Food
Trader Joe's Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers
215 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Certified organic
Why it scores 15
Trader Joe's Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers scores 15 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Malt syrup: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better sandwich crackers
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Cheddar Cheese Flavored Sandwich Crackers Austin · 8 - 1.38 oz (8 × 39 g) Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers Mavericks · 25 g/.880 Z Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 52 out of 100 , 37 points higher -
Cheese cracker sandwiches, cheese Ritz · 7.5 oz/212 g Less salt · No malt syrup Score 29 out of 100 , 14 points higher -
Lance, gold-n-chees, baked snack crackes Lance · 1.25 oz/35 g Less saturated fat · No added sugars Score 54 out of 100 , 39 points higher -
Saltines crackers Lance · 0.75 oz/22 g Not ultra-processed · Less saturated fat Score 73 out of 100 , 58 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Malt syrup minus 20 points
- Soybean oil minus 2.5 points
- Sunflower oil minus 1.5 points
- Palm oil minus 1.5 points
- Sodium phosphate minus 1.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 0.5 points
- Soy lecithin minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 10 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Saturated fat 8.3 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 2.3 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 3.3 g / 100 g plus 2 points
- Protein 10 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 85.5 = 14.5 → 15
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 26.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 8.3 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43.4 g |
| Sugars | 10 g |
| Added sugars | 6.7 g |
| Fiber | 3.3 g |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Salt | 2.3 g |
Serving: 13 crackers (30g)
Ingredients
- Organic Wheat Flour
- Organic Soybean
- Sunflower Oil
- Organic Palm Oil
- Organic Cheddar Seasoning (Organic Cheddar Cheese, Organic Nonfat Dry Milk, Organic Buttermilk, Salt, Disodium Phosphate, Organic Yeast Extract)
- Organic Cane Sugar (high concern)
- Organic Nonfat Dry Milk
- Sea Salt
- Organic Malt Extract (high concern)
- Ammonium Bicarbonate
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Enzymes
- Organic Soy Lecithin
- Organic Color (Annatto Extract) (not recognized)
Label text, as published
Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Soybean And/Or Sunflower Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cheddar Seasoning (Organic Cheddar Cheese [Organic Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes], Organic Nonfat Dry Milk, Organic Buttermilk, Salt, Disodium Phosphate, Organic Yeast Extract), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Nonfat Dry Milk, Sea Salt, Organic Malt Extract, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Enzymes, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Color (Annatto Extract).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More from Trader Joe's
Sources
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Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
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Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
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“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
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“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
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Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
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Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
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“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu
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EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
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“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org