Why Our Mac and Cheese is the Best

Why FishSki Mac and Cheese Beats Kraft, Annie's, and Everything Else on the Shelf

You know the drill with boxed mac and cheese: powdered cheese that tastes like the box it came in, pasta that turns to mush if you blink, and a flavor profile that peaks at "fine." FishSki Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese is a different animal entirely.

We started with a backpacking recipe that Rob and Tania McCormack actually wanted to eat on the trail. That meant real ingredients: Non-GMO semolina pasta that holds its texture, rBST-free cheddar that melts into an actual cheese sauce, and genuine New Mexico Hatch Chile that brings the kind of flavor people move to New Mexico for.

The result is a boxed mac and cheese that people describe as the best they've ever had — not just the best for camping, not just the best in its price range. The best, period.

• Real rBST-free cheddar cheese — not powdered cheese flavoring
• Authentic New Mexico Hatch Chile — actual peppers, not chile spice blend
• Non-GMO semolina pasta — holds texture, doesn't turn to mush
• No artificial flavors, preservatives, or dyes
• Just add water — no butter, no milk required
• 10 minutes start to finish — faster than driving to get fast food
• Made in Northern New Mexico — small batch, real people, real passion
• 3% of every sale donated to conservation and outdoor access efforts

"THE BEST MAC! I consider myself a mac & cheese connoisseur and this is the best mac you can buy! Perfect for a lazy Sunday or backpacking. Just a little heat. So good!!!"

"NOT YOUR MOM'S MAC AND CHEESE! Easy to prepare and so, so delish. It's always hard for me to decide between the green or the red. Both the Hatch Red and Green Mac and Cheeses have become staples of my kitchen."

"FishSki is the best! Whether you just got off the river after a day of fishing or you're prepping dinner at home after a long day, FishSki is a delicious and easy option. My personal favorite is the Green Chile made with real Hatch chiles."

"These are my new favorite 'lazy' meal. So easy to make in a pinch, really tasty, and very filling. I'll be ordering more!"

"Think of it as a tastier step-up from Kraft Dinner. The chile had a good heat level for me, gradually building over the meal. My order also came with a personal thank you note — the personal touch is always appreciated."

"So good I serve it to guests! I came across this at a small mountain town shop. I can't handle a lot of heat but this is flavorful with a tinge of heat while so, so delicious. I bought a case of it!"

Hatch Green Chile, Garlic, Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Sweet · Smoky · Crisp · Mildly Spicy

Imagine this: you've been searching for Big Foot your whole life, and you just found him. That is how our Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese tastes.

Made with the legendary green chile of New Mexico's Hatch Valley — world-famous for its subtly crisp, sweet, mildly spicy taste — plus roasted garlic and rBST-free cheddar. The Hatch Green Chile builds in warmth gradually, adding layer after layer of Southwestern flavor without ever blowing the roof off.

Flavor profile: Bright and fresh. Earthy sweetness from the green chile with a gentle, building heat. Garlic rounds it out. Cheddar brings it home.

Best for: Anyone who loves flavor but doesn't want face-melting heat. A step-up from Kraft that the whole family can enjoy.

From $13.25 — Free Shipping

Hatch Red Chile, Garlic, Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Smoky · Subtly Sweet · Rich · Bold

Party, fiesta, soiree, celebration, shindig, banquet, blowout, bash. Hatch Red Chile Mac and Cheese is a jamboree in your mouth.

Hatch Red Chile is the mature, dried form of the same New Mexico chile — world-famous for a very mild heat level and a uniquely subtly sweet, slightly smoky flavor. Paired with bell peppers, roasted garlic, and sharp rBST-free cheddar, this is a mac and cheese with real depth.

Flavor profile: Smoky and rich, with a subtle sweetness from the red chile and a mild, warming heat. More complex and earthy than the green. The bell peppers add a fresh brightness.

Best for: Anyone who loves bold, smoky Southwestern flavor. The red chile brings something deeper and more nuanced than the green — start here if you love barbecue, chipotle, or ancho-forward dishes.

From $13.25 — Free Shipping

What Makes Hatch Chile So Special?

For hundreds of years, a very special chile pepper has been planted along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico. The town of Hatch, in the Hatch Valley, sits at the perfect elevation and climate to grow a chile unlike any other in the world.

Hatch Green Chile is harvested fresh and known for its subtle crisp, sweet, mildly spicy taste and exceptional depth of flavor. Hatch Red Chile is the same pepper allowed to ripen and dry — it develops a uniquely smooth, slightly smoky, subtly sweet character that New Mexicans are fiercely loyal to.

Every August, entire towns in New Mexico stop what they're doing to roast green chile. The smell of roasting Hatch Chile in the fall is, to New Mexicans, what apple pie is to the rest of the country. People who move away from New Mexico spend years chasing that flavor.

FishSki uses the real thing. Not a chile spice blend. Not dried chile powder from a mixed source. Actual New Mexico Hatch Chile, in every bag.

The Best Boxed Mac and Cheese — Period

Kraft and Annie's are fine when you need a familiar standby. But when you want mac and cheese that actually tastes like something, FishSki is the move. Real cheese. Real chile. Real pasta. No shortcuts. Customers who try it stop buying the grocery store stuff.

The Best Easy Camping Food

Just add boiling water — no butter, no milk, no straining, no mess. The bag doubles as your measuring cup. Cook in any pot, eat straight from the bag if you want. At home or at 10,000 feet, it's the same 10-minute process. Hikers, rafters, car campers, and moto-campers all swear by it.

The Best Spicy Mac and Cheese

If you've been searching for a spicy mac and cheese that doesn't rely on artificial heat — one that has real chile flavor, not just burn — FishSki is your answer. The Hatch Green Chile builds gradually. The Hatch Red Chile brings a deep, smoky warmth. Both are genuinely spicy in the most satisfying way.

The Easiest Weeknight Dinner with Real Flavor

Out of groceries. No energy to cook. 10 minutes until a real meal. FishSki Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese is the answer every time. It's filling, it's flavorful, and it doesn't taste like you gave up. Customers have called it their favorite "lazy meal" — the one they keep ordering because it never disappoints.

The Best Food Gift for Outdoor People

Our Pantry Pack ships with a mix of both mac and cheese flavors plus the Jalapeño Cheddar Grits. It's the food gift that makes outdoor people, New Mexico expats, and adventurous home cooks genuinely excited. Thoughtful, unique, and actually delicious.

The Best Spicy Mac and Cheese Recipe Base

FishSki mac is great plain. It's even better when you build on it. Add ground beef or shredded pork for a hearty Southwestern bowl. Stir in black beans and corn for a complete meal. Top with a fried egg for breakfast. Add a splash of milk and a knob of butter for extra richness. The Hatch Chile is the flavor engine — you just decide how far to take it.

Standard Preparation (Stovetop or Microwave)

1. Use the bag to measure 2 cups of water (measurement line is printed on the bag)
2. Bring water to a boil. Add pasta and chile peppers from the bag.
3. Cook until water is nearly absorbed — about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat. Add the cheese and spice pack. Stir vigorously.
5. Eat immediately. Try not to inhale it in one sitting.

Optional upgrades: a splash of milk, a tablespoon of butter, shredded pork, ground beef, black beans, or a fried egg on top.

Camping Preparation

1. Boil 2 cups of water in any pot or jetboil canister — use the bag to measure.
2. Add pasta and chile peppers directly to the boiling water.
3. Cook 8–10 minutes until water is absorbed. The boil time is sufficient to purify untreated water from a clean backcountry source.
4. Add the cheese and spice pack. Stir well.
5. Eat from the pot or pour into the bag — one dish, zero waste, maximum satisfaction.

Tip from Rob and Tania: pair with summer sausage, canned salmon, or fresh-caught trout for the full backcountry experience.

Kraft Mac & Cheese

• Powdered cheese flavoring
• Requires butter and milk
• Artificial colors and preservatives
• No real vegetable ingredients
• Flavor: familiar, mild, consistent
• Best for: kids, nostalgia, emergencies

Annie's Mac & Cheese

• Organic ingredients, real cheese powder
• Requires butter and milk
• Cleaner label than Kraft
• No real vegetable ingredients
• Flavor: mild, slightly tangy, consistent
• Best for: cleaner eating, kids, easy prep

FishSki Provisions 🌟

• Real rBST-free cheddar — melts into actual sauce
• Just add water — no butter or milk needed
• No artificial flavors, dyes, or preservatives
• Real Hatch Chile peppers in every bag
• Flavor: bold, spicy, complex, Southwestern
• Best for: anyone who wants mac and cheese to be a real meal
• Our red chile is NOT spicy, great for kids!

Is FishSki mac and cheese better than Kraft?

For anyone who wants real flavor and real ingredients, yes — significantly. FishSki uses real rBST-free cheddar cheese and actual New Mexico Hatch Chile peppers. Kraft uses powdered cheese flavoring and requires butter and milk. FishSki only needs water and delivers more flavor in every bite. Customers who try FishSki routinely stop buying Kraft.

How spicy is FishSki mac and cheese?

It's flavorful-spicy, not face-melting spicy. The Hatch Green Chile brings a gentle, building heat with lots of earthy sweetness — most people describe it as "just a little heat" with lots of flavor. The Hatch Red Chile is even milder in heat but deeper in smoky flavor and kids say it is a delicious mac and cheese with the perfect level of heat for their little pallets. Both are approachable for people who enjoy a little spice but don't want to suffer.

Do I need butter or milk?

No. FishSki mac and cheese requires only boiling water — the real cheddar melts into a sauce on its own. That said, adding a splash of milk and a tablespoon of butter at the end makes it extra rich and creamy. Either way is delicious.

Is it good for camping and backpacking?

Yes — it was born as a camping recipe. Just boil water, add pasta and chile, let it absorb, stir in cheese. The bag measures the water for you. The boil time is sufficient to treat backcountry water. It's best described as a "car camping mac and cheese" — it's ideal for car camping, basecamp cooking, and casual backpacking, though it does take about 10 minutes of boiling.

What is Hatch Chile and why is it special?

Hatch Chile is grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, where a unique combination of elevation, soil, and climate produces a chile with a flavor unlike anything else in the world: subtly crisp, sweet, mildly spicy (green) or smoky, rich, and deeply savory (red). FishSki uses real Hatch Chile peppers — not a spice blend or powder.

Can I add protein to make it a full meal?

Absolutely — and it's easy. Stir in ground beef, shredded chicken, crumbled sausage, canned tuna, or canned salmon. Add black beans and corn for a vegetarian bowl. Top with a fried egg. The Hatch Chile flavor pairs beautifully with almost any protein and takes the mac from side dish to full dinner in seconds.

Which is better — Green Chile or Red Chile?

In New Mexico, the answer is always "Christmas" — both. The Green Chile is brighter, crispier, and more fresh-tasting. The Red Chile is smokier, richer, and more complex. Both use real Hatch Chile and real cheddar. Our Combo Pack lets you try both and decide for yourself.

Where can I buy FishSki mac and cheese?

Online at fishskiprovisions.com with free shipping, on Amazon, and at Walmart Supercenters in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. See all store locations →