Does Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel contain dairy or gluten?

Yes, it contains both. It has gluten from wheat flour and barley, and dairy from cheddar cheese, whey, milk fat, and nonfat milk.

Is Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel good for weight loss?

It is not ideal for weight loss. It is calorie-dense (140 calories per serving) with low satiety, meaning you may eat more than one serving without feeling full.

Where can I buy Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel?

This product is widely available at major grocery chains (Walmart, Target, Kroger) and online retailers like Amazon.

Is Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel safe for kids?

It is safe for children who do not have gluten allergies or dairy sensitivities. However, it is a choking hazard for toddlers and contains added sugars.

Is Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel Gluten Free?

If you are strictly avoiding gluten, you need to put the bag of Goldfish Mix, Xtra Cheddar + Prezel back on the shelf. The direct answer is NO, this product is not gluten-free. While the cheesy crackers might look harmless, the inclusion of pretzels and wheat-based ingredients makes this mix unsuitable for anyone with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist looking at the label, the verdict is clear immediately. The very first ingredient listed is Enriched Wheat Flour. This is the primary structural component of both the Goldfish crackers and the pretzels in this mix. Wheat contains gluten proteins (gliadin and glutenin) that trigger immune responses in sensitive individuals. There is no way to engineer this product without that flour, meaning the base is fundamentally gluten-containing.

However, there is a secondary gluten flag that often flies under the radar: Malted Barley Flour. You will find this listed further down the ingredients. Barley is one of the three primary gluten-containing grains (along with wheat and rye). The term "malted" indicates that the barley has been sprouted and dried, often used to enhance the savory, bready flavor profile of the crackers. Even if the wheat were somehow removed (which it isn't), the presence of barley flour alone would render this product unsafe for a gluten-free diet.

Finally, we must look at the pretzel component. Pretzels are traditionally made from wheat dough. In a "Mix" product like this, the manufacturer does not typically source certified gluten-free pretzels to mix with standard crackers. The cross-contamination risk is high, but more importantly, the ingredients list confirms the presence of wheat flour in the dough itself. Therefore, the pretzels in this bag are standard wheat-based pretzels.

🚫 Culprit Ingredients:

wheatbarley

Nutritional Value

While this product fails the gluten test, it is worth understanding what you are consuming nutritionally. This is a calorie-dense snack, primarily driven by the Canola and/or Sunflower Oil content. A standard serving contains roughly 140 calories, with a significant portion coming from fat (6g total fat). While these are vegetable oils, the sodium content is also quite high—around 250mg per serving—which is typical for savory, salted snacks.

The sugar content is relatively low (less than 2g), which is a positive point compared to sweet snacks, but the presence of Dextrose and Sugar adds to the overall carbohydrate load. For those monitoring their glycemic index, this is a refined carbohydrate snack that will spike blood sugar, though it lacks the fiber to mitigate that effect. It fits into a standard diet as an occasional treat, but it does not offer significant nutritional density like fiber or protein.