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Stauffer's is best of the munch
By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published May 25, 2005
Cheese crackers come in different boxes, but they all look the same inside. The little square snacks even have the same tiny hole in the center. The identical size and shape, though, doesn't always dictate the same taste.
Taster's Choice got help with this blind taste taste from 18 members of the Association of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College attending a recent meeting of the Womenspeak group. They ranked the cheese crackers on a scale of one to 10.
The highest scoring cheese crackers were an off-brand bought at Wal-Mart, Stauffer's Snack Crackers ($1.27). Judges gave Stauffer's 84 of a possible 180 points.
Stauffer's crackers were more yellow than other crackers. Plus they had a satisfying crunch. One panelist said the aftertaste was good compared to unpleasant remnants left by others.
While cheese crackers are one of the major food groups for the children in my house, the more nutrition-savvy members of ASPEC acknowledged that they prefer snacks with fewer carbohydrates and calories. (Twenty crackers have about 120 calories, 12 carbohydrate grams and 6 grams of fat.) But if they did splurge, many said they would prefer a crispy cracker with bright color, a nice bite to the cheese flavor and a decent amount of salt.
The top three winners did not include the most familiar cheese crackers, Cheez-It and Cheese Nips.
In second place was Kash n' Karry's Original Cheese Bites ($1.99), earning 79 points. Judges described these as "mildly cheesy, very crisp and appealing."
"Maybe these are made from better cheese," said one judge. "They have a better aftertaste and are more gourmet."
The third favorite cracker was lighter than the others - in weight and color. It also was a bit greasier. Judges gave these, the Publix Cheddar Cheesy's ($1.79), 76 points.
One judge described the Publix crackers as "buttery." Another liked the flaky texture and pale color. Some panelists thought the Publix crackers had a sour aftertaste. Also tasted were Cheez-It ($3.49), Cheese Nips ($2.49), Albertsons Cheese Crackers ($2.59) and Great Value Cheese Crackers ($1).
Send suggestions for product testing to Taste section, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to krieta@sptimes.com Please put TEST SUGGESTION in the subject line. For a list of all Taster's Choice winners, go to www.sptimes.com/food
RANKINGS
No. 1: Stauffer's.
No. 2: Kash n' Karry.
No. 3: Publix.
[Last modified May 24, 2005, 09:27:03]
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