Can you spot the ultraprocessed foods?

Take a virtual shopping trip to learn more about what's on grocery store shelves.

Sargento® Balanced Breaks® Cheese & Crackers, Natural Pepper Jack & Colby-Jack Cheese and RITZ® Mini Original Crackers Snack Kit, 3-Pack, 1.5 oz
Dairy
📊 NOVA 4

Sargento® Balanced Breaks® Cheese & Crackers, Natural Pepper Jack & Colby-Jack Cheese and RITZ® Mini Original Crackers Snack Kit, 3-Pack, 1.5 oz

SARGENTO
4.50 oz
Available at Foodtown
170
Calories
7g
Protein
1g
Sugars
300mg
Sodium
62
Ingredients

What You Should Know

SARGENTO® Balanced Breaks® Cheese & Crackers Pepper Jack & Colby-Jack with RITZ® Mini Original Crackers is a grab-and-go refrigerated snack kit commonly found in the dairy/snack refrigerator case alongside single-serve cheeses, lunchbox packs and refrigerated charcuterie-style snack trays. You’ll see it shelved near other portion-controlled cheese snacks, lunch meats and ready-to-eat deli items rather than on the ambient cracker aisle. The product positions itself as a convenient, slightly upscale everyday snack — a family-owned brand story (third-generation Sargento) paired with the nostalgia and mass appeal of RITZ® crackers. Marketing leans toward busy parents, school lunches, office workers and on-the-go adults who want a quick, tasty pairing with perceived balance and portion control. Label cues include the product name “Balanced Breaks” and the word “Natural” on the cheeses, creating a health-halo while there is no organic certification claimed. Kid-friendly imagery and easy-open, compartmentalized plastic tray packaging emphasize convenience and portioning. In plain terms, the kit mixes minimally processed natural cheeses with industrially made crackers and common food additives, so it’s a convenient processed snack rather than a whole-food item. Sensory notes: the Pepper Jack is creamy with a bright, peppery heat; Colby-Jack is buttery and mild; RITZ Mini crackers are flaky, salty and slightly sweet, creating contrast in texture. Rituals around this product include lunchbox assembly, quick office breaks, or road-trip snacking, where consumers peel open the plastic tray and pair cheese slices with bite-sized crackers for an instant, familiar snack moment.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1
Servings per Container: 3
Calories170
% Daily Value*
Total Fat12g15%
Saturated Fat6g30%
Cholesterol25mg8%
Sodium300mg13%
Total Carbohydrate10g4%
Total Sugars1g
Added Sugars1g2%
Protein7g
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

Monterey, Jack, Cheese, With, Jalapeno, Peppers, (Pasteurized, Milk,, Jalapeno, Peppers,, Cheese, Culture,, Salt,, Enzymes),, Colby-Jack, Cheese, [Pasteurized, Milk,, Cheese, Culture,, Salt,, Enzymes,, Annatto, (Vegetable, Color)],, Crackers, [Enriched, Wheat, Flour, (Wheat, Flour,, Niacin,, Reduced, Iron,, Thiamine, Mononitrate,, Riboflavin,, Folic, Acid),, Soybean, Oil, and/or, Canola, Oil,, Sugar,, Palm, Oil,, Leavening, (Calcium, Phosphate, and/or, Baking, Soda),, Salt,, Soy, Lecithin,, Natural, Flavor],, Potato, Starch, (ToPrevent, Caking).

Flagged Ingredients:

  • Soybean Oil - Seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids
  • Canola Oil - Seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids
  • Soy Lecithin - Processed emulsifier
  • Annatto - Artificial coloring
No Seed OilNo EmulsifierNo Additive

Dietary Labels

This product is not vegan, is not gluten-free, and is not organic.

Ultra-Processing Assessment

NOVA Score:4 / 4

Ultra-Processed

Why this score?

The kit combines reconstituted/prepared cheeses with refined-flour crackers containing added oils, sugar, emulsifiers and 'natural flavor' — characteristic ingredients and processing steps typical of ultra-processed foods.

Daily Ritual

Can you Spot Ultraprocessed Foods? Play our Supermarket Game

Take a virtual shopping trip to learn more about what's on grocery store shelves.

Shopping in the supermarket oil aisle

Others also viewed

Common Questions about Sargento® Balanced Breaks® Cheese & Crackers, Natural Pepper Jack & Colby-Jack Cheese and RITZ® Mini Original Crackers Snack Kit, 3-Pack, 1.5 oz

Well, 'healthy' can be a bit subjective! This snack kit provides a decent amount of protein (7g) and calcium (220mg), which is great for a quick bite. However, it also has added sugars and is not particularly high in fiber, so it’s more of a tasty treat than a health food. Think of it as a fun snack rather than a meal replacement!

Perfect For

back-to-school
road-trip
movie-night

Vibe:

convenientnostalgicadventurous
$NaN
per package