Best and Worst Pretzels

In the world of snack foods, pretzels don’t get much respect. They don’t have the sexiness of a barbeque potato chip, nor do they have the Oompa Loompa pop of a Cheezie. But is it time to give the pretzel its props? And is there much difference between brands?

Pretzels have been around since 610 A.D. The origin story goes that a monk in Northern Italy invented soft pretzels to reward children for saying their prayers. The pretzel twist represented the crossed arms of a child in prayer. 

Given their Italian origins, I asked my long-suffering (in his eyes, anyway) Italian husband to help me taste test 9 different pretzel brands. We wanted a pretzel with a pop of salt, and one that was neither too thin nor too thick. We only tasted twisted varieties for consistency and neither of us knew which brand we were tasting.

My husband was convinced we wouldn’t be able to tell any difference between brands but I hoped to prove him wrong.

Which brands passed mustard and which brand wasn’t worth its salt? Read on to find out!

1) Selection Pretzel Twists, $3.49

Selection is Metro’s house brand, Quebec’s largest grocery store chain. I gave Metro props for a nice bag design. It was a reminder that a well-coordinated package can help you stand out from the competition. This applies both to pretzels and people.

Tasting notes: “These have a nice snap,” my husband said. “They’re crisp with a balanced salt ratio. But that’s about all I can say.” I found Selection to be too hard for my liking. They were tough, like the dough had been overworked. The pretzels were okay, but no standout selection.

Verdict: Not the bestzel.

2) No Name Pretzel Twists, $1.50

There’s no avoiding No Name’s iconic yellow packaging. “Look at me! I’m 50 cents cheaper than the national leading brand!” it practically screams from grocery shelves. Generally, No Name products have been a miss for me, but they’ve also pulled some surprising punches. See my salsa taste test.

Tasting notes: “This pretzel is a bit thicker than the last one,” my co-taster said. “Other than that, it’s exactly the same.” (I sensed someone was on a mission to prove his point.) I, on the other hand, felt No Name had a distinct, almost-burnt flavour, like toast when it’s on the verge of setting off your smoke alarm. For me, this was a good thing and set No Name apart.

Verdict: Cheap and cheerful.

3) Rold Gold Classic Style Thins, $4.99

I’m no spelling bea champ, but I know a typo when I see one. This brand should be called “rolled,” not “rold.” Given that Rold Gold has been around since 1917, you’d think someone would’ve pointed that out by now.

Tasting notes: “The texture is lighter,” my husband said. “It’s an airier pretzel. The taste is the same as the others, but the texture sets it apart.” I agreed; there was a distinct, delicate vibe to the Rold Gold. They almost melted in my mouth and had a clean and satisfying finish.

Verdict: Solid gold.

4) Whole Foods 365 Organic Pretzels, $5.99

Good lord, Whole Foods is expensive. I’ll wander through during my lunch hour, muttering, “Are you kidding me?” before inevitably buying something and blowing my entire allowance for the week on an organic turkey sandwich.

Tasting notes: “It’s a little denser,” my co-taster said. “I don’t know how to describe the pretzel flavour. Do you know what I mean? What word am I looking for?” (I had absolutely no idea.) “I prefer the flavour of this one,” he continued. “Overall, a pretty good pretzel.” I thought this one had a nice flavour with no aftertaste. It had a brittle, lighter texture and did its job well.

Verdict: A pretzel we’d eat 365 days a year.

5) Great Value Pretzel Twists, $2.78

Coming in at 400 grams for under three dollars, Walmart’s house brand delivered in the value department. But good things don’t always come in big packages. I think that’s the saying but I’m not sure.

Tasting notes: “Nothing special,” my husband said. “It’s more of the same as what I’ve already tasted. There’s not a lot I can tell you, other than this is what I’d expect from bagged pretzels.” I thought Great Value offered up a heftier pretzel, although it was a little too brawny for my liking. But I had to concede – it was becoming harder to distinguish the difference between the brands.

Verdict: Its greatest value is the price.

6) Synder’s of Hanover Gluten-Free Mini Pretzels, $6.49

I see this brand around, but it’s usually the flavoured bits and pieces variety. I bought the honey mustard ones once and they did a number on my stomach. But I couldn’t stop eating them. In other words, the story of my life. I included this gluten-free version to keep things well rounded.

Tasting notes: “This one is very crisp,” my better half said. “Is this the gluten-free one? The overall taste is good, but it’s a different experience altogether.” I almost jolted when I bit down. There was so much snap to this pretzel, it practically crackled. It had a bit of an aftertaste, which I didn’t mind. Not bad for a gluten-free variety, but not a pretzel I’d reach for.

Verdict: Oh, snap!

7) Neal Brothers Classic Thins, $2.49

The Neal boys are a couple of badasses. There’s an illustration of them on their motorcycles on the package. I suppose that’s not surprising. Nothing says “badass” like pretzels.

Tasting notes: “This one’s thicker,” my husband said. “The crispiness is good and the salt balance is fine. But it’s just a regular, run-of-the-mill pretzel. I’m not wowed.” I thought the brothers did a serviceable job but had to agree – there was nothing remarkable. I hope the Neals don’t come after me. I thought I heard motorcycles in the distance just now.

Verdict: No brotherly love.

8) Longo’s Pretzel Mini Twists, $2.99

It would be interesting to see how Longo’s fared in this taste test, given they started off as an Italian family-owned grocery store and given the Italian origin story of pretzels. Were our pretzel prayers about to be answered?

Tasting notes: “I don’t like this one,” my husband said. “It’s powdery and crumbly. What’s holding it together? The taste is okay, but the texture is a miss.” I noted uneven thickness in the pretzels and agreed; the Longo’s brand was too powdery for a pretzel. 

Verdict: Left us longo in the face.

9) Farm Boy Twisted Pretzels, $3.49

Farm Boy’s packaging says that their pretzels are great as a salty surprise in desserts or ice cream sundaes. I’m not so sure about that. As a former Dairy Queen employee, nothing comes close to the glory of Spanish peanuts on a hot fudge sundae.

Tasting notes: “Can I have the first one I tasted again?” my husband asked after trying the Farm Boy pretzel. “I honestly can’t tell the difference. If you were to put all these brands into the same bowl, no one would notice.” I thought the Farm Boy brand had a perfect thinness and a good kick of salt. That said, there was nothing that set it apart from the competition and nothing that would rock (salt) my world.

Farm Boy: Hot fudge would help.

In terms of the winner, my husband picked the Whole Foods 365 brand. My top pick was Rold Gold with an honourable mention to No Frills for delivering deep flavour at a cheap price. We both agreed Longo’s was the worst. Don’t tell the Italian monks! 

So, what did we learn? When it comes to pretzels, there’s not much difference. Or, at least, not enough to set brands distinctly apart. That said, there are variances when it comes to price and ingredients, so I’d use those as your deciding factors.

Here’s a great way to use up leftover pretzels. I call these “Monday Mournings” because they look like me when my alarm goes off. Simply dip mini pretzels into melted white chocolate, insert googly eyes into the upper holes and chill until hardened. Monday Mournings make delicious treats at any party - provided no one is bothered by their food staring back at them.

Thanks for joining this twisted journey. Do you have a favourite pretzel brand? Did we get the results wrong? Leave a comment and let the world know!