf), cheese sauce (whole MILK , mature Cheddar ( MILK ), single cream ( MILK ), wheat flour [ WHEAT flour, calcium carbonate, folic acid, iron, niacin, thiamin], rapeseed oil, cornflour, English mustard [ MUSTARD sugar, WHEAT starch, turmeric], salt, white pepper), mozzarella cheese (6%) ( MILK ), Red Leicester cheese (5%) (cheese ( MILK ), colour: Annatto norbixin), Cheddar (4%) ( MILK ), crispy fried onions (onion, palm oil, WHEAT flour, salt), potato starch.

Allergens at a glance

Allergen information: Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese

Wheat / Gluten	Present
Rye	Not present
Barley	Not present
Oats	Not present
Spelt	Not present
Tree Nuts	Not present
Peanuts	Not present
Sesame	Not present
Soya	Not present
Milk	Present
Eggs	Not present
Fish	Not present
Crustaceans	Not present
Molluscs	Not present
Celery	Not present
Mustard	Present
Lupin	Not present
Sulphur Dioxide	Not present

Starbucks prepares food where all 14 major allergens are present and equipment is shared, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 581 kcal per portion, which is 29% of an adult's 2,000 kcal daily reference intake and 45% of the daily intake for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much sugar is in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 3.8g of total sugar per portion, of which 3.8g is free sugar, about 0.9 teaspoons. That is 13% of the NHS daily free sugar limit for an adult and 20% for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much salt is in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 1.5g of salt. Boone calculates that as 25% of an adult's 6g daily limit and 50% of the 3g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much saturated fat is in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 16g of saturated fat, 80% of the 20g daily guideline for an adult woman and 53% of the 30g guideline for an adult man.

How much protein is in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains 24g of protein, which Boone calculates as 48% of a 50g adult daily target.

Is Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese as NOVA group 3, based on the colours named in its published ingredient list.

Is Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese suitable for children?+

Its 1.5g of salt is 50% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6, and its 16g of saturated fat is 100% of their daily guideline. That does not make it off limits, but it does use up a share of a young child's day in one item.

What allergens are in Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese?+

Starbucks Signature Mac & Cheese contains milk, mustard, wheat / gluten. Starbucks prepares food in kitchens where all 14 major allergens are present, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free.