We Tested Dozens of Healthy Crackers, and These Are the Tastiest Ones to Snack On

If you could see the crumbs on our keyboards, you’d know that the Prevention team cannot function without copious snacking. Everyone in the office is pretty much always game for a midday healthy snack break—especially when crackers are on the menu. This food comes in clutch if you're assembling a cheeseboard, looking for something to spread peanut butter onto, or whenever you're simply craving some crunch. So when the time came to taste test the best healthy crackers, there was no shortage of volunteers.

What qualifies as a healthy cracker, you ask? The answers are right on the box—not the front, with the confusing marketing claims, like “all-natural” (which means different things to different people) or “made with,” written in mouse type, and then, in a bigger font, “REAL VEGETABLES.” Instead, check out the side panel for the real deal.

What to look for in a healthy cracker:

“When it comes to choosing a healthy cracker, the most important place to look is the ingredients label,” says Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., the Good Housekeeping Institute’s registered dietician. “Ideally, you want as few ingredients as possible and no refined grains.” Whole grains, nut flours, or vegetables make for a great base, while seeds and nuts can add more crunch to the equation. Next, peruse the nutrition data. “Try to choose an option that is high in fiber (3 grams or more per serving is ideal) but low in sodium (140 milligrams or less per serving) and minimal-to-no added sugar.”

You also want to make sure you're picking something that has a little protein, adds Lauren Slayton, M.S., R.D., founder of FoodTrainers in New York City. This nutrient, along with fiber, will help you stay full. And do your best to avoid refined oils, such as canola, soybean and corn oil. “These are stripped of their nutrients,” Slayton says.

Fortunately, you can find a lot of healthy crackers that meet most, if not all, of the above criteria. But it's hard to tell which ones will actually taste good. That's why the Prevention team tore open dozens of boxes to find the best-tasting options available—from gluten-free or grain-free classics to cauliflower crackers.

Curious to know how we tested? Tasters rated each cracker, providing separate scores for both texture and flavor, and including detailed notes. Because people’s tastes are so subjective—one person’s “just the right amount of salt” is another person’s “OMG too salty!”—we’re recommending the ones upon which most people commented favorably, and that no one thought tasted, as one tester commented about one sample, “like corrugated cardboard.” (Everybody’s a critic.)

Check out the results of our healthy cracker taste test, listed in no particular order—these are all winners.