Lower-sugar elevenses snackers
If you eat crackers plain or with a topping, compare total sugars per 100g rather than assuming every savoury biscuit has a similar figure.
Who is comparing these crackers?
Whole-label comparers
If sugar is only one part of your choice, read the salt, saturated fat and carbohydrate figures too. The checked plain crackers do not have identical nutrition labels.
Allergen-aware shoppers
Check the ingredients and allergen statement on the particular pack. Warnings for the checked crackers vary, including warnings about ingredients introduced during manufacturing.
What should you compare?
Start with sugars on a common per-100g basis, then use the serving information and full pack label to decide what fits your elevenses.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100g. The NHS food-label guideline describes 5g or less total sugars per 100g as low; check the particular pack before applying a listing’s figure. | I’m looking for a cracker with a lower sugar figure, not just one that tastes less sweet. |
| Other nutrients | Read salt and saturated fat per 100g alongside sugars. Check total carbohydrate and the amount you expect to eat rather than using sugars as a substitute for the full label. | A lower sugar figure matters to me, but I also want to compare the rest of the snack. |
| Portion and toppings | Use per-100g figures to compare packs, then consult per-cracker or serving figures for your planned portion. Include anything you put on the crackers. | For a short break, I want to judge the crackers and toppings I’ll actually eat. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the pack you buy, including any ‘may contain’ or manufacturing warnings. Recheck when buying a different variety. | Someone eating the snack needs to avoid particular ingredients, so a similar product name is not enough. |
Common buying mistakes
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Comparing one cracker with 100g of another
Different serving sizes make those sugar figures poor like-for-like comparisons.
Compare sugars per 100g first, then use each pack’s serving figures for the number of crackers you plan to eat.
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Letting sugar stand in for the whole label
The checked plain crackers have different salt and saturated fat figures, and toppings change the snack.
Read sugars, salt and saturated fat together, then check the label of any topping you add.
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Assuming similar Carr’s listings have identical figures
Sainsbury’s lists 1.5g sugars per 100g for its Carr’s Table Water Crackers 125g, while a Joybuy listing for an apparently similar 125g pack states 0.6g.
Use the nutrition and allergen information on the pack you buy for a purchase-sensitive choice.
Brand and product references
These figures refer to the named products and retailer listings, not to every cracker made by each brand.
Jacob’s
Original Cream Crackers 300g are a plain option for eating alone or with a topping.
- Tesco lists 0.6g sugars per 100g for this pack.
- Tesco also lists 1.3g salt per 100g; compare the full label.
Carr’s
The checked Table Water Crackers 125g offer a different format from cream crackers for pairing with toppings.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.5g sugars per 100g for its checked pack.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.5g salt per 100g. A Joybuy listing for an apparently similar pack gives a different sugar figure, so check the pack in hand.
Ritz
The checked UK Original Crackers are an alternative when you want this style of cracker rather than the lowest sugar figure among these listings.
- Waitrose lists 8.5g sugars per 100g for its Ritz Original listing.
- That figure is above the NHS food-label guideline of 5g or less total sugars per 100g for a food described as low in sugar.
Tesco
Tesco Cream Crackers 300g are an own-label plain option.
- Tesco lists 1.3g sugars and 0.83g salt per 100g.
- Check the current pack label, particularly if its formulation matters to your choice.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Cream Cracker 300g is another own-label plain option.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.1g sugars and 1.34g salt per 100g.
- Its listing warns that the product is unsuitable for customers with allergies to milk, rye, barley or oats because of manufacturing methods.
ASDA
ASDA Classic Cream Crackers 300g are an own-label plain option.
- ASDA lists 1.5g sugars and 0.90g salt per 100g.
- Its listing identifies wheat as an allergen and says the crackers may contain oats, rye and barley; check the pack label.
Joybuy product options
These options include cream crackers, other cracker formats and a digestive biscuit for a different kind of elevenses snack. Compare each pack’s label rather than treating the digestive as a substitute for a savoury cracker.
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Jacob’s Cream Crackers 300g
A plain cream cracker to compare for elevenses or eat with a topping. Joybuy lists 0.6g sugars and 1.3g salt per 100g for this 300g pack; check the pack’s allergens and any topping you add.
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Jacob’s Cream Crackers Twin Pack 2x200g
This twin pack offers plain cream crackers in two 200g packs. Check its own nutrition and allergen label when comparing it with the single 300g pack or planning a portion.
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Carr’s Selection 200g
Consider this 200g cracker selection if you want different types to serve at elevenses. Check the assortment’s nutrition figures and allergen statement on the pack; do not apply the Table Water Crackers figure to this selection.
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Garden Original Saltine Crackers 210g
Saltines are another savoury cracker format to consider for a short snack. This is a 210g pack; compare its sugars and salt per 100g with the cream crackers, and check its allergen label.
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Gullon Zero Sugar Free Original Digestives 400g
This 400g pack contains digestive biscuits rather than savoury crackers, so the format may not suit the same toppings. Read its nutrition, sweetener and allergen information, including any consumption warning, on the pack.
Questions about choosing crackers
Does ‘low in sugar’ mean ‘reduced sugar’?
No. The NHS food-label guideline describes 5g or less total sugars per 100g as low, while ‘reduced sugar’ makes a comparison with another product. A low figure by itself does not establish that a cracker is a reduced-sugar version of a stated comparator.
Do these crackers need cooking?
The checked cream crackers and table water biscuits are sold for eating as crackers, with or without toppings; their listings indicate no cooking step. Follow any storage or preparation instructions for the topping you choose.
How should I store an opened pack?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you buy. If you transfer the crackers to a container, check the pack’s advice for keeping them after opening.
Does a low sugar figure tell me the carbohydrate per portion?
No. Total sugars are only one part of the nutrition label. Check total carbohydrate and the serving size for the number of crackers you expect to eat.