Macaroni et fromage cuit au four

What's in the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four?

At 318 calories per serving, the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four represents about 16% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 16% of those calories come from protein, 30% from fat, and 56% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Cracker Barrel's Imported section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 894mg, or about 39% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Cracker Barrel, the dish is built for shareable portions and is plated at restaurant scale rather than a strict single serving. Boxing half of it before you start is one of the simplest ways to bring the per-meal calorie load down meaningfully without giving up the experience.

How this fits a 2,000-calorie day

One serving of the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four supplies 318 calories, which represents roughly 16% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That is on the lighter side for a sit-down restaurant entrée and gives a comfortable margin to add a starter, a side, or even dessert without crowding the day's caloric budget.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 15% protein, 56% carbohydrate and 29% fat by calorie share — a useful frame because raw gram counts often understate how much of a dish's energy actually comes from fat. Protein delivery at 12g is in the ordinary mid-range for the category — enough to anchor a meal, not high enough to be the dish's selling point.

Sodium clocks in at 894mg, or about 39% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is well within a reasonable share for a single meal and gives plenty of room for the rest of the day.

Allergen profile

No major allergens flagged

No major allergens are flagged on this item in the chain's posted nutrition disclosure. That said, every full-service restaurant kitchen handles wheat, dairy, eggs and seafood somewhere on the line, so cross-contact remains possible. If you have a severe allergy, telling the server before ordering — and asking for the manager's confirmation that the kitchen can accommodate — is the standard precaution.

How it stacks up against the casual-dining category

Across the 61 Imported entries we track in this category — averaging 620 calories and 426mg sodium per serving — the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four at Cracker Barrel sits roughly 49% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 468mg more sodium than the typical Imported item we list, which is the more useful number if you're cross-shopping menus on the way to a reservation.

For direct cross-shopping, here are the closest Imported matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Macaroni et fromage cuit au four is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Because the entrée itself is moderate, you have headroom for an appetizer or a starter side without dropping into restrictive territory — useful for a longer dinner where the goal is to stretch the meal rather than minimize it. Sauces, dressings and finishing oils are routinely the largest hidden source of calories on a casual-dining plate; getting them on the side gives you direct portion control without changing the dish you actually want to eat.

Ingredients summary

Ingredients not published by source.

The bottom line

The Macaroni et fromage cuit au four from Cracker Barrel is a light entry on the chain's menu at 318 calories and 894mg of sodium per serving. Protein content is on the lower side for an entrée — pairing with a protein-forward side or starter is the obvious adjustment. Anyone tracking sodium specifically — including most people on blood-pressure medication — should weigh this dish against the chain's lower-sodium options on the same menu before committing.