TIPS:

1. Always be mindful of the serving size. It is so easy to eat a lot and not realize the excess calories that are being taken in.

2. Crackers range widely in sodium content from about 40mg to over 500mg per serving. A good rule of thumb is to look for crackers that have fewer than 240mg of sodium per serving.

3. Choose crackers with 1g saturated fat or less and NO Trans fat or partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list.

4. Look for whole grain crackers. These are identified by “whole grain” in the ingredient label or “whole” before the grain type. To be 100% whole grain, this should be the first ingredient in the ingredient list.

5. Always remember that when choosing snacks, foods that contain lots of nutrients and fewer calories (like fruits and vegetables) are best!

6. Snack cracker quick picks:

Kashi Heart to Heart Whole Grain Crackers (Serving Size: 7 crackers, 120 calories, Total Fat: 3.5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Sodium: 85mg, Fiber: 4g, a whole wheat/grain product)

Triscuit Reduced Fat Crackers (Serving Size: 7 crackers, 120 calories, Total Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Sodium 160mg, Fiber 3g, a whole wheat/grain product)

Triscuit Rosemary and Olive Oil Crackers (Serving Size: 7 crackers, 120 calories, Total Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Sodium: 135mg, Fiber: 3g, a whole wheat/grain product)

Sources:

“Whole Grains- Food Reviews and FYI’s.” Supermarket Savvy . July/August 2005.
“Whole Grains and Fiber” http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4574
“Sodium.” http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708