Healthy Food Guideby KarbCoach

Healthy Food Guide by KarbCoach

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers: Food Integrity analysis

Updated 2026-10-19 · Pepperidge Farm

Quick answer

Mixed integrity

Pepperidge Farm goldfish holiday shapes cheddar crackers received a Food Integrity Score of 68 out of 100 (mixed integrity). This reflects lightly processed and moderate additive load. This is a recognizable cheddar cracker with a fairly short list, but the enriched flour, blended vegetable oils, and seasoning systems push it into lightly processed territory. It fits better as an occasional snack than an everyday staple, mainly because the refined base and flavor helpers do more of the work than the cheese alone. Main considerations include enriched refined wheat flour base, blended refined seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower), and vague spices and autolyzed yeast extract flavor system. Simpler options: Look for crackers made with whole grain flour and a single named oil or butter; choose versions without autolyzed yeast extract or vague spice blends.

Food Integrity Score 68/100

What stood out on the label?

  • Lightly processed
  • Moderate additive load
  • Transparency: Medium

What to watch?

  • Enriched refined wheat flour base
  • Blended refined seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower)
  • Vague spices and autolyzed yeast extract flavor system

Simpler options to consider

  • Look for crackers made with whole grain flour and a single named oil or butter
  • Choose versions without autolyzed yeast extract or vague spice blends

You are viewing ingredients and processing. Switch to Longevity for nutrition and longer-term eating pattern fit.

Source data, GTIN, and Healthy Food Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers
Category
Snacks (source: Biscuits/Cookies)
GTIN / UPC
00014100042952
Serving size
30 g
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Healthy Food Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

Food Integrity results

Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers

Pepperidge Farm

Mixed integrity

Warning Signs

Enriched wheat flour, canola/soybean/sunflower vegetable oil, and vague spices and autolyzed yeast extract make this more formulated than it looks.

Consider This

Refined flour, blended seed oils, and yeast extract are common in shelf-stable snack crackers rather than simple home recipes.

Good Substitutes

Try whole-grain crackers with a short list like flour, cheese, butter, and salt, or make cheese crisps at home.

Overall Assessment

Mixed integrity

This is a recognizable cheddar cracker with a fairly short list, but the enriched flour, blended vegetable oils, and seasoning systems push it into lightly processed territory. It fits better as an occasional snack than an everyday staple, mainly because the refined base and flavor helpers do more of the work than the cheese alone.

Key Highlights

What stood out

  • Enriched refined wheat flour base
  • Blended refined seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower)
  • Vague spices and autolyzed yeast extract flavor system

Family Watchlist

Ingredients some users may personally want to know about.

  • Vegetable oil (canola, soybean and/or sunflower) — Refined seed oil blend with unspecified proportions
  • Autolyzed yeast extract — Flavor enhancer used for savory taste
  • Spices — Unspecified spice blend
  • Monocalcium phosphate — Leavening additive

Highest concern ingredients

  • Vegetable oil (canola, soybean and/or sunflower) (6/10) — Refined seed oil blend with unspecified proportions
  • Autolyzed yeast extract (6/10) — Processed flavor enhancer
  • Spices (5/10) — Vague unspecified spice blend

Better choice tips

  • Look for crackers made with whole grain flour and a single named oil or butter.
  • Choose versions without autolyzed yeast extract or vague spice blends.

Ingredients

Ingredient list

MADE WITH SMILES AND ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), CHEDDAR CHEESE ([CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], ANNATTO), VEGETABLE OIL (CANOLA, SOYBEAN AND/OR SUNFLOWER), SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: YEAST, SUGAR, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, PAPRIKA, SPICES, CELERY, ONION POWDER, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA. CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK.

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Highest-concern ingredients first. Expand an item for notes.

  1. Vegetable oil (canola, soybean and/or sunflower)Concern 6/10 — Moderate concernRefined oilWatchlist · Vague label term

    What this is

    Refined oil

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Refined seed oils are a common watchlist item and the blend is unspecified.

    Additional note

    Blend of refined seed oils with unspecified proportions.

    Family watchlist

    Refined seed oil blend

  2. Autolyzed yeast extractConcern 6/10 — Moderate concernFlavor enhancerWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Flavor enhancer

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Functions as a flavor enhancer rather than a basic food input.

    Additional note

    Processed yeast extract used for savory flavor.

    Family watchlist

    Flavor enhancer ingredient

  3. SpicesConcern 5/10 — Moderate concernVague ingredientWatchlist · Vague label term

    What this is

    Vague ingredient

    Processing category

    Unknown / not listed

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Unspecified spices make the flavor system harder to verify.

    Additional note

    Unspecified spice blend with no named sources.

    Family watchlist

    Vague spice blend

  4. Monocalcium phosphateConcern 5/10 — Moderate concernLeavening additiveWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Leavening additive

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Acts as a leavening additive rather than a basic food ingredient.

    Additional note

    Leavening acid used for lift and shelf stability.

View all 13 ingredient assessments
  1. Made with smiles and enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)Concern 4/10 — Mild concernEnriched refined flour

    What this is

    Enriched refined flour

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Processing

    Why it matters

    Refined flour is the main base and is fortified rather than whole grain.

    Additional note

    Refined wheat flour with added vitamins and minerals.

  2. SugarConcern 3/10 — Mild concernSweetener

    What this is

    Sweetener

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Ingredient concern

    Why it matters

    Refined sweetener present in small quantity.

    Additional note

    Refined sugar in a small amount.

  3. Cheddar cheese ([cultured milk, salt, enzymes], annatto)Concern 2/10 — Very low concernDairy ingredient

    What this is

    Dairy ingredient

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Ingredient concern

    Why it matters

    Mostly recognizable dairy, with annatto as a color addition.

    Additional note

    Cheddar with cultures, enzymes, and annatto color.

  4. Baking sodaConcern 2/10 — Very low concernLeavening agentAdditive

    What this is

    Leavening agent

    Processing category

    Processed

    Why it matters

    Common baking ingredient with low concern.

    Additional note

    Sodium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent.

  5. Contains 2% or less of: yeastConcern 1/10 — Very low concernLeavening agent

    What this is

    Leavening agent

    Processing category

    Processed

    Why it matters

    Common baking ingredient used in small amounts.

    Additional note

    Leavening yeast in small amount.

  6. PaprikaConcern 1/10 — Very low concernSpice

    What this is

    Spice

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable spice with minimal concern.

    Additional note

    Ground pepper spice for color and flavor.

  7. CeleryConcern 1/10 — Very low concernVegetable

    What this is

    Vegetable

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable vegetable seasoning.

    Additional note

    Celery-derived seasoning ingredient.

  8. Onion powderConcern 1/10 — Very low concernSeasoning

    What this is

    Seasoning

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable seasoning with minimal processing.

    Additional note

    Dehydrated onion seasoning.

  9. SaltConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Simple seasoning with no meaningful concern.

    Additional note

    Basic seasoning salt.

Food Integrity is an ingredient-based formulation estimate, not a medical safety rating or health claim. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Vegan

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Vegan, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Animal-derived ingredients (Mentions "milk", "cheese". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Plant-Based

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Plant-Based, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Animal-derived ingredients (Mentions "milk", "cheese". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Low-Carb Lifestyle

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Low-Carb Lifestyle, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Carb-dense ingredients (Mentions "flour", "wheat flour", "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Keto-Style Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Keto-Style Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Carb-dense ingredients (Mentions "flour", "wheat flour", "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Low Gluten Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Low Gluten Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Gluten-related ingredients (Mentions "wheat". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Minimally Processed Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Minimally Processed Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Family watchlist items (Vegetable oil (canola, soybean and/or sunflower))

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

Choose what matters most to you and explore a more detailed interpretation of this product's nutrition, ingredients, and tradeoffs.

Personalize this analysis

Understanding the Food Integrity analysis

What the Food Integrity analysis evaluates

The Food Integrity analysis focuses on how a packaged food is formulated and made. It examines processing level, ingredient quality, additives, oils, sweeteners, purity cues, and how clearly a label communicates what is in the product. The Food Integrity Score summarizes that formulation and transparency picture on a 0–100 scale. It is not a full nutrient report and it is not a personalized meal plan.

Why processing, ingredients, and transparency matter

Processing level and ingredient quality shape what you are actually eating beyond calories on the label. Additives, industrial oils, and intense sweeteners can change how clean or heavily engineered a product feels, even when the front of pack looks wholesome. Purity and transparency matter because incomplete or marketing-heavy labeling can hide tradeoffs that only show up when the full ingredient list is reviewed carefully.

Who may prioritize Food Integrity

Some people care mainly about Food Integrity because their dietary goals center on formulation rather than macros alone. Examples include checking vegetarian or vegan suitability, preferring simpler ingredient sources, avoiding certain additives or sweeteners, watching oil choices, or preferring less processed options. For those priorities, the Food Integrity Score can be the more practical first read.

How Food Integrity differs from Longevity

Food Integrity is the focused analysis of processing, ingredients, additives, purity, and transparency. Longevity is the broader analysis of nutritional composition, metabolic and dietary characteristics, processing, and ingredient quality together. Favorable nutrition values do not necessarily mean strong Food Integrity: a product can look balanced on macros yet still rely on heavy processing or additives that the Food Integrity analysis flags in more detail.

Why the two analyses overlap—and why to review Longevity too

The analyses overlap intentionally. Food Integrity–related characteristics contribute to Longevity, and Longevity still benefits from the same ingredient-quality lens. They are not competing verdicts; they answer different questions at different depths. Reviewing the Longevity analysis can add information about nutritional composition, metabolic characteristics, and dietary balance that Food Integrity alone does not emphasize. Looking at both usually gives the most complete understanding of tradeoffs.

Common questions about this product

Is Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Lightly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers shows about 0.99g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Holiday Shapes Cheddar Crackers: 0g added sugar per serving; sweetener signals include sugar (2% or less). Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Simple recognizable ingredient list; No artificial colors or sweeteners; Contains real cheddar cheese.

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: Refined enriched wheat flour as first ingredient; Canola/soybean/sunflower oil blend; Low fiber and protein for the calories.

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same snacks differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Other published analyses in Snacks, selected from the same Healthy Food Guide catalog.

Source data and Healthy Food Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Healthy Food Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

See how this item lines up with your goals

Healthy Food Guide covers this product in detail. In KarbCoach, your goals shape what matters most for your meals.

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