The Untold Truth Of Goldfish

Everyone remembers that 1996 "I Love The Fishes" commercial that got kids everyone singing "I love fishes 'cuz they're so delicious!" Soon parents were flocking to their local supermarket to grab a bag of those crunchy, cheesy, and golden crackers so their kiddos could munch on them at snack-time. Although all adults have their go-to Pepperidge Farm cookie, Goldfish crackers carry a sense of nostalgia that takes us back to our days at the school lunch table. MeTV cites that even renowned chef Julia Child loved these cheesy little morsels. She allegedly had even served them as an appetizer at her coveted dinner parties. 

These fishy little crackers are so popular that Pepperidge Farm is said to churn out about 142 billion Goldfish crackers each year (making them more popular than Cheese Nips and Cheez-It). Nowadays, strolling down your cookie aisle you're bound to find at least 18 different flavors of Goldfish crackers, such as pretzel, cheese pizza, and sweet carrot (via Insider).

Yes, the mascot has a very cute and fishy-inspired name, according to The Daily Meal. Not only that, but he likes to wear sunglasses (because, why not?). Finn was first created by the Swiss company Kambly (who still sell the original recipe in Switzerland) and were called Goldfischli (say that five times really fast). Unlike its American counterpart, the Swiss original version is but a mere puffed up cracker without cheese on it. 

The cracker itself was invented by the founder of Kambly, Oscar J. Kambly, in 1958. MeTV reports that Kambly has his wife to thank for the inspiration of Finn's shape. It is reported that Kambly's wife was a Pisces, and he used her astrological sign (a fish) to help him form the shape of the snack that everyone loves today. It wasn't until 1962, when Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin brought the snack that smiles back to the United States (via The Daily Meal). The rest is history.

According to Culture Magazine, everyone everywhere has been eating and munching on Goldfish crackers all wrong. The publication reports that Goldfish crackers are actually meant to be enjoyed in soup. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense since Finn and his buddies are shaped like fish. When one thinks about how the original Swiss version of the crackers is cheeseless, seeing Goldfish crackers as a soup complement would logically make lots of sense. 

Despite this, Pepperidge Farm claims that the cheesy American Goldfish crackers only mirror soda and oyster crackers (and the Swiss version) in flavor and texture, but that they aren't specifically meant to be eaten in soups. So everyone can go back to downing them by the handful. Whether in a soup, hot chocolate (for the s'mores graham version), or throwing it into the air hoping to catch it with your mouth, how you choose to eat your Goldfish crackers is totally up to you. The one thing that is certain is that a delicious time will be had by all those around.