9/1/05 | Nabisco Wheat Thins
[ Currently Eating: Last Night's Chile Verde Pork ]
I had been sort of running out of snacks to feature on Cheap Eats. Much of the reason is that snacks are so expensive so I’ve been laying off of too much of them (exception includes occasional Dollar Tree splurges). But the other day, thanks to trusty old CostCo I was the proud new owner of this double box of Wheat Thins by Nabsico. Price was OK but not spectacular, about $2.50 for 1 lb 4 oz package (there were 2 packages in the box).
I think Wheat Thins have been around nearly forever, and the box seems not to have changed. Along with Triscuits these crackers were a regular around the house growing up. Though, they mostly appeared during camping trips for some reason.
I actually don’t remember how today’s Wheat Thins stack up compared against yesteryears. But as far as how they taste today: I’d give them a side thumb, neither spectacular nor really crappy. Tastes like thin wheat crackers, what else do you need?
One thing that seems to have happened to them, though, is that they have become REALLY thin. I think they still have the same dimensions: about 1.25 inches square width and height. As far as their third dimension goes, they seem to be attempting to fit into the 2-D world of Flatland. I seem to remember them being at least slightly thicker. They also seem to have gotten harder or crispier, and at times even burnt. Maybe it was just that the wheat thins I ate before had gone a bit stale so they were softer. I actually like the crunch but wish they were a bit more substantial.
But my biggest problem with today’s Wheat Thins is that they are hell of SALTY. In fact, if you run your finger alongside it you can feel the little salt grains embedded in each one. Man, there is a lot of salt on each one. In fact, I think this was exacerbated by the fact that the ones I had eaten recently were the “Low Salt” or “Low Fat” variety. Those were just about right. These tasted like thin salt licks. Some foods like pretzels will have most of the salt on the outside but with little inside. But for wheat thins there’s not much “insides” as it is since they are so flat, so to put the salt on the outside is overkill.
I’ve been taught not to play with my food, but because I was feeling a bit dizzy from all the salt, I made a short Leaning Tower of Wheat Thins. I was going to try make a Wheat Thins House of Cards but they wouldn’t stand up correctly on the smooth surface of the plate, and I didn’t feel like putting them on the carpet.
Cheap Eats Score: 4/10
September 1st, 2005 at 8:58 pm
When my parents stopped buy potato chips, they bought Wheat Thins instead. I like Wheat Thins, especially the ranch flavored ones. However, I don’t buy them anymore because of my love for Pringles.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:43 pm
marvo - yes I know your love for Pringles is legendary. =) The other day I went to the dollar tree and there was a CRAPload of different flavors of pringles. I bought the Chili Cheese Pringles… they also had pizza, white cheddar, salt and vinegar. I didn’t see any Ketchup pringles though…
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:59 am
Wheat thins by themselves are a little too bland to eat more than 5 or 6. I like them with cheese and my wife turned me on to putting cream cheese on them. Damn, that is good.
September 7th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Pizza pringles sound yummy. A few days ago I saw a snackfood that was pizza flavored. I can’t remember the name, but it was those pretzels with filling. They were from the 80s, but the name was different. They were expensive.
Actually I just got back from the grocery store, and I was remember nostalgically how much I love saltines with peanut butter and jelly on them. (You make a peanut butter and jelly cracker sandwich.) It’s also good with butter or cream cheese and jelly. I can only imagine it would be cheap - not one bit healthy but cheap.
September 8th, 2005 at 9:09 am
aaron - i used to make a lot of cheese crackers when I was a kid, but it was with saltines. Saltines with a 1/4 slice of American cheese between the. Unhealthy, but yummy back then.
bingsy - pizza pretzels? Interesting… Oh yeah, I did have my fill of saltines. Haven’t had them for a while. Sometimes I would make a triple or quadruple decker peanut butter and jelly saltine sandwich. Kick ass!
September 11th, 2005 at 12:06 pm
I think bingsy was thinking of Combos: http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?snack_code=8
September 11th, 2005 at 1:07 pm
nicole - hey yeah, Combos! I forgot all about those. I think I had those once a long time ago but didn’t like em too much…
November 23rd, 2005 at 2:54 pm
My wife eats a lot of wheat thins, and this week She found a wheat thin with a string mixed in with the batter of the cracker . Does’n look real good. Robert
I will hold cracker until I hear from Nabisco
November 23rd, 2005 at 4:45 pm
robert - wow, that’s pretty bad. By the way, I have heard there is a certain tolerance for BUGS for packaged foods for all companies. So we all probably eat a whole bunch of them every year. Yum!
June 2nd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
To Whom It May Concern:
I am trying to find the Recipe on back of the Wheat Thins Sun Dried Tomato box for a Basil and Cream Cheese Dip with the crackers circled around the dip. Can anyone remember the recipe??? If so, could you please provide it as soon as possible???
Your help with my request is greatly appreciated.
Annamarie
September 7th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
I too am looking for the Dip recipe that was on the back of the Wheat Thins Sundried Tomato & Basil box. Anyone with that specific recipe, please post it.
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:01 pm
I eat on average two boxes of wheat thins. No lie. I initially was searching for a comment page on the Nabisco website to tell them that their store bought original wheat thins (10 oz) tastes much better than their Costco bulk brand. Try putting wheat thins in the freezer, tastes sooooooo good
. I’m an addict. its sad.
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:40 pm
You can find the recipe for the Basil and Cream Cheese Dip that was on the back of the box at:
http://www.recipezaar.com/152361
November 22nd, 2006 at 7:24 am
Wheat Thins Tomato & Basil Dip
1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese spread
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, divided
1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can black olives, drained, sliced
Wheat Thins sun-dried tomato and basil crackers
Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, and half of the basil until well blended.
Put into bottom of 9-inch pie plate; top with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olives, and remaining basil.
Cover.
Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Makes 16 servings.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:02 am
I need the Wheat Thin recipe that had cream cheese, dried beef, green pepper etc. that was baked. It’s been around for a long time - Ive lost it.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:48 am
So um yeah I’m in class right now and im eating wheat thins and they’re amazing and it’s great. I normally bring a package of saltines to class, but we didn’t have any, so i brought ‘thins. Anyways yeah, they’re yummy yum yum. The end.
January 20th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Eat wheat thins with the following.(not at once)..doesnt hurt to try them out = //// Peanut Butter / sour cream / cheese / cooked sausage sliced horizontoly / ..in the end you really just have to try stuff you wouldnt think of to put on it
February 26th, 2008 at 5:54 am
What’s great are the new Multi-Grain Wheat Thins that are out now. Unlike the original Wheat Thins, these actually have flavour and real crunch without being burnt.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Found where I photo copied this off of a box….
Green Onion-Parm Dip
1 (16 oz.) light sour cream
1/2 cup classic caesar dressing kraft
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (kraft)
4 green onions, sliced
Mix all and serve with Tomato & Basil Wheat thins
February 6th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I love wheat thins…but not as much as my older sister. Her birthday is coming up soon and i am making a wheat thins booklet with facts about wheat thins and a recipe on how to make them!But my sister really wants to know how many people are needed to take a picture of wheat thins for the box and she wants to know if those people get paid for that. if ANYONE has the answer to that question PPPLLLLLLEEEAAASE leave a comment with the answer or email it to me because i cant find it online….thanks for reading…you rock