We Tried the New Protein Original Cheez-Its

Cheez-It is doing the impossible! They’re turning their iconic classic Cheez-It into a protein boosted version of itself. Original, I know. Well, not the Cheez-It Original, just that it’s an original idea except it’s not. That was sarcasm! I bet I had you fooled.

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Anyway, back to the topic at hand. This brand-new snack aims at delivering the same bold, cheesy flavor and satisfying crunch that we all love with 7g of protein per serving (the original has 3g per serving).

Still made with 100% real cheese, Cheez-It hopes that this innovation will give fans a delicious new way to enjoy the iconic cracker while adding protein into your daily snack moments. How’d they do? Let’s get into it.

Our Verdict

Pros: These taste just like the Original Cheez-It. I mean they couldn’t have nailed the flavor more if they wanted to. I guess it makes sense. What did they do to add in more protein? Milk protein concentrate and wheat protein. Guess what’s already in a regular Cheez-It? Milk (cheese) and wheat! Wow. Who would have thought?

You’re really just getting everything that there is to love about an Original Cheez-It. Which to be fair, is a great selling point because the original did land the number one spot on our Cheez-It taste test. It’s iconic for all the right reasons. The cheese flavor is memorable, it’s perfectly salted, and the crisp of each bite will stay in your brain for days.

It feels weird to say but I also appreciate how there’s no weird protein aftertaste to these crackers. I guess it’s just because most of my protein experience comes from protein shakes that I’m this jaded. Either way, it really is just a clean, protein-packed (well, 4 extra grams per serving) Cheez-It.

Cons: Ultimately, I’m left asking myself the same question that I’m often doing in this job. Why are we doing this? Who is this for? Does anyone really need a protein-boosted Cheez-It? Is this really going to capture a market that’s worth Cheez-It’s time? The end result is: I will never know but I have some skepticism.

I really don’t think the same market that is hoping to squeeze as much protein into their diet as possible will be reaching for these. I just don’t see 4 measly grams of protein moving the needle for the protein-minded shopper. But hey, I just taste the stuff. I’m sure Cheez-It did their fair share of market research before diving into the protein pool.