Goldfish has a new twist on its classic crackers

The new crackers pack 6 grams of protein per serving, so I tried both flavors to see how they compare to the originals!

Protein has made its way into just about everything these days. Bars, chips, cereal, cookies, and pasta are all getting protein makeovers. Sometimes the texture changes, flavors get muted, or there’s that very specific aftertaste that makes it obvious you’re eating the “protein version.”

So when I heard Goldfish was taking one of its most familiar snacks and adding more protein, I was curious to see how it would turn out. But after trying both new flavors, though, these might be some of the best protein-added snacks I’ve had.

Goldfish made with 6g of Protein

The new protein Goldfish come in two familiar flavors: Cheddar and Pizza. The crackers are still baked, made with real cheese, and contain no artificial colors. They also keep the classic fish shape and crunchy texture Goldfish is known for. According to the brand, the new line was created as more consumers look for ways to add protein to everyday snacks.

For comparison, a standard serving of classic Goldfish Cheddar crackers contains 4 grams of protein, while the new version bumps that up to 6 grams per serving. The protein varieties are expected to debut at Walmart and other grocery stores in October 2026 before expanding nationwide in early 2027. A 6.6-ounce bag will have a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Cheddar Goldfish with Protein

Cheddar was the flavor I was most excited to try because my daughter loved these in elementary school. Classic Goldfish Cheddar has such a distinct cheesy, salty flavor and light crunch, so I was curious to see how much the added protein would change it.

The protein version tasted super close to the regular Goldfish. The cheddar flavor came through really well, the texture was crunchy, and most importantly, I didn’t get any strange protein aftertaste. That was the biggest win for me.

If someone handed me a bowl without telling me it was the higher-protein version, I woudln’t be able to tell. It just tasted like Goldfish, and that is exactly what I wanted.

Pizza Goldfish with Protein

The Pizza version might be even more impressive because there are more flavors involved. Regular Goldfish Pizza crackers combine tomato, cheddar, spices, onion, and other seasonings for that familiar pizza-inspired flavor.

That flavor came through extremely well in the protein version. It still had the tomato-forward, cheesy seasoning like Pizza Goldfish, and once again there was no noticeable protein flavor fighting with it. The seasoning was strong enough to make it clearly different from Cheddar.

I genuinely loved both varieties, which is not always something I can say with all protein snacks.

Goldfish is also adding more whole grain options

The protein crackers are not the only new Goldfish products arriving this fall. Goldfish made with Whole Grain will also expand with a new and improved Cheddar Whole Grain flavor and an all-new Pretzel Whole Grain variety. Each serving is made with 12 grams of whole grain.

Goldfish already has a Whole Grain category as part of its current lineup, so these additions give shoppers another way to stick with the familiar fish-shaped snack while choosing a different nutritional profile.

The two whole-grain varieties are also scheduled to arrive nationwide beginning in October 2026, with 6.6-ounce bags carrying a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Are the new Goldfish protein crackers worth trying?

I absolutely loved these. What impressed me most was that Goldfish pulled this off without making the crackers taste like a strange protein product.

Both Cheddar and Pizza had the crunchy texture, seasoning, and familiar Goldfish flavor I wanted, with no strange aftertaste. For me, that puts these near the top of the protein-added snacks I have tried. I would gladly keep both flavors stocked at home. These were an easy 10/10.