Family Dinner

High-Protein Pepperoni Mac Meal Prep

Name: High-Protein Pepperoni Mac Meal Prep
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 boxes Annie's Super Mac Shells & White Cheddar (higher-protein line); 1 cup Nurri whole milk (or regular whole milk); 4 servings turkey pepperoni, chopped; Light avocado-oil spray, optional — only if your pot needs it

Three simple swaps turn boxed mac and cheese into a high-protein family dinner: a higher-protein boxed mac, whole milk for the sauce, and folded-in turkey pepperoni. Same creamy pepperoni mac everyone already wants — one pot, eight portions, two days.

Make this when

You want the comfort of boxed mac and cheese but need it to carry a real dinner for the whole family — with enough protein that it isn't a cheat meal, and enough batch to cover two nights.

Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Protein: ~25g
Calories: ~370
Cost / serving: $1.50
Cook method: One pot

Allergens and safety

Contains: dairy, wheat, gluten

Packaged ingredients change formulas — check the label on what's actually in your kitchen.

Adjust servings

Ingredients

Batch cookServingsOriginal yield: 8. Adjusted ingredients will appear in print; check pan size and cooking time.

Ingredients

3 boxes Annie's Super Mac Shells & White Cheddar (higher-protein line)
1 cup Nurri whole milk (or regular whole milk)
4 servings turkey pepperoni, chopped
Light avocado-oil spray, optional — only if your pot needs it

Method

1
COOK THE SHELLS
Cook and drain the shells from all 3 boxes according to the package directions. Reserve the cheese packets.
2
BUILD THE CHEESE SAUCE
Whisk all three cheese packets into 1 cup whole milk until smooth. No butter — the milk and cheese powder carry the sauce.
3
FOLD IN THE SHELLS
Fold the drained shells into the cheese sauce until every shell is coated and creamy.
4
CHOP + FOLD THE PEPPERONI
Chop 4 servings of turkey pepperoni and fold it through the mac and cheese so it's evenly distributed.
5
PORTION EIGHT SERVINGS
Divide the batch into 4 full servings and 4 slightly smaller servings — enough for two family dinners across two days. Size the smaller servings to your kids' appetites.

Go deeper

Storage and nutrition

Storage: Refrigerate the portioned servings in airtight containers up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: Microwave a portion 60-90 seconds until steaming, stirring once. Add a splash of milk if it tightened up in the fridge.

Lasts: Best within 2 days across two family dinners, as filmed. Freezing is not recommended — the cheese sauce turns grainy on thaw.

Watch the full cook

Brands I use

Annie's

Super Mac Shells & White Cheddar (higher-protein line, ~15g protein per prepared serving on the box)

The higher-protein boxed mac that does the heavy lifting. Any boxed mac works, but this line is what keeps the full serving near 25g protein. Recheck the current label — the macros move with the box.

Nurri

Whole milk (higher-protein UHT milk)

Whisked with the cheese packets to build the sauce. Regular whole milk works and shifts the protein slightly.

Turkey pepperoni

4 servings, chopped and folded through

Keeps the dish pork-free and leaner than pork pepperoni while still tasting like pepperoni mac. Verify the label — turkey pepperoni macros vary by brand.

Chosen Foods

Avocado Oil Spray (optional)

The pot spray seen in the build. Optional — boxed shells don't need added fat to come together.

Pairs With Your Leftovers