View source for Velveeta Shells & Cheese

{{short description|Brand name stovetop pasta shells and cheese product}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Velveeta Shells & Cheese
| logo           = 
| logo_size  = 200
| image          = File:Velveeta Shells & Cheese.jpg
| image_size      = 
| caption        =  
| producttype    = [[Pasta]] and [[cheese]] 
| currentowner   = [[Kraft Heinz]]
| producedby     = [[Kraft Foods]]
| country        = U.S.
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1984}}<ref name="tribunedigital-chicagotribune 2010"/><ref name="Jargon 2011">{{cite web | last=Jargon | first=Julie | title=Velveeta Shows Its Sizzle Against Hamburger Helper | website=The Wall Street Journal | date=December 28, 2011 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204336104577096753420568934 | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>
| discontinued   = 
| related        = [[Kraft Dinner]]
| markets        = 
| previousowners = 
| trademarkregistrations = 
| tagline        = 
| website        = {{url|https://www.kraftheinz-foodservice.com/products/0000070270/velveeta|kraftheinz.com/velveeta}}
| module         = <!-- or: misc -->
| module1        = <!-- or: misc1 -->
}}
'''Velveeta Shells & Cheese''' is a [[conchiglie|shell pasta]] and cheese [[sauce]] food product that debuted in the United States in 1984, as part of the [[Velveeta]] brand products.<ref name="tribunedigital-chicagotribune 2010">{{cite web | title=Kraft Macaroni & Cheese: A History | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=August 14, 2010 | url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-08-14/business/ct-biz-0815-mac-side2-20100814_1_kraft-macaroni-cheese-kraft-s-macaroni-cheddar | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Jargon 2011"/> Its ingredients, texture, and flavor are very similar to [[macaroni and cheese]]. The product is a [[shelf-stable food]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Wong | first=Elaine | title=Velveeta Shells & Cheese Debuts Biggest Push in 10 Years | website=[[AdWeek]] | date=March 31, 2010 | url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/velveeta-shells-cheese-debuts-biggest-push-10-years-107223 | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>

==Varieties==
The product is prepared in original style, [[2% milk]] style and in [[chipotle]] and [[jalapeño]] flavors.<ref name="Eat 2015">{{cite web | last=Eat | first=Trending Stories From Our | title=Product Review: Velveeta Shells & Cheese Bold | website=[[The Daily Meal]] | date=July 31, 2015 | url=http://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/product-review-velveeta-shells-cheese-bold | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref> The product prepared with 2% milk in the cheese sauce contains 50% less fat compared to the original product. The flavored varieties are packaged with separate packets, one with flavoring and one with the cheese sauce.<ref name="Eat 2015"/> The jalapeño-flavored product has been described as being significantly spicy in flavor.<ref name="Eat 2015"/> The chipotle-flavored product has been described as strong in flavor, per the chipotle, Mexican seasonings and cumin in the product.<ref name="Eat 2015"/> The flavored varieties have the word "bold" on the packaging in all capitalized, bold lettering.<ref name="Eat 2015"/> A large-shelled version, mini-shelled version, rotini spiral pasta version, a whole grain version, and a bacon version are also produced. A variant containing “mild peppers and picante sauce” labeled as Touch of Mexico was sold alongside the bacon variant as early as 1991, but is no longer available as of February 2020.

== Ingredients ==
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is a [[Conchiglie|shell pasta]] product prepared with enriched wheat flour and a milk-based cheese [[sauce]]. Additional primary ingredients in the cheese sauce include [[whey]], water, whey protein concentrate and milk protein concentrate. The product contains under two percent of lactic acid, sodium alginate, sorbic acid, [[oleoresin]], and other ingredients.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shopwell.com/velveeta-shells-cheese-original-family-size/macaroni-cheese/p/2100065320|title=Velveeta Shells & Cheese|work=ShopWell|access-date=8 January 2016}}</ref>

== Nutritional information ==
{{Infobox nutritional value
| name    = Velveeta Shells & Cheese
| kcal      = 360
| carbs   = 46g
| fat     = 13g
| protein = 15g
| note    = Source:<ref name="C-King"/>
|serving_size = 4 oz.
}}
Per a single [[Serving size|serving]] of the original product, Velveeta Shells & Cheese has 360 calories, 117 calories from fat, 13g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 30g cholesterol, 960&nbsp;mg sodium, 46g total carbohydrate, 2g fiber and 15g protein.<ref name="C-King">{{cite web|url=http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-packaged-meals-shells-cheese-original-family-size_f-ZmlkPTEzMDczNQ.html|title=Calories in Velveeta Shells & Cheese, Original, family size – Nutrition, Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter|access-date=8 January 2016}}</ref>

== Production and marketing ==
Kraft Foods introduced [[Velveeta]] cheese products in 1927 after acquiring the brand from The Velveeta Cheese Company. Kraft headquarters was previously located in Northfield, Illinois. Kraft Foods were made at around 160 manufacturing facilities around the world. Kraft Foods and [[Heinz]] merged in early July 2015, forming the new company [[Kraft Heinz|The Kraft Heinz Company]].<ref name="Gasparro 2015">{{cite web | last=Gasparro | first=Annie | title=Kraft Heinz Is Still Taking Shape After Its Own Merger | website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | date=July 13, 2015 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/kraft-heinz-is-still-taking-shape-after-its-own-merger-1438829695 | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>

As of January 2016, Velveeta Shells & Cheese is still marketed on a Kraft website.<ref name="Kraftrecipes"/> On the Kraft Foods website, multiple recipes and cooking ideas for Velveeta Shells & Cheese are also posted.<ref name="Kraftrecipes">{{cite web|url=http://www.kraftrecipes.com/velveeta/products/velveeta-shells-cheese.aspx|title=Velveeta Shells Cheese|work=Recipes|access-date=8 January 2016}}</ref>

Prior to the [[corporate merger]] of Kraft Foods and Heinz, Kraft also marketed Velveeta Shells & Cheese through multiple television commercials and magazine advertisements. In March 2015, the product continued to be advertised on television in the United States, with statements referring to the product as "liquid gold."<ref name="McMains 2015">{{cite web | last=McMains | first=Andrew | title=1840s Prospectors Find the Mother Lode of Liquid Gold in CP+B's First Velveeta Ad | website=AdWeek | date=March 9, 2015 | url=http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/1840s-prospectors-find-mother-lode-liquid-gold-cpbs-first-velveeta-ad-163338 | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>

== Packaging ==
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is [[Mass production|mass-produced]] and packaged in individual, single serving packages,<ref name="Washington Post 2015">{{cite news | title=Kraft recalls more than 6 million boxes of macaroni and cheese because they may contain metal | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=March 17, 2015 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/03/17/kraft-recalls-242000-cases-of-macaroni-and-cheese-because-they-may-contain-metal/ | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref> in boxes and in family size packages.<ref name="C-King"/>

In 2012, Kraft Foods received some questions from [[Consumer Reports]] about the packaging style for single-serving Velveeta Shells & Cheese, whereby the container is not full of product, and after the product is prepared, not much food is present relative to the size of the packaging.<ref name="Komo 2016"/> A video denoting the Consumer Reports query showed a container that was only around half full after the single-serving container was cooked in a microwave oven.<ref name="Komo 2016"/> A news report about the matter stated, "once you're done making it, look how little food is actually inside," in reference to the single-serving container.<ref name="Komo 2016"/> Consumer Reports has referred to this type of packaging as a "packaging gotcha," via the downsizing of product volumes.<ref name="Komo 2016"/> The news report stated that such types packaging is "deceptive", and implied that this is a tactic to mislead consumers into thinking they're getting more food than actually exists in the package.<ref name="Komo 2016"/> The company responded stating that it "leaves room for water in the Velveeta Shells n' Cheese and that noodles expand."<ref name="Komo 2016">{{cite web | author=[[Consumer Reports]] | title=Consumer Reports highlights maddening packaging tricks  | website=[[KOMO-TV|KOMO]] | date=January 7, 2016 | url=http://komonews.com/news/consumer/consumer-reports-highlights-maddening-packaging-tricks | access-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* [[Velveeta]]
* [[Kraft Dinner]]
* [[List of cheese dishes]]
* [[List of pasta dishes]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web | last=McMains | first=Andrew | title=Ad of the Day: Velveeta Shells & Cheese | website=AdWeek | date=August 24, 2012 | url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-velveeta-shells-cheese-143107 | access-date=January 8, 2016}}

== External links ==
* {{official website}}

{{Kraft Foods Group}}
{{Pasta dishes}}
{{Cheese dishes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Velveeta Shells and Cheese}}
[[Category:Cheese dishes]]
[[Category:Pasta dishes]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1984]]
[[Category:Kraft Foods brands]]
[[Category:Convenience foods]]