Choosing the right cracker to accompany your cheese is a culinary decision not to be taken lightly. A Guardian taste test has put ten popular supermarket selections through their paces, revealing a stark divide between basic, ultra-processed options and genuinely nourishing, artisanal biscuits.
From Cardboard Cut-Outs to Culinary Delights
The investigation found that cheaper, mass-market crackers were strikingly similar. These products, often priced under £2.50 per 100g, were described as "generic cardboard cut-outs" typically made with commodity flour, palm oil, and multiple raising agents. While food-safe, they sit firmly in the ultra-processed food (UPF) category.
However, the landscape changes dramatically once the price point climbs. Crackers costing around £2.50 per 100g and upwards offered restaurant-quality sourdough, flavour-packed flatbreads, and minimally processed ingredients with clear provenance. The conclusion was clear: while cheaper crackers can outperform mid-range branded options, true quality requires a higher investment for a nourishing product that complements fine cheese.
The Top-Rated Cracker Selections
The clear winner for best overall was Peter’s Yard Sourdough Crackers Selection, available at Waitrose and Amazon for £5 per 270g (£1.86/100g). Awarded five stars, this trio of plain, black rye & charcoal, and rosemary & sea salt crackers earned praise for its homemade taste, excellent snap, and simple, high-quality ingredients.
For those seeking value, the best bargain was the Sainsbury’s Biscuits for Cheese Selection. Priced at just 79p per 100g (£3.95 for 500g), this three-star offering provides a generous, classic assortment of ten biscuit types, from poppy seed thins to cream crackers, though it contains palm oil and additives.
Other Notable Contenders
The tasting highlighted several other standout selections:
The Fine Cheese Co Flavoured Crackers Selection Box (£2.87/100g) was deemed perfect for a party, with dainty, restaurant-quality crackers in extra-virgin olive oil, fig & honey, and rosemary flavours, all free from palm oil.
Cartwright & Butler Savoury Biscuits Selection (£3/100g) impressed with its flavour-packed cheese, beetroot, and chilli & garlic flatbreads, a firm, snappy texture, and ethical credentials as a member of Ecologi and Too Good to Go.
Nairn’s Gluten-Free Savoury Cracker Selection (£1.70/100g) offered a wholesome, crumbly option for oat lovers, marking a clear jump in quality from the basic ranges.
More familiar high-street selections from Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons The Best, Carr’s, and Jacob’s were also rated. While many provided crisp, neutral vehicles for cheese at good value, they often contained palm oil and followed a similar, unadventurous formula. The heritage brand Jacob’s eight-variety selection received just two stars, with the reviewer noting you are largely "paying for the brand."
The test serves as a guide for festive cheeseboards and year-round entertaining, proving that with crackers, as with cheese, you often get what you pay for.
