Goldfish (snack)
Encyclopedia
Goldfish are snack crackers
manufactured by Pepperidge Farm
, a division of the Campbell Soup Company
. The crackers come in several flavors, and since 1997, the crackers have small imprints of an eye and a smile and some wink at you. The brand's advertising emphasizes this by referring to the crackers with the most recent registered trademark "The Snack That Smiles Back! Goldfish!" and the mascot
, named Finn, who wears sunglasses
(above his eyes).
(There are also different goldfish mixtures; which are two flavors combined.)
Goldfish crackers are not kosher or vegetarian.
. And he and his new friends now live under the bed, having fun by playing pretend, racing each other, and sports. They must not be near the vacuum cleaner
, and soon, another flavor blasted goldfish named Swimmington Von Stuffington III Esquire who is Xtreme's snobby older brother from the pantry arrives in a fog
made from cheddar cheese
. A running Gag play on Gilbert's cowardice and being frightened easily.
Later, Gilbert is trapped in the vacuum cleaner after saving Xtreme from it, and meets IQ who wears eyeglasses, is quite fond of collecting things, and loves the "tornado
es" that happen every so often. They then sail down the hall in a paper airplane that Brooke had made and crash land in a houseplant
, they keep searching the top floor encountering The Goldfish Under The Couch Cushion. Gilbert then escapes the vacuum cleaner and lands in a Coo-Coo Clock, then is rescued and the goldfish make it back home where Gilbert gets a heroes welcome. And currently a chocolate graham fish named Coral sees them flying and shows up in hamster ball befriending them.
, Goldfish Crackers were introduced to the United States in 1962 by Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin
. Though plain is called 'Original', the actual original first flavor produced was Cheddar which is the highest selling flavor of goldfish in the US.
Crackers, Flavor-Blasted Goldfish, multi-colored Goldfish (known as Goldfish Colors), Baby Goldfish (which are smaller than normal), and Giant Goldfish (which are bigger than normal). There are also seasonably available color-changing goldfish, colored goldfish (come in a variety pack). There was once a line of Goldfish cookies in vanilla and chocolate; chocolate has reappeared in the "100 calorie" packs.
Goldfish are available in other flavors such as Red Hot! or Whole Grain pretzel and Blazin' Buffalo.
Goldfish noodles also can be found in Campbell's chicken noodle, tomato, and meatball soup. The goldfish shaped noodles in the tomato soup have been discontinued.
Cracker (food)
A cracker is a baked good commonly made from grain flour dough and typically made in quantity in various hand-sized or smaller shapes. Flavorings or seasonings, such as salt, herbs, seeds, and/or cheese, may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top before baking...
manufactured by Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm is a commercial bakery in the U.S. founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand after her family's property in Fairfield, Connecticut, which in turn was named for the pepperidge tree, Nyssa sylvatica. Since 1961, the company has been owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
, a division of the Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company , also known as Campbell's, is an American producer of canned soups and related products. Campbell's products are sold in 120 countries around the world. It is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey...
. The crackers come in several flavors, and since 1997, the crackers have small imprints of an eye and a smile and some wink at you. The brand's advertising emphasizes this by referring to the crackers with the most recent registered trademark "The Snack That Smiles Back! Goldfish!" and the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
, named Finn, who wears sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
(above his eyes).
Flavors
Goldfish come in many varieties (see below for Flavor Blasted varieties):- CheddarCheddar cheeseCheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
(most common) - Garden Cheddar (includes vegetables)
- Colors (Cheddar flavor, but with green, purple, red, and original colors)
- Parmesan
- PretzelPretzelA pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
- PizzaPizzaPizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
- RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
- Cheese Trio (Cheddar, zesty Cheddar, and Parmesan)
- Reduced SodiumEdible saltSalt, also known as table salt, or rock salt, is a mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride , a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. It is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to animals and plants in excess...
Cheddar - CalciumCalcium in biologyCalcium plays a pivotal role in the physiology and biochemistry of organisms and the cell. It plays an important role in signal transduction pathways, where it acts as a second messenger, in neurotransmitter release from neurons, contraction of all muscle cell types, and fertilization...
Enriched - Cheddar Made With Whole GrainCerealCereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
- Toasted Corn Made With Whole GrainCerealCereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
- Baby (Miniature crackers)
- Saltine
- Goldfish Screamin' Salt & Vinegar
- Grahams (Honey, Cinnamon, Chocolate, Vanilla, S'mores Adventures, Cocoa Adventures, Vanilla Cupcake)
- Starfish (A mix of starfish- and goldfish-shaped crackers)
- PhysEdibles (Strawberry and Lemon)
- Christmas shaped (cheddar)
- World Treasures (cheddar)
- Space Adventures (cheddar) (vegetable coloring) etc.
(There are also different goldfish mixtures; which are two flavors combined.)
Goldfish crackers are not kosher or vegetarian.
Commercials
In the commercials, Finn leaves the goldfish bag on a bedside in a child's bedroom to live under a bed and meets Gilbert from a plastic baggie, Brooke from a snack bowl, and Xtreme from the pantryPantry
A pantry is a room where food, provisions or dishes are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. The derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin panis for bread.In a late medieval hall, there were...
. And he and his new friends now live under the bed, having fun by playing pretend, racing each other, and sports. They must not be near the vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
, and soon, another flavor blasted goldfish named Swimmington Von Stuffington III Esquire who is Xtreme's snobby older brother from the pantry arrives in a fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
made from cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
. A running Gag play on Gilbert's cowardice and being frightened easily.
Later, Gilbert is trapped in the vacuum cleaner after saving Xtreme from it, and meets IQ who wears eyeglasses, is quite fond of collecting things, and loves the "tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es" that happen every so often. They then sail down the hall in a paper airplane that Brooke had made and crash land in a houseplant
Houseplant
A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...
, they keep searching the top floor encountering The Goldfish Under The Couch Cushion. Gilbert then escapes the vacuum cleaner and lands in a Coo-Coo Clock, then is rescued and the goldfish make it back home where Gilbert gets a heroes welcome. And currently a chocolate graham fish named Coral sees them flying and shows up in hamster ball befriending them.
Characters
- Finn- A cheddar flavored goldfish that wears sunglasses (though not in the commercials).
- Gilbert- A pretzelPretzelA pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
goldfish that tends to be a worrier. - Brooke- The beautiful and intelligent parmesan flavored goldfish and the only female member of the goldfish club until both Candace and Coral showed up.
- Xtreme- A flavor-blasted fish who enjoys doing crazy stunts. His real (and embarrassing) name is Fumbleton.
- Swimmington Von Stuffington III Esquire- Xtreme's snobby older brother.
- IQ- A honey graham fish who wears eyeglasses lives in the vacuum and befriends Gilbert and helps him escape out of the vacuum.
- Candace- A pink fish who wears a red bow on her head and has a small blue star on her tail fin. She has a crush on Gilbert. Candace is also the winner of the "Finn's New Friend" contest.
- Coral- A chocolate graham and fun-spirited fish with a SouthernSouthern American EnglishSouthern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
accent who currently befriends the club. She is possibly somewhat of a tomboyTomboyA tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
.
Recurring characters
- Walter- Finn's brother from the first commercial.
- The Goldfish Under The Couch Cushion- A fish with a big nose that lives in a couch cushion in one of the commercials.
- Eugene- Xtreme's #1 fan from the pantry.
- The Vacuum- The main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in most of the commercials. - Bailey- The dog that helps the club during the search for Gilbert.
History
Originally from SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Goldfish Crackers were introduced to the United States in 1962 by Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin
Margaret Rudkin
Margaret Rudkin , of Fairfield, Connecticut, was the founder of Pepperidge Farm.Born in New York City, she was the eldest of five children of Joseph and Margaret "Healey" Fogarty. She was taught to cook by her grandmother, who started her off with cakes and biscuits. She moved to Long Island when...
. Though plain is called 'Original', the actual original first flavor produced was Cheddar which is the highest selling flavor of goldfish in the US.
Spin-offs
Pepperidge Farm has created several spin-off products including Goldfish SandwichSandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
Crackers, Flavor-Blasted Goldfish, multi-colored Goldfish (known as Goldfish Colors), Baby Goldfish (which are smaller than normal), and Giant Goldfish (which are bigger than normal). There are also seasonably available color-changing goldfish, colored goldfish (come in a variety pack). There was once a line of Goldfish cookies in vanilla and chocolate; chocolate has reappeared in the "100 calorie" packs.
Goldfish are available in other flavors such as Red Hot! or Whole Grain pretzel and Blazin' Buffalo.
Goldfish noodles also can be found in Campbell's chicken noodle, tomato, and meatball soup. The goldfish shaped noodles in the tomato soup have been discontinued.
Jingles
- 1993–2000: Gone Goldfishin' (what the original Goldfish theme song ends with)
- 1997–2000: One Snack That's OK To Get Hooked On
- 2000–2001: Catch the Goldfish!
- 2001–present: The Snack That Smiles Back! Goldfish!
"Flavor-Blasted" varieties
There are several common varieties of Flavor-Blasted Goldfish as well as three varieties in selected locations as well as Pepperidge Farm store locations.- Hamburger Inferno
- Xtra Cheddar
- Xplosive Pizza
- Nothin' But Nacho
- Burstin BBQ Cheddar
- Jalapeño Cheese (No longer available)
- Blazin' Buffalo Wings (selective)
- Cheddar Pretzel (Pretzel Goldfish with a dusting of Xtra Cheddar seasoning—Available in certain regions of Canada)
- Salt and Vinegar (Available in certain regions of Canada)
- Atomic BBQ (Available in certain regions of Canada)
- Monstrous Mozzarella Stick
- Racing Ranch
- Slammin' Sour Cream & Onion
- Wild White Cheddar
- Xtra Chocolatey
- Vanilla Cupcake