Gardettos are a popular snack mix made by General Mills consisting of various crunchy pieces like rye chips, bagel chips, pretzel sticks, cheese crackers, bread sticks, and more. The exact ingredients can vary between flavors and varieties, but most mixes contain some combination of the following pieces:
Rye Chips
Made from rye flour, these thin, crunchy chips have a distinctive dark color and nutty flavor. Rye chips add a hearty, wholesome taste and crunchy texture to Gardettos mixes.
Bagel Chips
Crispy, crunchy chips made to taste like the top of a sliced bagel. Bagel chips are often lightly salted or seasoned and add a bready, bakery flavor to the mix.
Pretzel Sticks
Mini pretzel rods that are crunchy, salty, and have that distinctive pretzel taste. Pretzel sticks add great texture and savoriness to the snack mix.
Bread Sticks
Dry, crunchy little bread sticks that are like mini croutons. They have a neutral, bready flavor and light crispy crunch.
Crackers
Bite-sized square crackers make up another major component. These are typically crisp, neutral-flavored crackers. Common varieties include wheat crackers, oyster crackers, and tiny cheese or peanut butter sandwich crackers.
Sesame Sticks
Thin, crunchy sticks seasoned with toasted sesame seeds. Sesame sticks have a nutty, roasted flavor and delicate texture.
Pita Chips
Triangles of baked pita bread that are crispy and airy. Pita chips add a lighter crunch and have a mild flavor.
Popped Corn
Bite-size pieces of puffed corn that are light and crispy. Popped corn contributes an airy crunch with subtle corn taste.
Cereal Pieces
Bite-size crunchy pieces of rice, wheat, and corn cereals. Cereal pieces add crispy texture and mild flavor. Common shapes include O’s, squares, and rounds.
Peanuts
Dry roasted peanuts add protein, flavor, and crunch to the mix. Peanuts provide a nutty taste and hearty texture.
Sesame Sticks
Thin, crunchy sticks seasoned with toasted sesame seeds. Sesame sticks have a nutty, roasted flavor and delicate texture.
Pretzel Twists
Mini twisted pretzel sticks with salt and pretzel flavor. The twists add fun shape variety and salty crunch.
Nutritional Content
The nutrition content of Gardettos can vary based on the specific mix, but here are the approximate amounts for a 1 ounce serving:
| Calories | 130 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 190 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 20 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugars | 2 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
As you can see, Gardettos are high in carbohydrates and sodium, which comes mostly from the crackers, pretzels, and seasoning. They contain a small amount of protein and fiber. The fat content is relatively low overall, but the saturated fat content may be higher in mixes containing cheese crackers.
Flavor Varieties
Gardettos come in a wide assortment of flavors that blend sweet, salty, savory, spicy, and tangy tastes. Popular varieties include:
Original
The classic Gardetto’s mix with a balance of savory and salty flavors. It contains a blend of rye chips, bagel chips, breadsticks, wheat crackers, and pretzels.
Roasted Garlic & Parmesan
With a blend of crackers, chips, and breadsticks seasoned with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese flavors. It has a robust, pizza-like taste.
Pizzeria
Italian-seasoned snack mix with a pizza flair. It contains mini breadsticks, rye chips, pretzel sticks, and crackers seasoned with oregano, basil, garlic, and parmesan flavors.
Sour Cream & Onion
Tangy, creamy sour cream and onion seasoning on an assortment of crunchy pieces like rye chips, pretzels, and sesame sticks.
Seven Layer Dip
A mix inspired by classic seven layer dip with seasonings like nacho cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. It includes corn and wheat squares, lentil chips, pretzels, and crackers.
Hot Pizza
Spicy pizza-flavored snack mix with hot tomato seasoning on crackers, chips, and breadsticks. It has a zesty kick of heat, garlic, and oregano.
Bacon & Cheddar
Smoky, savory bacon and sharp cheddar cheese seasonings on a variety of crunchy Gardetto’s pieces.
Ranch
Cool ranch flavor sprinkled on rye chips, pretzels, crackers, and cereal pieces. It has a creamy, herby ranch taste.
French Onion
Gardettos pieces seasoned with tangy French onion dip flavor. It contains notes of onion, garlic, sour cream, parsley, and black pepper.
Salsa Con Queso
Mexican-inspired blend with seasonings like tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, and spicy pepper on chips, crackers, and pretzels.
S’mores
A dessert-themed mix with a marshmallow and chocolate flavor coating on graham-like crackers, pretzels, and breadsticks.
Serving Suggestions
Gardettos make a great anytime snack to munch on by the handful straight from the bag. Here are some other serving ideas:
Party Snack
Put out bowls of Gardettos for guests to nibble on at parties or gatherings. The variety of flavors and textures will satisfy.
Movie Snack
Crunchy and non-perishable Gardettos are perfect movie snacks. Bring along a bag on your next movie night.
Road Trip Snack
Pack bags of Gardettos for eating in the car on long road trips. They won’t make a mess and help fight boredom.
Hiking Snack
Bring along single-serve pouches of Gardettos for energy on hikes or walks. They travel well and provide a salty crunch.
Desk Snack
Keep snack-size Gardettos in your desk drawer at work for quick vitamin B energy and crunch. They’re low-mess and non-perishable.
Potluck Snack
For crowd-pleasing potlucks and picnics, set out big bowls of Gardettos for guests to munch on.
Backpack Snack
Pack pouches of Gardettos in kids’ or adults’ backpacks and lunch boxes for a satisfying crunch. They’re portable and filling.
Camping Snack
Bring single-serve bags of Gardettos camping for quick daytime snacking or around the campfire at night.
Salad Topping
Add some crunchy Gardettos as an unexpected topping to green salads, pasta salads, or grain bowls for contrasting flavor and texture.
Yogurt Parfait
Layer crunchy Gardettos into yogurt parfaits along with fruit and yogurt for tasty crunch in each bite.
Ice Cream Topping
For an unexpected flavors and textures, sprinkle Gardettos over ice cream. The sweet and salty contrast is delicious.
Snack Mix Add-In
Throw in some Gardettos along with nuts, chips, crackers, and pretzels when making your own snack mix.
Selection and Storage
You can find Gardettos in the snack aisle at any grocery store, mass retailer, convenience store, or online. They come in sizes ranging from individual 1 ounce pouches up to 15 ounce resealable bags or boxes.
For freshest taste and texture, store unopened Gardettos in a cool, dry pantry. Once opened, keep bags tightly sealed and eat within a couple months for maximum freshness and crunch. Discard any pieces that taste stale or soft.
The many flavors and textures make Gardettos a craveable snack. With proper storage, they stay fresh for enjoyment anytime. Try out different varieties to find your favorites to keep stocked for snacking.
Conclusion
Gardettos are a beloved snack mix made up of a variety of crunchy pieces like rye chips, bagel chips, pretzels, crackers, breadsticks, popcorn, cereal pieces, and more. The exact components can vary by flavor, but most mixes contain a diverse blend of textures and flavors. Gardettos make a tasty portable snack in many situations from road trips to parties to lunches and more thanks to their non-perishable convenience. With a huge range of seasonings from sweet to savory to spicy, you can always find a Gardettos blend to satisfy your craving.