Great Value Saltines: History and Everyday Uses of the Iconic Salty Snack

The History and Significance of Great Value Saltine Crackers

Saltine crackers have been a beloved snack food in American households for over a century. With their simple ingredients of flour, shortening, yeast, and lots of salt, saltines remind many people of memories from childhood. The brand Great Value has become synonymous with affordability while still delivering quality. Great Value's saltine crackers offer that nostalgic, salty taste many of us crave in a budget-friendly package.

The Origins of the Iconic Snack

The first saltine crackers were created in 1876 by baker Joseph Loose in Ohio. He decided to call his creation "saltines" because their defining ingredient was salt. The crackers were a hit due to their crunchy texture, bite-size shape for easy snacking, and the way the salt enhanced the flavor.

Over the next few decades, other bakeries started producing their own saltine crackers to meet demand across America. They became a staple snack for families because they had a long shelf life and versatile uses beyond just eating them plain. By World War II, saltine crackers were a standard part of soldiers' rations and included in relief packages.

The Signficance of Affordability and Accessibility

For over a century, saltine crackers have been known as an affordable, accessible snack for Americans across socioeconomic groups. During times of economic hardship like the Great Depression, saltines continued to be within reach thanks to their mass production and simple, budget-friendly ingredients.

Today, the Great Value brand aims to continue that tradition of affordability and accessibility. Produced by Walmart, Great Value products are generic brand equivalents of name brands that offer competitive quality for significantly lower prices. For people on tight grocery budgets, Great Value's saltines enable them to continue enjoying this timeless snack.

Taste Profile

Fans of saltines love their distinctive taste and texture. What sets them apart from other crackers? Here's an overview of the saltine's trademark flavor and crunch:

Crunchy and Crisp

Each perfectly square saltine cracker has a thin, crisp texture that breaks apart with a satisfying crunch when bitten. Saltines achieve this delicate crispness through intentional baking methods that use hard wheat flour and an unleavened dough.

The rapid high heat drying process causes moisture to flash evaporate from the dough, creating air pockets. This gives Great Value saltines their light and flaky feel that dissolves so pleasingly on the tongue with a crunch.

Salty Tang

As the name suggests, salt is more than just a featured ingredient - it's the star of the show. Saltines earn their salty distinction from having salt sprinkled on top before baking to form the salt crystals you can see, taste, and feel.

Salt enhances the other basic crackers ingredients of flour, yeast, shortening, and baking soda. The salt crystals deliver bursts of flavor and a delicious mouthwatering quality.

That salty bite offsets the mildness of the flour while accentuating the savory taste. Going overboard on salt may seem unhealthy, but Great Value saltines only have between 115-130 milligrams of sodium per serving on average so they can be enjoyed in moderation.

Subtle Notes of Yeast

Another key yet subtle player in the distinctive saltine flavor is yeast. Saltine dough uses yeast before baking to make it rise slightly. This gives Great Value saltines a certain airy, flaky quality and underlying yeasty taste.

Nutritional Value

Sometimes saltines get a bad reputation as being "unhealthy" compared to some whole grain crackers and other snacks. But Great Value Saltines provide some important nutrients in each low calorie serving, making them a wise choice in moderation.

Low-Calorie

One regular size saltine cracker only contains around 14 calories. For context, that's significantly fewer calories than popular snacks like potato chips, pretzels, or cheese crackers.

So for people looking for lighter snack options that won't ruin their appetite, Great Value saltines are a clear winner. You can enjoy plenty of crackers before hitting 100 calories, keeping your snack time guilt-free.

Contains B Vitamins

Thanks to the enriched flour used in saltines, Great Value Saltines contain small but helpful amounts of important B vitamins. A serving provides around 3% of your recommended daily intake for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid.

These B vitamins help your body properly metabolize nutrients for energy production and maintaining healthy cells. They also aid key bodily processes like circulation, brain function, hormone balance and liver health - not bad for a humble cracker!

Low in Fat

Saltine crackers offer a nice alternative to other crunchy snacks that derive their texture from high fat ingredients. Great Value saltines by contrast contain no significant amounts of fat, with 0 grams of total fat per serving.

The small amount of vegetable shortening used in the dough gives saltines their crispy, flaky properties without weighing them down with fat. This makes them a lighter snacking option for people aiming to limit fat intake from snacks.

Everyday Uses

A hallmark of saltine crackers is their versatility lending themselves to many uses beyond just eating them straight from the box!

Their neutral flavor, crunchy texture and ability to soften make saltines an incredibly handy pantry staple. Here are some top ways Americans have been putting Great Value saltines to delicious use for over a century.

Soup Toppers

Saltines just seem to be made for topping comforting bowls of soup! As they soak up the hot broth, saltines achieve the perfect slightly softened yet still crisp and crumbling texture contrast.

Their saltiness also balances out soup's flavors beautifully. Sprinkling cracked-up saltines on top pops both texturally and taste-wise.

Chip Replacements

Saltines can step in to take the place of chips in almost any dish or snack situation. Because of their light crispness, they create a fresh tasting and lower calorie alternative to greasy potato chips on sandwiches, dips, cheese boards and more.

Next time you'd normally reach for corn chips or pita chips, try subbing in Great Value saltines instead. You'll slash calories, fat and carbs without sacrificing satisfying crunch.

Dessert Foundations

Interestingly, saltines have become a beloved base ingredient in dessert recipes over the years too. Pie crusts, cheesecakes, layered icebox desserts and even chocolate toffee saltine treats all rely on saltines for their distinctive texture.

Saltine cracker pieces bring their signature crispy, flaky properties while taking on other sweet flavors and ingredients. Their mildness also makes them an ideal canvas for building decadent dessert toppings from scratch.

Why Choose Great Value?

When stocking up on your pantry's saltine supply, there are plenty of brand options on grocery store shelves. So why should you choose Great Value next saltine run?

Affordably Priced

As Walmart's house brand, Great Value products offer name brand quality at significant discounts. Saltine lovers on a budget can get their fix while saving money on one of their favorite snacks.

Despite the low prices, no corners are cut when it comes to ingredient quality or production standards. You'll enjoy the same original salty taste and crispy bite as higher priced brands.

Extensive Crackers Range

Beyond saltine offerings, Great Value has an extensive overall crackers selection at affordable prices. Whether shopping for cheese crackers, vegetable crackers, graham crackers or more - you'll find all your needs in one place.

Mix and match to sample different cracker varieties without breaking your grocery budget. The Great Value brand brings variety and value together conveniently.

Walmart Store Brand Convenience

Another perk of buying Great Value Saltines is getting to enjoy the convenience of Walmart's enormous superstores. Shop efficiently for all household needs including pantry staples like saltines all under one roof.

As a Walmart house brand, Great Value products will always be well stocked at local stores for easy grabbing when cravings strike. Saltine lovers never have to go on a special trip to track down this beloved snack.

The Bottom Line

For over 125 years, saltine crackers have held a special place in America's snacking heritage. Their crunchy, salty simplicity makes them a comforting staple across generations. The Great Value brand provides this iconic bake shop taste affordably to the masses.

Crisp and crave-worthy in their simplicity, saltines offer versatility far beyond just snacking. They bring nostalgia, convenience and just the right bite of salty flavor as an anytime pantry staple. So do your tastebuds a favor and keep Great Value Saltines stocked for all your recipe and snacking needs.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.