- This page was last modified on 9 August 2025, at 08:47. Suggest an edit.
Velveeta Shells & Cheese facts for kids
 |
|
| Owner | Kraft Heinz |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1984 |
| Related brands | Kraft Dinner |
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is a popular food that combines shell-shaped pasta with a creamy cheese sauce. It first appeared in the United States in 1984. This product is part of the Velveeta brand, known for its smooth cheese products. It tastes and feels very much like macaroni and cheese. You can store it in your pantry for a long time without it going bad.
Contents
Different Kinds You Can Find
Velveeta Shells & Cheese comes in several exciting varieties. The original version is very popular. There's also a version made with 2% milk, which has 50% less fat than the original.
For those who like a bit of a kick, there are spicy flavors. These include chipotle and jalapeño. These flavored kinds come with separate packets for the cheese sauce and the special flavoring. The jalapeño flavor is quite spicy! The chipotle one has a strong taste from Mexican spices like cumin. These bold flavors have the word "bold" written clearly on their packaging.
You can also find Velveeta Shells & Cheese with different pasta shapes. There's a version with larger shells and another with mini shells. A rotini spiral pasta version is also available. For those looking for different options, there was once a "Touch of Mexico" flavor with mild peppers and picante sauce. A bacon version was also sold.
What's Inside?
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is made with shell pasta. This pasta is usually made from enriched wheat flour. The creamy cheese sauce is mostly milk-based.
Other important ingredients in the cheese sauce include whey, water, and milk protein concentrate. It also contains small amounts of things like lactic acid and sorbic acid. These ingredients help give the sauce its unique taste and texture.
How Nutritious Is It?
| Nutritional value per 4 oz. | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 360 kcal (1,500 kJ) |
|
46g
|
|
|
13g
|
|
|
Protein
|
15g
|
|
Source:
|
|
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
A single serving of the original Velveeta Shells & Cheese has about 360 calories. It contains 13 grams of total fat and 8 grams of saturated fat. There are 30 milligrams of cholesterol and 960 milligrams of sodium. Each serving also provides 46 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.
How It's Made and Sold
The Velveeta cheese brand was first bought by Kraft Foods in 1927. Kraft Foods used to have its main office in Northfield, Illinois. They made their food products in many factories around the world.
In July 2015, Kraft Foods and Heinz joined together. They formed a new company called The Kraft Heinz Company. As of August 2025, Velveeta Shells & Cheese is still sold and promoted on the Kraft Heinz website. You can even find many recipes and cooking ideas there!
Before the companies merged, Kraft Foods advertised Velveeta Shells & Cheese a lot. They used television commercials and magazine ads. In 2015, TV ads for the product called it "liquid gold."
How It's Packaged
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is made in large amounts and sold in different package sizes. You can buy it in single-serving containers, in boxes, and in larger family-size packages.
In 2012, some people had questions about the single-serving containers. They noticed that the container didn't seem full of food after it was cooked. A news report showed a container that looked only half full after being heated in a microwave.
The company explained that they leave room in the container for water. They also said that the noodles expand when they cook. This means the container looks less full before cooking, but the amount of food is correct once it's ready to eat.