Toss it Out Tuesday - Goldfish Crackers

Cheddar Bunnies vs. Goldfish crackers:

I have always loved Goldfish crackers, even before I had my daughter. They are such a cute little convenient snack especially when they come in the single serving packs. But after having my daughter, and being more cautious about ingredients, I started to explore more healthful options for my daughter’s snacking needs.

Although I had heard of Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies I had never tried them so I thought I would purchase a box and do a little side by side comparison to see if one was better than the other!

The One on One:

• Goldfish crackers use the not so healthy canola oil (an oil processed unnaturally from genetically modified rapeseed) and soybean oil (a genetically modified and hydrogenated oil) in their product while the Cheddar Bunnies use sunflower oil which a bit healthier than the other two.

• There is no added sugar in Cheddar Bunnies, and while the Goldfish crackers do contain sugar its not that much, something like a gram per serving.

• Neither of these two products contain artificial colours or flavors but the Goldfish crackers do contain MSG which, as you know can lead to headaches, increased heartbeat, nausea and vomiting and a whole list of other things.

• Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies are organic and so you don’t have to worry about pesticides in this product, while the Goldfish crackers are not organic.

• If your worried about fat content the Annie’s actually have a gram more fat per serving but that's not a deal breaker for me. However, if you are monitoring your fat intake that might be something you would like to consider.

• And both of these crackers contain the same amount of salt which is a bit higher than I would like it to be.

So if you were going to make the choice between these two options the winner and slightly better option for me is Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies just know that they are not as easily accessible as the Goldfish crackers. You can find them at a natural food store like Whole Foods or on line at Well.ca.

I personally think Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies taste better than the Goldfish crackers and my daughter didn’t notice the switch so that is a good thing!

I am not saying the Bunnies should be an everyday snack but its good to know that there is a “healthier” option out there!

These crackers don’t have a rating on the Think Dirty App but they are rated on the Healthy Living App. Cheddar Bunnies rate slightly better at a 5 of 10 and the Goldfish rate a higher 6 out of 10. (10 being the worst and 1 being the best).

Although Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies are not an amazing choice they are the lesser evil of the two. Since both are highly processed I am still on the lookout for better snack options for my little!

What are some healthy snacks you have found?

Simply Truly Jenny…