Saltine cracker challenge: Difference between revisions

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The '''saltine cracker challenge''' or '''saltine challenge''' is a [[food challenge]] or competition in which a person has 60 seconds in which to eat six [[saltine cracker|saltine soda crackers]] without [[drinking]] anything.

Although the challenge may sound trivial, it is difficult because the crackers quickly exhaust the [[saliva]] in the mouth. Even though six saltines can fit in one's mouth at the same time, and a minute is plenty of time to chew, the resulting mass of crumbs is still difficult to swallow with a dry mouth.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Family Book: Amazing Things To Do Together |first1=Philippa |last1=Wingate |first2=David |last2=Woodroffe |page=[https://archive.org/details/familybookamazin00wing_0/page/160 160] |year=2008 |___location=New York |publisher=[[Scholastic Corporation|Scholastic]] |isbn=978-0-545-05757-48 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/familybookamazin00wing_0/page/160 }}</ref><ref name="Joplin">{{cite news |title=‘Dr'Dr. Food Science’Science' mixes bananas and Sprite, conducts other questionable food experiments |work=[[The Joplin Globe]] |first=Dustin |last=Shipman |date=2008-04-29 |url=http://www.joplinglobe.com/food/local_story_120162143.html/resources_printstory |access-date=2009-10-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216091812/http://www.joplinglobe.com/food/local_story_120162143.html/resources_printstory |archive-date=2012-12-16 }}</ref>

==The individual challenge==

[[File:19bcc7915f9a218cf6d889c212569271f9fe65d0-14.jpg|thumb|An office worker preparing before failing the challenge]]The challenge is generally given as eating six saltines in a single minute, although the target is sometimes set at five or seven.<ref>{{cite news |title= Class A vet still clings to baseball dreams |first=Kevin |last=Acee |date=1999-07-25 |work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]] |page=C.1 |id=Factiva SDU0000020070617dv7p00dca |quote=The attraction is third baseman Kevin Eberwein, who has taken the challenge of trying to eat six saltine crackers in 60 seconds without the aid of water. }}</ref><ref name="Lantern">{{cite news |work=[[The Lantern]] |title=Drowning the sorrow |date=2003-11-24 |first=Erik |last=Bussa |url=http://www.thelantern.com/2.1346/drowning-the-sorrow-1.89742 |access-date=2009-10-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927015144/http://www.thelantern.com/2.1346/drowning-the-sorrow-1.89742 |archive-date=2011-09-27 }}</ref> Most people are able to eat at least two saltines without water, although patients affected by [[Sjögren's syndrome]] lack the saliva necessary for even this many. Doctors may use this test, the "cracker test" or "cracker sign", to help diagnose the disorder.<ref>{{cite book |title=The hypochondriac's guide to life and death |first=Gene |last=Weingarten |author-link=Gene Weingarten |page=71 |year=2001 |isbn=0-684-85648-4 |publisher=[[Fireside Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Cecil textbook of medicine |volume=2 |year=1996 |edition=20th |author=Russell La Fayette Cecil, J. Claude Bennett, [[Fred Plum]] |page=1488}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Kelley's textbook of rheumatology |volume=2 |year=2005 |edition=7th |author1=Edward D. Harris |author2=Shaun Ruddy |author3=William N. Kelley |page=1109}}</ref>

A 1996 [[Associated Press|AP]] story used the challenge to illustrate the competitive nature and persistence of the [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee Volunteers']] quarterback at the time, [[Peyton Manning]]. Having been bet that he could not eat six saltines, Manning attempted them one by one and failed; trying again, he stacked them on top of each other and succeeded. His roommate concluded, "Even something that was a joke, he was out to prove he can do it. He can eat six saltine crackers, and he did. He works out techniques he can do on everything."<ref>{{cite news |title=Manning Seeks a Way to Succeed |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] |date=1996-08-11 |edition=First |page=C06 |first=Teresa M. |last=Walker |id=Factiva por0000020011015ds8b014cg |quote=Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning eats the saltine crackers one at a time, trying to scarf down six in 60 seconds.}}</ref> Before the 2001–2002 season, [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State]] [[Penn State Nittany Lions|Lady Lions]] basketball coach [[Rene Portland]]'s cracker-eating ability helped her land star players [[Tanisha Wright]] and [[Jessica Calamusso]]. During a recruiting trip, the high schoolers' [[Amateur Athletic Union]] coach mentioned the cracker challenge; Wright failed but Portland succeeded. Portland did not reveal her technique, but she did comment on the competitive drive: "Obviously, there's a competitor in an old coach to say that 'I can do this.' If I can do childbirth three times, six crackers can't be that hard."<ref name="Cracker Portland">{{cite news|last=Zeise|first=Paul |title=Women’sWomen's Basketball Notebook: Portland passes cracker test and gets two quality recruits |date=January 28, 2002|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/sports/collegeother/20020128bkwnot0128p4.asp|newspaper=Post-Gazette|access-date=9 Mar 2013}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Other athletes connected with the challenge include baseball coach [[Brad Fischer]]<ref>{{cite news |title=A'S CLUBHOUSE / No Bellyaching From Coach Whose Binges Bring Dollars |first=Susan |last=Slusser |author-link=Susan Slusser|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=2000-07-18 |page=D.6 |id=ProQuest 56519161}}</ref> and [[Derek Jeter]]; a photographer challenged by Jeter observed, "Being competitive has become his way to relax."<ref>{{cite journal |magazinejournal=[[Men's Health (magazine)|Men's Health]] |date=April 2008 |page=24 |first=Patrik |last=Giardino |title=Contributors |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2scDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24 |access-date=2009-10-23}}</ref>

The challenge has been televised on [[Breakfast television|morning]] news [[talk show]]s. In a 2001 ''[[The Early Show]]'' episode, [[Tom Bergeron]] took a bet that he could not eat four saltines in a minute, and after attempting them all at once, he lost $40. [[Jane Clayson Johnson|Jane Clayson]] asked the staff member who had started the bet how she knew the challenge, to which she replied, "College."<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Filler: Co-op time |series=CBS News: The Early Show |series-link=The Early Show |airdate=2001-11-19 |id=Factiva CBST000020070818dxcj00do2}} See also the buildup: {{Cite episode |title=Sign-off: The Early Show |series=CBS News: The Early Show |series-link=The Early Show |airdate=2001-11-18 |id=Factiva CBST000020070818dxci00dnb}} See also the followup: {{Cite episode |title=Leads: The Early Show, 8:30 AM |series=CBS News: The Early Show |series-link=The Early Show |airdate=2001-11-19 |id=Factiva CBST000020070818dxcj00do3}}</ref> Indeed, several college newspapers have noted the phenomenon on campus.<ref name="Lantern" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Summer slumbers |date=2005-07-13 |work=[[Technician (newspaper)|Technician]] |first=Kenneth |last=Ball |id=Factiva UWIR000020050714e17d0004g}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Facebook makes for some good friends |date=2005-09-20 |work=[[Columbia Daily Spectator]] |first=Fernanda |last=Diaz |id=Factiva UWIR000020050921e19k000as}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Mirthful breaks from mind-numbing studying |work=[[Student Life (newspaper)|Student Life]] |date=2006-12-22 |first=Yarden |last=Maoz |id=Factiva UWIR000020061222e2cm0002l |url=http://www.studlife.com/archives/Scene/2006/12/08/Mirthfulbreaksfrommindnumbingstudying/ |access-date=2009-10-22}}</ref>

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==Competitive races==

[[File:SaltineCrackerEatingContest ThreeForTracy.jpg|thumb|Office workers competing against the clock |alt=A man and a woman with their mouths full of crackers, seated at a table with piles of crackers]]

Older versions of the challenge include events where one competes to be the first person to eat some number of crackers and then audibly [[whistling|whistle]] a tune. Such competitions are at least a century old.<ref>{{cite journal |magazinejournal=The Dodge ideaIdea |volume=24 |issue=4 |title=Second Annual Dodge Field Day |page=59 |date=October 1908 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOzNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA59 |access-date=2009-10-22}}</ref>

A 1970s episode of the [[education]]al [[television show]] ''[[ZOOM (1972 TV series)|ZOOM]]'', which encouraged children to try creative puzzles and games using minimal supplies, featured such a race. Contestants in this version of the race ate three saltines and then whistled.<ref>{{cite news |title=Zoom to PBS aimed at giving kids ideas |first=Jeanne |last=Spreier |date=1998-01-05 |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |edition=Home Final |page=5C |id=Factiva dal0000020010916du15000u8}}</ref>

In [[Grafton, North Dakota]], there is an annual competition in which contestants must eat four saltines and then whistle. For nine years, it was won by Mike Stoltman of [[Minto, North Dakota|Minto]]; a local legend who says that he benefits from an extra [[salivary gland]]. Stoltman says that he requires two [[suction tube]]s at the [[dentist]], and of the gland, "I don't know for sure. But my orthodontist said he's never seen saliva like that."<ref>{{cite newsmagazine |title=Broom At The Top; Baby, it's cold outside, so North Dakotans like to curl up with a good CURLING tournament |first=Mark |last=Bechtel |date=2004-01-19 |workmagazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |page=32 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1031102/index.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121202232750/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1031102/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 December 2012 |access-date=2009-10-25}}</ref> He was upset by Greg Shane of [[Oslo, Minnesota|Oslo]] in the 2009 running, possibly because Stoltman had been celebrating his 40th birthday. Five-time winner Kelly Schanilec (Gaddie) won the first-place trophy in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scouting out Minto's bologna cook-off brings whistles of joy |work=[[Grand Forks Herald]] |date=2009-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Oslo team wins Minto bologna competition |date=2009-01-19 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |id=Factiva APRS000020090119e51j0039d}}</ref>

==Related challenges==

{{main|Competitive eating}}

A similar test is the "[[cinnamon challenge]]", in which a person must eat a [[tablespoon]] of [[cinnamon]]. Again, this is a small amount of familiar food, but it quickly dries out the mouth's saliva, making the powder hard to swallow. Some who attempt this challenge report that the cinnamon is especially unpleasant and that its dust is comparable to [[pepper spray]].<ref name="Joplin" /> Furthermore, the presence of the [[aldehyde cinnamal]] in the [[essential oil]] of the cinnamon powder often irritates the skin and mucous membranes, adding further difficulty to the challenge.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} The cinnamon challenge can have hazardous health effects.

In the UK, a similar cracker eating contest occurs with [[Jacob’sJacob's]] [[Cream Cracker]]s, as saltine crackers are less common in the country. Rules governing the amount consumed and time taken vary per contest. Such challenges are popular amongst university student unions. The Australian version is the [[Weet-Bix]] Challenge.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Couriermail.com.au {{!}} Subscribe to The Courier Mail for exclusive stories | url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/calling-mackays-weetbix-kids-its-your-time-to-shine/news-story/c245d2e0ebee267f00be32d16222da6c | access-date=2025-01-24 | website=www.couriermail.com.au}}</ref>

==References==

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{{Challenges}}

[[Category:ChallengesInternet challenges]]

[[Category:Competitive eating]]

[[Category:Crackers (food)]]