Best Crackers for Babies and Toddlers

Here are the best crackers for babies and toddlers along with key factors to consider when selecting one and tips on how to serve in a safe and enjoyable way!

Choosing the best cracker for our little ones can be challenging due to the abundance of options available, varying nutritional considerations, and the need to balance taste preferences with healthy choices.

Additionally, factors such as ingredient lists, potential allergens, and texture can make the decision-making process overwhelming.

I hope this post provides guidance and insights to make your selection easier!

And if you’d like to experiment with making crackers at home, give this homemade cheese crackers and graham crackers a try!

What To Look For in Crackers

Here are the top things to look for:

• Texture – Try to find a thin cracker that easily crumbles when pressed between fingers. It should dissolve relatively easily and be easy to chew.
• Minimal Ingredients – the shorter the list the better with no artificial colors or flavors.
• Whole grains – If there’s no allergies, opt for crackers made with whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, quinoa, etc. It should be the first ingredient listed. They provide more nutrients and fiber compared to refined grains.
• Fiber – look for crackers with at least 2 grams of fiber. Here’s a list of high fiber foods for babies and toddlers.
• Allergens – take into account any allergies or sensitivities your child may have. Check the packaging for common allergens such as wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, or nuts.

Having said this, I want to emphasize that there’s no such thing as the “perfect” cracker. And even if you could  find it, it’d probably be quite expensive and not easily accessible.

Therefore, I encourage you to take a holistic approach to your child’s diet. Rather than obsessing over finding the “perfect” cracker, focus on overall variety and moderation.

Best Crackers for Babies

For babies, it’s important to look for crackers that are soft and dissolves easily in the mouth. You also want to make sure they are low sodium with no added sugar.

The reality is, it’s hard to find crackers that meet all of these criteria. So again, focus on offering a variety of foods and not relying heavily on crackers.

In case you run out of ideas, here are some easy baby snacks to rotate through!

These are my top picks for baby crackers:

1. Suzie’s Thin Cakes – Spelt and Flax, Corn and Quinoa Cakes, multigrain
2. Lundberg Thin Cakes – Brown Rice, 5 grain
3. Baby Rusks and Teething Crackers
   • Happy Baby Organics Teethers
   • Mum-Mum
   • Homemade sweet potato teething biscuits

Tip: if the cracker is difficult for your baby to eat, try soaking in breastmilk or formula for 30 seconds or so.

Best Crackers for Toddlers

1. Triscuits – choose low sodium if you can find it. They also have the Thin Crisps which are easier to chew.
2. Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – these are gluten-free, grain-free crackers that are made with simple, whole food ingredients.
3. Back to Nature
4. Brenton
5. Milton’s multigrain crackers
6. From the Ground Up Crackers – these are made with vegetables like cauliflower and purple carrot
7. Nut Thins
8. RW Garcia – there are so many flavors to choose from such as beet, lentil turmeric, sweet potato

Didn’t find your child’s favorite crackers in this list? That’s ok!

My kids love Ritz crackers, Goldfish, and cheez-its and I don’t shy away from purchasing them because they are readily accessible and affordable.

Remember that a well-rounded diet consists of a wide range of foods. As long as you ensure diversity and balance, there is always room for less nutritious options. 

Prioritizing a balanced overall diet and promoting a healthy relationship with food are key to raising a joyous, mindful eater.

How to serve Crackers to Baby and Toddler

While crackers are convenient and loved by most kids, most of them don’t provide much nutrition.

BUT they do make for wonderful vehicles for all kinds of nutritious toppings. Here are some easy spreads to boost nutrition and flavor:

• Hummus – try this beet hummus, broccoli hummus, or pumpkin seed spinach hummus
• Peanut butter or nut butter
• Sunflower seed butter
• Yogurt – plain or flavored yogurt such as
  • Vanilla yogurt
  • Strawberry yogurt
  • Blueberry yogurt
  • Mango yogurt
  • Peanut butter yogurt
• Mashed avocado and hemp seeds
• Mascarpone – here are the best cheeses for babies
• Cream cheese and jam – try this no added sugar strawberry jam

If you want to learn how to prepare other specific food(s), check out my How To Series!

Additional Resources