People Really Care About Van Leeuwen's Kraft Mac and Cheese Ice Cream
Some are hooked on the flavor, others are calling it a blasphemy — here’s how you can try the divisive dessert for yourself.
Another day, another thing no one asked for — Kraft has teamed up with artisanal creamery Van Leeuwen to release macaroni and cheese-flavored ice cream. The salty-sweet concoction mimics the taste of Kraft’s legendary neon orange cheese powder, a flavor profile that, depending on who you ask, is gag-inducing or positively addicting.
Rather unsurprisingly, the cantaloupe-colored ice cream is sparking both outrage and adoration online. Kraft itself describes the flavor as “delicious,” adding that “it’s also made with high quality ingredients and contains no artificial flavors, preservatives, or dyes just like our Kraft Macaroni & Cheese,” per a press release. (Admittedly, the fact that Kraft’s mac and cheese doesn’t contain artificial flavors or dye is…unexpected.)
According to some reviews, the flavor — which does not contain elbow-shaped noodles, mercifully — is peculiarly delicious. Amy McCarthy of Eater wrote, “Upon taking the first bite, I was hooked. Half of the pint had disappeared by the time I looked up, and I have no regrets.” According to the author, the pint boasts a “buttery flavor that’s only slightly cheesy.” My stomach is already churning, TBH.
Others have taken less kindly to the gimmicky flavor. “Must we challenge God every day? Is there no respite from our dystopian nightmare?” mused Mia Mercado of The Cut, headlining her take on the flavor: “This Is What Greets You at the Gates of Hell.” Harry Hill, the influencer and meme-maker behind @veryharryhill, posted a photo of the orange pint on Instagram Stories with the caption, “Floop is a mad man help us save us.”
Though I won’t be partaking in any tastings of Van Leeuwen’s Kraft mac and cheese ice cream (I’m lactose intolerant and don’t hate myself), those brave and curious enough can try it for free in New York City’s Union Square from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST — just look for an ice cream truck handing out samples of the brightly colored monstrosity. You can also purchase the flavor at Van Leeuwen’s website for $12 USD a pint (at the time of publishing, it appeared the server was down — make of that what you will).
