Did you know that you have probably been eating Goldfish wrong your entire life?! The snack the smiles back was made… wait for it… as a soup cracker. Because they can swim! It even says it on the front of the bag—who knew!

Photo CreditL Image courtesy of Allison Speigel

You would think that with fish-shaped cracker would be used as such because they could swim through the soup—but no! Pepperidge Farms claims that they’re simply similar in flavor and texture to soda and oyster crackers, which are typically eaten in soup.

The inspiration for the fish shape, oddly enough, comes from astrology. The first Goldfish crackers were made in Switzerland in 1958 by a biscuit-maker. The story goes that he wanted to make a birthday present for his wife, who was a Pisces (whose symbol is fish). The result were lucky, golden fish-crackers that he called Goldfish. When Pepperidge Farms founder Margaret Rudkin visited Europe in the 1960s, she was so enamored by the adorable crackers that she brought them back to the United States. It wasn’t until 1997 that the smiles were added for a little change in the cracker (so now they’re happy they’re getting eaten?).

Goldfish have expanded their line over the years to include flavor-blasted and goldfish grahams. Each new flavor is unique, and people will argue that some are better than others, but we’ve gathered together some rock-solid pairings and recipes that are sure to stand up to any food-eating scenario:

Original (Cheddar) Goldfish + Tomato Soup

Photo Credit: Image courtesy of Allison Speigel

Let Goldfish shine as they were meant to be: the perfect crunchy, cheesy snack in and around your next bowl of tomato soup! Check out our recipe for spicy tomato soup here.

Pretzel Goldfish + Leek, Potato, & Cheddar Soup

Photo Credit: Groceries-Express.com

The crunchy saltiness of pretzels goes well with everything, especially our Leek, Potato, and Sharp Cheddar Cheese Soup with Chive-Walnut-Cheddar Topping.

Graham Cracker Goldfish + Hot Chocolate

Photo Credit: Image courtesy of American Sweets

Ever wondered about an alternative to marshmallows in your hot chocolate? Try the Grahams S’mores as a fun new topping to this age-old cold-weather drink.

Whether you decide to let your goldfish swim free (for a time) in a big bowl of soup or just pop ’em them directly into your mouth, Goldfish are a favorite snack that smiles right back.

Virginia Hyde

Virginia Hyde is a southern girl at heart who just moved to Boston to submerge herself in food - mainly cheese, to be honest. Game for any food-related adventure, festival, or gathering, she is ready to share her passion for cheese with others. Virginia is currently working on a Masters in Gastronomy at Boston University.