Older adults who eat regular-texture foods
If crisp crackers are suitable, a plain variety can provide a base for afternoon-tea toppings. Compare the sugars on the exact pack rather than assuming every plain cracker has the same nutrition values.
Who is this for?
People choosing snacks with salt or carbohydrate in mind
Sugars are only one figure to compare. Check salt and total carbohydrate on the cracker pack, the portion being served and what will go on top.
Families following swallowing-related texture advice
For someone with dysphagia or a texture-modified diet, follow their individual advice before offering a dry, crunchy or crumbly cracker. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies crunchy and crumbly foods as higher-risk textures for people with dysphagia.
What should you check?
Start with comparable nutrition figures, then consider the complete snack and whether its texture is appropriate for the person eating it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare sugars per 100g on similar crackers. If a pack says reduced sugar, check what product it is compared with. | I want to compare crackers on the same basis, rather than judge by a small per-cracker figure or a savoury name. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g and the amount in the serving. Include any cheese, pâté or other savoury topping in the decision. | If salt matters for this snack, I need to look beyond the cracker's sugar figure. |
| Carbohydrate and portion | Check total carbohydrate per 100g and per portion on the back of the pack, as Diabetes UK advises for comparing food labels. Consider the topping too. | For someone following an individual diabetes plan, I want to assess the portion and complete snack, not sugars alone. |
| Texture and allergens | Follow any individual swallowing-texture advice. Read the exact pack's ingredients and allergen statement before serving. | I need to know that the cracker's texture and ingredients fit the person eating it before choosing between nutrition figures. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming plain means reduced sugar
A plain cracker can have a small sugars figure without establishing how much less sugar it contains than a comparable product.
Compare sugars per 100g. If the pack makes a reduced-sugar claim, read its comparison rather than relying on the product name.
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Checking sugars but not salt
Tesco Groceries lists 0.015g salt per 100g for Rakusen's Traditional Matzos and 1.5g per 100g for Carr's Table Water Crackers. A savoury topping also contributes to the snack.
Compare salt on the exact packs and consider the planned portion and topping.
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Offering a dry cracker despite texture advice
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies crunchy and crumbly foods as higher-risk textures for people with dysphagia. A lower sugars figure does not change a cracker's texture.
Follow the person's prescribed food-texture advice; do not assume that adding a topping, soaking or crushing a cracker makes it suitable.
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Relying on another variety's allergen information
Ingredients can differ between cracker varieties, including products from the same brand.
Read the physical pack for the exact variety before serving it to anyone with an allergy or another necessary ingredient exclusion.
Brand and product references
These figures refer to the named products and pack sizes, not every cracker made by each brand.
Tesco
Tesco Cream Crackers 300g are a plain option for toppings.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.3g sugars per 100g for this product.
- The same listing gives 0.83g salt per 100g; its crisp texture must also suit the person eating it.
Carr's
Carr's Table Water Crackers 125g provide a plain cracker option for savoury toppings.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.5g sugars per 100g for this product.
- Its listed salt is 1.5g per 100g, so compare salt as well as sugars.
Rakusen's
Rakusen's Traditional Matzos 300g are a plain, crisp option.
- Tesco Groceries lists 2.8g sugars and 0.015g salt per 100g for this product.
- Its crisp texture still needs to fit any individual swallowing advice.
Ritz
Ritz Original Crackers 150g are a different product from the Ritz Breaks option shown below.
- Their format offers another option for a regular-texture afternoon-tea serving.
- Tesco Groceries lists 8.5g sugars and 1.3g salt per 100g for Ritz Original; do not apply those figures to Ritz Breaks.
Jacob's
Jacob's Sour Cream & Chive Crackers 150g illustrate why the exact variety matters.
- The flavoured variety offers a different choice from a plain cracker.
- Tesco Groceries lists 6.8g sugars and 1.8g salt per 100g for this product; its figures do not describe other Jacob's varieties.
Joybuy cracker options
These crispbread, table-water biscuit, selection, sesame-flavoured and snacking options are for afternoon tea where crisp foods are suitable. Check each exact pack's nutrition and ingredients before choosing for an individual.
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Ryvita Original 250g
A crispbread option for an afternoon-tea topping. Check sugars, salt and allergens on the pack, and choose it only if its crunchy texture fits the person's swallowing advice.
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Carr's Table Water Biscuits 125g
A table-water biscuit to consider with savoury toppings. Compare sugars and salt on this exact pack, and check that a dry, crisp biscuit is appropriate for the person eating it.
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Carr's Selection 200g
A selection for serving more than one cracker type. Check the pack information for the particular biscuits being served, especially when sugars, salt or allergens affect the choice.
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Back-to-School Garden Soda Biscuits, Sesame Flavour 210g
A sesame-flavoured option rather than a plain cracker. Read the exact pack's ingredients and allergen statement, alongside its sugars and salt per 100g, before serving.
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Ritz Breaks Original 190g
Ritz Breaks is a different product from Ritz Original Crackers. Compare the nutrition and allergens on the Breaks pack itself, and check that its crisp texture is appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Do low sugar and reduced sugar mean the same thing?
No. Low sugar concerns the amount of sugar in a food; reduced sugar compares it with a similar product. For crackers, compare sugars per 100g and read any comparison stated on a reduced-sugar pack.
Which nutrition figure should I compare first?
Compare sugars per 100g first for a like-for-like starting point across different pack sizes and cracker shapes. Then check the serving size, salt, total carbohydrate and planned topping.
Does a small sugars figure make a cracker suitable for someone with diabetes?
Not on its own. Diabetes UK advises using the back-of-pack carbohydrate information when comparing foods; consider the serving and topping in line with the person's individual dietary advice.
Should I check salt in afternoon-tea crackers?
Yes, particularly if the topping is savoury. Tesco Groceries lists 0.015g salt per 100g for Rakusen's Traditional Matzos and 1.5g per 100g for Carr's Table Water Crackers, so compare the exact products and portions you intend to serve.
Can someone with swallowing difficulties have crackers?
Follow that person's individual texture advice before serving them. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies crunchy and crumbly foods as higher-risk textures for people with dysphagia; a lower-sugar label does not establish that a cracker is suitable.