The two cheddar snack favorites. The iconic square and the smiley fish have filled stomachs for decades but which is truly better? Goldfish or Cheez-Itz?

According to Wikipedia, the Goldfish was first made by Oscar J. Kambly in 1958 in Switzerland. It was made to celebrate his wife who was a Pisces zodiac sign. The smiley fish wasn’t introduced to America until 1962 by Pepperidge farms. The founder’s name is Margaret Rudkin. The original Goldfish cracker wasn’t cheddar flavored but instead tasted like a plain saltine cracker.

The iconic Goldfish slogan, The snack that smiles back,” was made to show that their products were made with love and pride. It also makes the food more fun and appealing to the younger audience.

The cracker comes in eighteen different flavors. Some of these flavors include Pretzel, Pizza, Xtra Cheddar, Vanilla Cupcake, and Jalapeño Popper. Not only does it come in different flavors but in six different colors and two different shapes as well. It is unclear when the making of different flavors started.

On the flip side is the other iconic square-shaped cracker, the Cheez-It.

According to Wikipedia, the Cheez-It was first introduced in 1921 by the Green & Green Company. This is a manufacturing company located in Dayton, Ohio. In 1932, Sunshine Biscuits bought this company and in 1996, Sunshine Biscuits became a subsidiary of Keebler Company. Finally, in 2001 Keebler was acquired by Kellogg where the Cheez-It belongs today.

The Cheez-It was first marked using the tagline “A Baked Rarebit.” This is a Welsh dish consisting of hot cheese served on toasted bread. Since then, the cracker lacks a slogan. The company’s only marketing technique is the fact that they are made with real cheese.

The Cheez-It comes in 26 original and different flavors. Some of these flavors include Buffalo Wing, Cheddar Jack, Hot & Spicy, and Sharp White Cheddar. The Cheez-It for the most part comes only in squares but has “spin-off” shapes like Cheez-It Gripz and Grooves. For a little while, the internet thought Cheez-It Gripz were discounted. To their surprise, it is not.

So what is the difference between Goldfish and Cheez-Itz?

Goldfish are slightly lower in fat. In one serving of Goldfish, there are five grams of fat while Cheez-Itz has eight grams of fat. However, Cheez-Itz are lower in sodium, cholesterol, and carbohydrates. Based on nutritional facts, Cheez-Itz has the edge over Goldfish

Goldfish however traditionally costs less. An average box of Cheez-Itz has 324 crackers in it. At Target, this box can be bought for $3.39. On the other hand, Goldfish has 1540 crackers and could be bought at the same store for $7.49. Based on the cost-to-cracker ratio, Goldfish takes the win.

Arguably the most important category is popular opinion. Out of the 47 Truckee High students that were surveyed, 25 students preferred Cheez-Itz (53.19%), 21 students preferred Goldfish (44.68%) and only one student liked neither (2.13%).

Based on the surveyed students and nutritional facts, Cheez-Itz are the clear winner.

Both Goldfish and Cheez-Itz have been filling stomachs for a long time but Cheez-Itz seem to be the best option between the two of them. Next time you go to the store, consider trying the other cheddar cracker that you may not have liked before. It might change your mind.