I Ate That: Best Gluten-Free Crackers

Welcome to “I Ate That” where I daringly shove food down my gullet in the name of science. Or rather, in the name of finding a delicious substitute for my favorite gluten-y foods. Since I like to brag about eating crackers, it’s only fitting that I kick off this taste test with that one crunchy, wheaty, item that I honest-to-god could never live without: the cracker.

As a delivery system for cheese, you can do no better than a cracker. In fact, I say, could there be any higher honor for a food stuff? Table, saltines, seeded, baked, fried, sun dried . . . I’m not discriminating. I just need me some good crackers. Luckily, the cracker game is one that gluten-free is winning. In fact, there’s one cracker I would eat even if god herself came down and told me that I could gorge on gluten and never watch what I eat again.

Glutino Table Crackers, you are the one. You are flaky, crunchy, and a perfect cheese combo. I was lucky enough to pick up a box of these tasties on my very first trip to the grocery store post-diagnosis, and it’s amazing I even tried anything else, I was so in love. But I did. In fact, here’s the spread that helped me choose the rest of the best gluten-free crackers in the land.

Because crackers need to be many things, to many people, I tested the group with a hard Irish cheddar, almond butter, CHOCOLATE almond butter (actually, that was for the kids), and the world’s best ricotta and goat cheese dip (recipe forthcoming).

Here’s what else you should be stocking your cabinets with when you have to ditch the Carr’s:

Myrna’s Skinny Crisps (seeded and plain jane)

My husband’s favorite gf cracker, Myrna’s is always in my cabinet. Well, ever since I went on a food tour with a nutritionist and she informed me that many of gluten-free substitutes were about as nutritionally valuable as eating the box they came in. Personally, I would have eaten a cardboard box after weeks without crackers, but I took her advice to try these low carb, baked, nutritionally dense crackers. I can’t believe I’m going to say this about something that’s good for me, but holy moley, delicious. In fact, one night I came home to find my husband had already finished off my package, and I actually said, “That’s MY food!!!”

Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers (sea salt)

These are also becoming my go-to brand of gf crackers. They seem to be more difficult to find, but so worth it when you crunch down on these tasty morsels.

Edward & Sons Exotic Rice Toast (jasmine and sweet onion)

I’m not crazy about the straight up rice crackers. And while I did enjoy these as a snack on their own, they’re not so hot paired with a cheese. Or perhaps I just haven’t found the perfect pairing cheese. I’m willing to search.

A note about Mary’s Gone Crackers. Everyone seems to love Mary’s Gone Crackers except for me. I tried the black pepper crackers, and maybe it was the tamari, but it tasted kind of fishy. I also tried the Sticks & Twigs, and they were not kidding. Am I missing something? If there’s a stellar MGC out there, please let me know.

So now you know which box of crackers to shove in your bag the next time you hit a cocktail party. Oh yes, I’ve done it. Oh no, I have no shame.