Howdy ya’ll,

We’re adding this review to the list of stuff Liam has not tried. So this should be fun to talk about. I am indeed familiar with most products in the Cheez-IT family, but this is not one of them. Quick background before we get into the overview.

Over the years, Kellogg has introduced many different varieties of the standard Cheez-IT, incorporating lots of unique flavors into the mix to switch things up. Over time, this process is what seems to have created the grooves, which are advertised as a sort of union between a potato chip and a Cheez-IT cracker; the crispiness and crunch of a potato chip meeting the flavor profile of a Cheez-IT. An interesting experiment indeed, blending two snack worlds together.

I have had the original Cheez-IT grooves (plain cheddar) when they were first released, and I remember them being quite good. The flavor was more pungent than what you find in the comparatively tame Cheez-IT cracker, more seasoned. With that said, this white cheddar variety is completely new to me. Let’s see how good these are, and if they can stack up to the “ordinary” white cheddar Cheez-ITs shall we?

Overview: 

Up front, there’s not much of a difference between the packaging used on the grooves and what you’ll find on the regular crackers. Cheez-IT seems to stick to their guns here, and for good reason: they have one of the best snack crackers that you can find on store shelves. The logo is the same, the colors are the same, everything is uniform.

The grooved crackers are made quite large to show texture and seasonings, which is one key difference between the two types. The Cheez-IT grooves are made so extremely large to exaggerate their texture and to call your name on the shelf. I think this is a conscious design choice by Cheez-IT; they realize their brand holds enough weight on its own, but they want to entice snackers who live on the edge to try their fancy new grooved crackers. In the words of Miley Cyrus, you get the best of both worlds.

They do advertise “BOLD Flavor, BIG Crunch” on the front of the groove box as well, another clear difference. You can take a look at the packaging and crackers for yourself below:

These are made for people who want Cheez-ITs on steroids. I am one of them. You are one of them. Let’s get into the review.

White Cheddar Cheez-IT Grooves Review:

Time to give these a go.

I’m not sure how to feel after the first bite. There’s a notable crunch, which certainly stays true to what is advertised. This is good news. The grooved texture must be what is responsible for the satisfying crunch that you get with these.

Perhaps it is just the nature of the beast with these white cheddar flavors, but I find it to be a little…underwhelming? I don’t get a super tangy “white cheddar” flavor when I eat these. As you put it into your mouth, you are hit with more of a general salty flavor as opposed to a white cheddar bomb. They do feel more seasoned than a regular Cheez-IT cracker, however it stops there- they feel saltier, not necessarily more flavorful. This is to say that to me, it doesn’t feel like this flavor of the grooves brings a heavy-handed dose of the white cheddar flavor into the mix.

I will mention that in every handful, there are 1 or 2 groove crackers that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Clearly your mileage may vary, with a box that is super well-seasoned or a box that is not so well-seasoned. Regardless, there seems to be some flavor inconsistency here, which is unfortunate. I want every groove cracker (chip?) to have the big and bold flavor that is advertised.

Why did I mention the flavor being inconsistent? Well, in my experience, that is not the case with the regular white cheddar Cheez-ITs. Those feel quite well-seasoned throughout the box, making each cracker enjoyable. Oddly enough, I feel like you get more of a distinct white cheddar flavor with those too. I do not have those side-by-side to compare, but I am definitely interested in doing that on my own time and writing a comparison with my findings. Maybe stay tuned for that.

I do like the aftertaste of the grooves more than the regular crackers. The Cheez-IT grooves have a…. toastier aftertaste than the regular Cheez-ITs. It definitely does remind me more of a potato chip, which seems to be what Kellogg is going for. Mission accomplished with that, because the toasty/”chip like” aftertaste is something that I really like.

Beyond that, the initial flavor really fades away after the first second of chewing. With the aftertaste, you really have no sense that you ate something that was white cheddar flavored. It just tastes like you ate some kind of cracker chip combo hybrid. Depending on your preferences, this may be a good thing or a bad thing. For you to decide.

These reviews have been off to a strong start, with most products getting really high marks from me. I feel like this is probably the first snack that has its fair share of issues. Let’s get onto the verdict.

The Verdict 

These are not horrible. I would not go out and get them again, but if you are a close follower of the white cheddar community, you may feel differently. And that is perfectly okay.

The regular Cheez-IT crackers and the basic grooves set the bar pretty high for these, so I can see how easy it is to crack a bit under the spotlight. I think I let my past experiences with the brand influence me too much into buying these at the store.

At any rate, I would give these a 2 out of 5 stars for being pretty nondescript and a little disappointing given the marketing, but not horrible. I personally would reach for a different flavor.

Despite the turnout of these, I hope you all enjoyed the review, and hopefully I helped you in deciding whether or not to buy these!

Thanks for tuning in… take care.

-thechiefeats

P.S: Health conscious? Below is the nutritional info for White Cheddar Cheez-IT Grooves: