Healthy crackers: how to read the box, and the better ones we stock

The healthiest crackers are usually the simplest ones: whole grains or seeds first on the ingredients list, a few grams of fibre, little or no added sugar and a sensible amount of salt. This guide is for anyone standing in the snack aisle wondering which box is actually good for you, from lunch packers to gluten-free households. It shows you how to read a cracker box in under a minute, walks through the healthy crackers on our shelves by type, and ends with an easy recipe for making your own seed crackers at home.

Crackers sit in an odd spot in the snack aisle. Some are little more than refined wheat flour, oil and salt; others are mostly seeds, brown rice or rye and could stand in for a slice of bread at lunch. The box often looks the same either way, so the label does the real work.

What makes a cracker healthy?

No single cracker is "the" healthy one, but the better boxes share a few traits, and they're the same nutrients and ingredients that matter in any whole food. Here's what we look for when we bring a new cracker into the store:

• Whole grains or seeds first. Brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, flax, chia, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Whole grains keep the bran and germ, which is where most of the fibre, B vitamins and minerals live.
• A short ingredients list. Some of our favourite crackers have two or three ingredients. You should recognise most of what's on the list.
• Fibre and a little protein. Seeds, whole grains and bean or chickpea flours bring both, so a few crackers feel more like food and less like air. Crackers made with chickpea or lentil flour have more protein than most crackers made from plain wheat flour.
• Little or no added sugar. A savoury cracker doesn't need much. A small amount of cane sugar or honey for browning is normal; sugar near the top of the list isn't.
• Salt in proportion. Sea salt on top is part of the pleasure. Compare sodium between boxes using the same serving size.
• The oil. Extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil or canola are common. Many seed and rice crackers use no added oil at all.

How to read the nutrition information on a cracker box

The front of the box sells; the back tells you what's inside. Turn it over and check these in order:

1. The first ingredient. Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first one is what the cracker is mostly made of. "Whole grain brown rice", "flaxseeds" or "whole wheat flour" is a good start. Plain "wheat flour" or "enriched flour" means refined white flour.
2. The whole ingredients list. Look for whole foods, seeds and herbs. Starches such as tapioca or corn starch, and refined flours like white rice flour, are common in gluten-free crackers and aren't a problem; they just mean a lighter, crispier cracker with less fibre.
3. The serving size. The Nutrition Facts table might list 4 crackers or 15. Check it before you compare numbers between brands.
4. Fibre, sodium and sugars. These three numbers tell you most of the nutritional value story. As a rough guide, 3 grams of fibre or more per serving is a good mark, and if you're watching salt, around 150 mg of sodium per serving or less is a useful one. Low sugars round it out.
5. Allergens. Seed crackers often contain sesame; some gluten-free crackers contain milk or soy. If you need nut free, check the "may contain" line too.

Healthy crackers by type

Seed crackers: flax, chia, pumpkin and sesame

Seed crackers have no flour at all. The seeds are soaked so that chia and flax form a gel, then pressed thin and baked or toasted until crisp. They're naturally gluten free and grain free, with more fibre and healthy fats than most flour-based crackers, and they're sturdy enough to carry a thick dip.

Eve's Crackers are made with Canadian brown flaxseed, chia and psyllium, with no flour and no grain, so they're gluten free, vegan and keto-friendly. The Black Sesame version uses black sesame seeds and white sesame for a toasty, nutty flavour, seasoned with nutritional yeast and Bragg liquid aminos (so they contain soy). The Chili Pepper Pumpkin Seed crackers add pumpkin seeds, garlic and chili flakes for gentle warmth. Mary's Organic Super Seed crackers pack pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and flax seeds onto a base of whole grain brown rice and quinoa, and they're made in a facility that is gluten free, dairy free and nut free.

Whole grain crackers: brown rice, quinoa, rye and whole wheat

For an everyday cracker that the whole family will eat, whole grain brown rice is hard to beat. Mary's Organic Original crackers are made from whole grain brown rice, quinoa, flax and sesame with a little sea salt and wheat-free tamari, and they've been a pantry staple for many of our regulars for years.

Rice cakes count too. Lundberg, a fourth-generation rice farm in California, makes Organic Thin Stackers from just organic brown rice and sea salt. They're thinner and crunchier than a classic rice cake, and the Red Rice & Quinoa version has only three ingredients, all whole grains. Top them with nut butter and banana, or hummus and cucumber.

If you eat wheat, a good rye or whole wheat cracker is a fine choice. The Fine Cheese Co. in Bath, England makes Rye Sourdough Crackers with spelt flour, dark rye, a sourdough starter and extra virgin olive oil. Their Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Sea Salt crackers are made with wheat flour and are deliberately plain, so the cheese gets the attention: one we'd eat occasionally on a cheese board rather than every day.

Gluten-free crackers beyond rice

Gluten free doesn't automatically mean healthier. Some gluten-free crackers are built on whole grains and seeds; others lean on corn starch, tapioca or white rice flour for a light, crisp bite. Both have a place, so pick by what you need them for.

• Crispbread with oats and seeds. Sigdal Bakeri makes coarse Norwegian crispbreads. The Oats Crispbread uses gluten-free oats with sunflower seeds, sesame and flax and a touch of honey, and the Sunflower Seeds & Quinoa version is another hearty pick for open sandwiches.
• Buckwheat and quinoa crisps. Smart Bite started with a family in Vancouver. Their Organic Buckwheat Crisps are buckwheat, rice, corn and sea salt, and the Quinoa Plus Crisps add psyllium for 4 g of fibre per serving.
• Vegetable crackers. From The Ground Up makes vegan crackers from cauliflower, potato, whole grain rice and cassava, with a vegetable blend of spinach, broccoli, carrot, tomato, beet and shiitake mushroom.
• Nut-free crackers for school. Made Good, a family-founded Canadian company, bakes organic Star Puffed crackers that are free from the most common allergens, so they're safe to send to a nut-free classroom.
• Classic saltine-style. Schär has made gluten-free crackers in Italy since 1981. Their Gluten-Free Crackers are light and made with corn starch and corn flour, handy for soup and chowder. Stonewall Kitchen Gluten Free Sea Salt Crackers, from Maine, use tapioca, rice, potato and chickpea flours with butter and milk for a buttery biscuit flavour.

Cheese crisps: crunch with protein

If you want something low in carbohydrates and higher in protein, baked cheese crisps are an easy swap. Sonoma Creamery Parmesan Crisps are 10-month aged parmesan cheese baked with organic brown rice, gluten-free oat bran and quinoa. They're baked, not fried, and they crumble nicely over a salad or soup in place of croutons.

Sonoma CreameryParmesan CrispsAged parmesan baked with brown rice, oat bran and quinoa.Shop →

What is the healthiest cracker to eat?

For most people, the healthiest cracker is one made mostly from whole grains or seeds, with a short ingredients list, a few grams of fibre, little added sugar and moderate sodium. Seed crackers such as Eve's and Mary's Super Seed, and whole grain brown rice crackers such as Mary's Original or Lundberg Thin Stackers, tick all of those boxes. The best choice is still the one that tastes delicious to you and that you'll actually eat with good food on top.

Are whole grain wheat crackers healthier than buttery crackers?

Usually, yes. A cracker made from whole grain wheat keeps the bran and germ, so it brings more fibre and B vitamins than one made from refined white flour. Buttery round crackers tend to use refined flour with more fat and often some sugar. They taste good and they're fine now and then; a whole grain cracker simply does more for you as an everyday snack.

Can crackers fit if you're trying to eat lighter?

They can. Crackers that are high in fibre and paired with protein, such as hummus, cheese, eggs or smoked fish, make a more filling snack than a handful of plain crackers on their own. Read the serving size on the nutrition information, put a portion on a plate instead of eating from the box, and choose seed or whole grain crackers that keep you satisfied longer.

Make your own crackers: an easy seed cracker recipe

Making your own crackers is easier than it sounds, and it's a good way to use up the seeds in your pantry. This easy recipe needs no flour and no special equipment, just a baking sheet, parchment paper and a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl, stir together ½ cup chia seeds, ½ cup flax seeds, ½ cup pumpkin seeds, ½ cup sunflower seeds and ¼ cup sesame seeds (a spoon of poppy seeds or black sesame seeds is nice too), with ½ teaspoon sea salt.
2. Add water and wait. Pour in 1 cup of water, stir well and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, until the chia and flax turn it into a thick, sticky dough.
3. Season it. Stir in chopped rosemary, garlic powder or your favourite spices. A spoon of olive oil adds flavour.
4. Spread it thin. Spread the dough as thinly and evenly as you can on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3 mm thick. Lay a second sheet of parchment on top and press it flat with a spatula, or roll it gently with a rolling pin if you have one.
5. Bake and score. Bake at 325°F for about 30 minutes. Take the sheet out, cut the slab into crackers with a pizza cutter or sharp knife, flip them, and bake another 20 to 30 minutes until dry and crisp.
6. Cool and store. Let them cool completely on the sheet, then keep them in an airtight container for up to a week.

We carry organic chia seeds and flax seeds in our bulk section, so you can buy exactly what the recipe needs.

What to put on your crackers

A healthy cracker is only half the snack. A few toppings that taste good and add protein, fibre or healthy fats:

• Hummus with cucumber and a pinch of sea salt.
• Avocado, lemon and chili flakes on rice cakes.
• Nut or seed butter with apple or banana.
• Cheese with fruit, or a drizzle of olive oil and a few rosemary leaves.
• Smoked salmon with cream cheese and dill.

Two Nova Scotia favourites on our shelves: HardyWares Preserves Green Tomato Chow, made in small batches in Necum Teuch, is lovely with sharp cheese on a rye cracker. Skye Glen Creamery Storm Chip Dip is made from the milk of grass-fed Jersey cows in East Skye Glen, Cape Breton, and it's just as good with crackers as with chips. It's a fridge item, so it's available for local delivery and pickup only.

Cracker questions we hear in the store

Are rice crackers healthy?

Rice crackers made from whole grain brown rice are a good everyday choice: simple, gluten free and easy to digest for most people. Crackers made from white rice flour or rice starch are lighter and lower in fibre. Check that "whole grain brown rice" is the first ingredient.

Are gluten-free crackers healthier than wheat crackers?

Not automatically. They're essential if you avoid gluten, but a gluten-free cracker made mostly from starches has less fibre than a whole wheat or rye cracker. Seed crackers, brown rice crackers and oat or buckwheat crispbreads are the gluten-free options with the most going on nutritionally.

How do I keep crackers crisp?

Reseal the bag or box after every use, or move the crackers into an airtight container. If they go soft, spread them on a baking sheet and warm them at 300°F for 5 minutes, then let them cool.

Which crackers are good for kids' lunches?

Made Good Star Puffed crackers are free from the most common allergens, which helps in nut-free schools. Lundberg Thin Stackers and Mary's Original crackers are simple, sturdy and easy to pack with cheese or hummus.

Shopping for crackers at Luminate

You'll find our healthy crackers in the snack aisle at both stores and online in our snacks, crackers and chips collection, with more gluten-free choices in gluten-free snacks and treats. Crackers are shelf stable, so they ship across Atlantic Canada in 1 to 3 business days, with free shipping in Canada on orders over $80. In Halifax, Bedford and Dartmouth, Luminate Express brings them the same day when you order by 11 am.

Looking for more snack ideas? Read our guides to healthy chips, protein snacks and gluten-free groceries.

Product details come from our own product listings. This article is general information, not medical or nutrition advice.