Pasta is amazing! We all have eaten it. We have all delighted in it. You might have eaten it at a fancy Italian restaurant. Likewise, you might have gone to the Olive Garden a few times.

Eating out can be expensive and might not be your thing. You might prefer homemade pasta. When you pick your homemade pasta, you need to know which is the best to choose. Not all pasta products are the same. There are some really good pasta products, like Dreamfields and Barilla. But there are also a lot of stale and mediocre pasta products out there. Whether you are shopping at Target or any other grocery store, it is good to know your options.

We will show you 12 pasta brands to avoid and provide reasons why other products like Barilla or Dreamfields might be better options. Some of these brands have one thing or another that is good. Yet, it is totally negated by something else. These brands are either too stale or too healthy. With that said, let’s take a look at 12 pasta brands to avoid.

12. Anthony’s Rotini

This is probably the first pasta brand you might see at your local Smart & Final store. But beware! You will get 42 grams of carbohydrates with each serving of Anthony’s Rotini. Additionally, you will gobble up 200 calories per serving. The only benefit of this pasta is the lack of sodium. There is none. Still, it is one of the pasta brands to avoid.

11. Banza Rigatoni Made from Chickpeas

Banza has plenty of products that they offer, including a special rigatoni product. It is technically healthier for you because it is made from chickpeas. It substitutes that for the wheat you usually get from pasta products. However, it could affect the taste. The downside of this is that you have to cook Banza Rigatoni a specific way, or the pasta might taste bad. Because of that, it is one of the pasta brands to avoid.

10. Buitoni Chicken Parmesan Ravioli

Everyone loves ravioli. Many people love chicken. Now, imagine chicken and ravioli blended together with cheese. Buitoni Chicken Parmesan Ravioli gives you all that and more. But remember, some foods may taste amazing but still be bad for you. This specific brand will give you 36 grams of carbohydrates, which is normal. It will have 61 milligrams of cholesterol in each serving as well. But it also will give you 680 milligrams of sodium. That is very salty! For that reason, it is one of the pasta brands to avoid if you are being more health-conscious.

9. Creamette

Some pasta have more cream than others. In this case, Creamette literally has it in its name. While the taste of the product might be enhanced artificially, it also means there might be more added negative effects. You will get 200 calories from every box of Creamette Pasta. There is also some sugar (one) from Creamette. Additionally, there are 42 grams of carbohydrates in Creamette Pasta. You will have a yummy meal. But it is not a brand you should consume daily. That makes it one of the pasta brands to avoid.

8. Great Value Pasta

Some customers allege that the pasta in Great Value Bowtie falls apart. Others state that the center of the pasta in this brand does not cook correctly at the center. Little complaints like that are why Great Value Bowtie lands on our list of pasta brands to avoid. It is a dry pasta with 42 grams of carbohydrates and 200 calories. It is one you should avoid if you are looking for a good pasta product.

7. Louisa Four Cheese Tortellini

People in Italy do not eat cheese in their pasta. Do not tell the makers of Louisa Four Cheese Tortellini, a brand that adds four different types of cheese. Imagine adding Ricotto and Imported Romano. Then, imagine adding freshly grated Parmesan and Swiss cheese. That is what you get with this brand. Yes, it will taste amazing. But remember that adding a lot of cheese does not exactly provide you with the most health benefits. You will get a staggering 320 calories per serving. It is the best brand to have once in a while. But it is not something you should consume every day.

6. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

You knew this was coming. Kraft’s Macaroni & Cheese is probably the most well-known pasta product on the market. It is fairly simple to do. You boil hot water, add the macaroni, and mix the artificial cheese ingredients before adding in milk and butter. What you get with this popular meal is about 47 grams of carbohydrates, seven grams of sugar, and 561 milligrams of sodium. You also get an astonishing 350 calories in each serving. It may be cheesy and tasty sometimes, but it is definitely one of the pasta brands to avoid.

5. No Yolks Egg White Pasta

You will get some health benefits if you eat No Yolks Egg White Pasta. There is only one total gram of fat. Additionally, you will get only 15 milligrams of sodium in this product. But you also will get 40 grams of carbohydrates along with 200 calories per serving. It is also a brand that is easy to overcook. Therefore, it is one of the pasta brands to avoid on your next trip to Smart & Final.

4. Osem Original Israeli Pearl Couscous

When you eat Osem Original Israeli Pearl Couscous, you may get some health benefits on some levels. For one thing, there is no sodium or cholesterol. That is the good news. But like other pasta products, there is a downside. If you eat this, you will get 200 calories per serving. You also will consume 43 grams of carbohydrates. It is a product you should consume in moderation.

3. Priano Rigatoni

ALDI has its own brand of pasta that it offers. Priano Rigatoni is made from durum wheat. While this offers some good benefits, it also can raise your carbohydrates. This brand specifically has 42 grams of carbohydrates. You will get 200 calories in each serving size. It is slightly healthier than the other pasta brands on this list. But it still has its downsides if you eat it too much.

2. Ronzoni

The good news here is that Ronzoni has the normal amount of calories, 200. There is also no added sodium or cholesterol. It also has seven grams of protein. There is also only 41 grams of carbohydrates. The reason why Ronzoni is on this list is because it lacks the taste of the other pastas. While some of the other brands have something unique in terms of taste, this brand offers nothing of the sort. You are better off buying Barilla.

1. San Giorgio Farfalle

You will get the normal amount of protein (seven grams) with San Giorgio Farfale. It also has 42 grams of carbohydrates. You won’t get any sodium or cholesterol from this brand, either. But you will get a product that is pretty standard. The main point against this brand is that some people have complained about broken shells when opening the packaging. Taste and health are big factors when it comes to having the best pasta. Additionally, having a pasta product that is fully intact is very important.

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