Animal cracker facts for kids
Some of Barnum's Animals
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| Type | Biscuit/cookie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | England |
| Invented | 19th century |
An animal cracker is a special kind of cracker. These crackers are shaped like animals, often ones you might see at a zoo or circus. Think of animals like a lion, a tiger, a bear, or an elephant.
Most animal crackers are light-colored and a little sweet. But you can also find darker chocolate-flavored ones or even colorful frosted kinds. Even though they taste sweet like cookies, they are made with a layered dough, just like other crackers. That's why they are called crackers and not cookies!
Contents
History of Animal Crackers
In the late 19th century, animal-shaped crackers were first brought to the United States from England. People liked them so much that American bakers started making them too.
Early American Bakers
- The Stauffer's Biscuit Company made their first animal crackers in York, Pennsylvania, in 1871.
- Other bakeries, like Dozier-Weyl Cracker Company in St. Louis and Holmes and Coutts Company in New York City, also made them.
- These companies later became part of the National Biscuit Company, which we know today as "Nabisco Brands."
Barnum's Animals Crackers
In 1902, the animal crackers made by the National Biscuit Company got a new name: "Barnum's Animals." This name was inspired by the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus.
Later that year, a new box was designed for Christmas. It had a clever idea: a string attached so you could hang the box on a Christmas tree! Before this, crackers were usually sold in big barrels or large metal tins. These small boxes, which cost only 5 cents back then, became very popular. You can still buy them today!
Animal Variety and Production
Over the years, many different animals have been featured. Since 1902, a total of 53 different animals have appeared on animal crackers. Today, each package usually has 22 crackers with a mix of animals. In 2002, the koala was added after people voted for it. It beat out the penguin, walrus, and cobra!
In 1948, the product's name changed to "Barnum's Animals Crackers." In 1958, how the crackers were made changed to make the animal shapes look even better. Before, the shapes were just cut out of dough. Now, bakers use special tools called rotary dies. These tools can press details onto each cracker, making the animals look more realistic. These rotary dies are still used today.
Where They Are Made
Barnum's Animals Crackers are all made by Nabisco Brands in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. More than 40 million packages are sold each year! They are sold in the United States and sent to 17 other countries around the world.
The crackers are baked in a huge oven that is about 91 meters (300 feet) long. They bake for about four minutes, with 12,000 crackers coming out every minute! In one work shift, about 15,000 cartons and 330,000 crackers are made. The colorful circus boxes come in three colors: red, blue, and yellow. Each color shows different animals.
New Box Design
In August 2018, Mondelez International (the company that owns Nabisco) changed the design of the Barnum's Animal Crackers boxes. The new design shows the animals outside of their traditional circus cage boxcars. This change was made after talking with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). It happened a year after the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus stopped its shows. The new box shows a zebra, lion, elephant, giraffe, and gorilla together in an African landscape.
Different Kinds of Animal Crackers
Many different companies make animal crackers. Here are some of the popular varieties:
Barnum's Animals Crackers
Since 1902, 53 different animals have been part of Barnum's Animals Crackers. The animals you might find today include:
- bear
- bison
- camel
- cougar
- elephant
- giraffe
- gorilla
- hippopotamus
- hyena
- kangaroo
- koala
- lion
- monkey
- rhinoceros
- seal
- sheep
- tiger
- zebra
Other Brands of Animal Crackers
- Stauffer's Animal Crackers: These include animals like bears, cows, cats, and horses. They come in flavors like plain vanilla, chocolate graham, cinnamon graham, and even "cotton candy" or icing-covered versions.
- Austin Zoo Animal Crackers: These feature animals such as owls, penguins, rabbits, and turtles.
- Cadburys Animals: These are popular in the United Kingdom. They are chocolate-coated and feature animals like crocodiles, hippos, and toucans.
- Bahlsen: In Germany, they make animal crackers under the Leibniz brand.
- Arnott's Iced Animals: In New Zealand, these are colorful iced animal crackers.
Who Makes Animal Crackers?
Several companies make animal crackers, each with their own special touch.
Nabisco
Nabisco makes Barnum's Animal Crackers. Their boxes are famous for looking like a circus wagon with animals inside. The name "Barnum" comes from the well-known circus owner P. T. Barnum. Nabisco doesn't pay a fee to the circus to use the name. As mentioned, in 2018, Nabisco changed the box art to show the animals roaming free, after requests from PETA.
Stauffer Biscuit Company
The Stauffer Biscuit Company in York, Pennsylvania, also makes animal crackers. They use spices like nutmeg and mace, which give their crackers a slightly different taste than Nabisco's. The former owner, Rodney Stauffer, now has his own company called Rodney's Animal Crackers.
Austin (Kellogg Company)
Austin, which is part of the Kellogg Company, also makes a type of animal cracker. Kellogg's bought Austin's parent company, Keebler, in 2001.
Other Manufacturers
- The Borden corporation used to make animal crackers until the late 1970s. Their box was red and featured the famous Elsie the Cow logo.
- Market Square Food Company Inc. in Illinois has been making its own brand of animal crackers since 1982.
- Sam's Club sells animal crackers under its own brand, Member's Mark.
Animal Crackers in Pop Culture
Animal crackers have appeared in many movies, songs, and TV shows!
- Animal Crackers is a 1930 movie starring the Marx Brothers.
- Another movie called Animal Crackers is an animated film from 2017. It's about magical animal crackers!
- A famous song sung by Shirley Temple in 1935, "Animal Crackers in My Soup", was used in many advertisements for animal crackers.
- Animal crackers are also the subject of a popular song from 1968 by Melanie Safka, also called "Animal Crackers."
- In the 2007 movie Zodiac, Inspector Dave Toschi (played by Mark Ruffalo) is often seen eating animal crackers. The real-life inspector was known for this habit!
- A box of Barnum's Animal Crackers can be seen in a scene in the movie Armageddon (1998).
- In a 2001 episode of The Simpsons called "Simpson Safari", a box of animal crackers is part of the story.
Images for kids
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Stauffer's Animals Crackers
See Also
