Firehouse Subs 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese
This mac and cheese is high in histamine, driven by aged cheeses and yeast extract.
Food here is usually assembled to order from components that were prepped earlier in the day, so it tends to be fresher than a drive-through and less fresh than cooking at home. Histamine builds up as protein foods sit, so how long the chicken or beef has been in the warmer matters as much as what is in the bowl. Treat the rating above as a starting point.
This is elbow macaroni in a blend of several cheeses with a savory seasoning mix.
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Aged cheeses — cheddar and asiago are aged cheeses that build up histamine as they mature, and they are the main drivers here. Monterey jack and the cheese blend add more on top.
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Savory extras — yeast extract is high, and the tomato powder is a liberator that lifts things further. The pasta itself is low, but the cheeses and seasonings set the level.
There is no clean tweak that leaves this dish low, so a fresh-dairy option is a better bet.
This rating comes from Firehouse Subs' own published ingredient statement, read on August 11, 2026. Restaurant recipes vary by location and change over time, so always check the current listing: source 1, source 2. How we rate foods →
Firehouse Subs 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese and Firehouse Subs are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is an independent histamine reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the brand.
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For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.
References
- SIGHI Food Compatibility List — SIGHI (2026)
- Histamine and histamine intolerance — Maintz & Novak (2007)
- Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art — Comas-Basté et al. (2020)
- Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? — Sánchez-Pérez et al. (2021)
- Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond — Jochum (2024)
- Guideline on management of suspected adverse reactions to ingested histamine — Reese et al. (2021)