3 hours ago
7
I’m treading dangerous ground critiquing classics such as Jacob’s cream crackers and Carr’s table water biscuits, some of Britain’s most nostalgic family foods. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of comfort eating, especially at Christmas, but both are also symbols of our industrial food culture: bland, beige and unadventurous. That said, maybe they’re just the ticket as a neutral vehicle for transporting cheese to the mouth.
The bottom-of-the-range crackers tested here were strikingly homogeneous: they’re essentially generic cardboard cut-outs made with commodity flour, palm oil and a plethora of raising agents. Food safe, yes, but firmly in ultra-processed food (UPF) territory. However, once the price gets up to about £2.50 per 100g, everything changes: restaurant-quality sourdough crackers, flavour-packed flatbreads and some classy products that are genuinely nourishing, minimally processed and traceable.
The bottom line: these crackers were delicious, with the cheapest easily outperforming the branded mid-range, but if you want real quality, it’s worth spending more to get a truly nourishing cracker that matches your cheese.
The best supermarket crackers for cheese
Best overall:
Peter’s Yard sourdough crackers selection
★★★★★
For the sourdough lover. Three crackers: plain, black rye and charcoal, and rosemary and sea salt. Homemade-tasting, savoury and crisp, with a satisfying snap. A classy, flavourful choice for any cheeseboard. Simple ingredients, excellent quality and provenance. Expensive, but excellent value for such well-sourced ingredients.
Best bargain:
Sainsbury’s biscuits for cheese selection
★★★☆☆
A classic selection featuring 10 biscuit varieties, from poppy seed thins to cream crackers and multigrain rounds. Neutral in flavour and perfectly crunchy. Contain palm oil and other additives that make them a UPF, but overall a generous, unbeatable-value selection.
And the rest …
The Fine Cheese Co flavoured crackers selection box
★★★★☆
Best for a party. A box of three crackers: extra-virgin olive oil, fig and honey, and rosemary. Dainty, restaurant-quality crackers with a classic taste, good crunch and extra flavour. Palm oil- and additive-free. These feel premium and indulgent.
Cartwright & Butler savoury biscuits selection
★★★★☆
Three flatbread crackers – cheese, beetroot, and chilli and garlic – all deliciously flavourful with clear, strong savoury notes from rye and linseed. Firm, snappy texture and palm oil- and additive-free. Member of both Ecologi Climate Positive Workforce and Too Good to Go. Premium ingredients and quality. My best splurge.
Nairn’s gluten-free savoury cracker selection
★★★★☆
Five crackers for oat lovers, including classic oatcakes, wholegrain crackers and flatbreads with rosemary and wholegrain, all of them gluten-free. Wholesome-tasting with a crumbly texture. Made with palm fruit oil, which the brand says is sustainable. A jump in price and quality.
Waitrose biscuits for cheese
★★★☆☆
A pretty standard selection of eight classics. As you’d expect, crisp and neutral with a satisfying snap. Contains certified sustainable palm oil. Great value for the quality and range.
M&S biscuits for cheese selection
★★★☆☆
Eight classics following the usual formula, though that includes a delicious small wheatmeal digestive. Crisp with a balanced, savoury flavour. Contains palm oil. A pleasant, well-made selection, but essentially much the same product as its competitors, only slightly more costly.
Morrisons the Best cheeseboard cracker selection
★★★☆☆
Six crackers, including beetroot and seed, rosemary and stone-ground wheat crackers. Very similar in flavour overall, though the herbs and other ingredients do add some interest. Crisp and uniform. Contains palm oil and a few more premium additions such as olive oil, rosemary and beetroot powder. A pleasant but familiar selection, and OK value.
Carr’s crackers selection
★★★☆☆
Seven crackers, including the classic table water biscuit and others with wheatmeal, poppy seed and multigrain. A quintessential British product, founded in 1831, and the perfect neutral carrier for subtle cheeses. Contains palm oil, plus rather more wholesome additions, such as kibbled rye and barley flakes.
Jacob’s biscuits for cheese eight-variety cracker selection
★★☆☆☆
Eight crackers, including classic cream crackers, water biscuits, cheddars, digestives and more. Nicely crunchy with a classic texture. A heritage brand founded in Ireland in 1851. Contains palm oil. OK value, but similar products are available for less. You’re paying for the brand.
For more, read the best supermarket chutneys, tasted and rated
