Which Has More Sodium, Lance or Austin? Both 330 mg

Which has more sodium, Lance or Austin? Per pack, neither: Lance Toast Chee Peanut Butter and Austin Peanut Butter on Cheese sandwich crackers both show 330 mg of sodium (14% DV), and both list Yellow 6. The labels differ on added sugar, protein, calories, pack weight and TBHQ. The figures below come from the label photos on Open Food Facts for Lance Toast Chee and Austin Peanut Butter on Cheese, so check the package in hand.

Key takeaways

• Both labels list Yellow 6 (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the ingredient statement), per the Open Food Facts label photos for a 43 g Lance pack and a 39 g Austin pack.
• Per pack, both show 330 mg sodium (14% DV), with serving sizes of 43 g for Lance and 39 g for Austin.
• Lance lists 3 g added sugars and 5 g protein per 43 g pack. Austin lists 4 g added sugars and 4 g protein per 39 g pack.
• Lance's label shows 220 calories per 43 g serving and Austin's shows 190 calories per 39 g serving.
• Only Austin lists TBHQ, inside its oil: 'soybean oil (with tbhq for freshness).' Lance's label lists no TBHQ.
• FDA approves Yellow No. 6 as a certified color additive, and in April 2025 said it is working with industry to eliminate it and five other synthetic dyes from the food supply.

Factor	Lance Toast Chee (43 g pack)	Austin Peanut Butter on Cheese (39 g pack)
Calories per pack	220	190
Sodium per pack	330 mg (14% DV)	330 mg (14% DV)
Added sugars per pack	3 g (6% DV)	4 g (8% DV)
Protein per pack	5 g	4 g
Yellow 6	Listed	Listed
TBHQ	None listed	Listed: soybean oil (with tbhq for freshness)
Sodium per 100 g (calculated here)	about 767 mg	about 846 mg
Added sugars per 100 g (calculated here)	about 7.0 g	about 10.3 g
Calories per 100 g (calculated here)	about 512	about 487
Protein per 100 g (calculated here)	about 11.6 g	about 10.3 g

Per-100 g figures are calculated here by dividing per-pack values by pack weight. The labels do not print them.

Which Has Yellow 6 on the Label: Lance or Austin?

Both labels list Yellow 6 (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the ingredient statement), per the Open Food Facts label photos for a 43 g Lance pack and a 39 g Austin pack. The photos may not match the package on the shelf today, so read the current ingredient statement before deciding anything.

On Lance's label, 'YELLOW 6' sits in the group marked 'contains 2% or less of,' between cheddar cheese and soy lecithin. On Austin's label, 'yellow 6' also sits in the 2% or less group, after whey and before malt powder. Neither label states how much Yellow 6 is used, so the amount is not disclosed.

FDA lists Yellow No. 6 as one of nine certified color additives approved for food, and lists its uses as 'cereals, snack foods, baked goods, gelatins, beverages, dessert powders, crackers, and sauces.' Synthetic colors must pass batch certification by FDA, per the FDA's color additives Q&A.

Why Are Austin Crackers Orange?

Yellow 6, a certified color additive listed in Austin's ingredient statement, is the colorant named on the label. Lance's label names it too. The label does not establish what causes the orange color beyond that ingredient name, and it does not disclose how much Yellow 6 is used, so the color level in either cracker is not known from the label.

For a broader look at how color-added and named-color labels differ, see how color-added and named-color labels compare in scanned products.

Does Lance Toast Chee Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers Contain TBHQ, and Does Austin?

Lance's label lists no TBHQ. Its oil is listed as 'vegetable oils (soybean, palm and/or canola)' with no TBHQ named.

Austin's label lists 'soybean oil (with tbhq for freshness)' as its second ingredient, so TBHQ is the antioxidant added to that oil. The label does not state how much is used.

TBHQ, or tertiary butylhydroquinone, is an antioxidant that FDA allows in food under 21 CFR 172.185 to slow spoilage in fats and oils. Where it appears, TBHQ is listed inside the oil wording rather than as a separate ingredient.

How Much Sodium Is in Each Pack and Per 100 g of Lance vs Austin Crackers?

Per pack, neither has more: both show 330 mg (14% DV), with serving sizes of 43 g for Lance and 39 g for Austin. The per-pack numbers match, but the packs weigh different amounts.

Dividing per-pack sodium by pack weight gives about 767 mg per 100 g for Lance and about 846 mg per 100 g for Austin. These per-100 g figures are calculated here from the label values and are not printed on either package.

Which Has More Sodium, Lance or Austin Crackers?

Per pack, neither has more, since both show 330 mg. Per 100 g, calculated here, Austin has more, about 846 mg compared with about 767 mg for Lance, because its pack is 4 g lighter.

FDA's Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day. FDA's low and high sodium thresholds are set per serving: 5% DV or less per serving is low, and 20% DV or more per serving is high. At 14% DV per serving, each pack falls between those two benchmarks. The FDA guidance on sodium in the diet explains these figures, and the Nutrition Facts panel on any package gives the exact number to compare.

How Much Added Sugar Is in Lance Toast Chee vs Austin Crackers Per Pack?

Lance lists 3 g of added sugars per 43 g pack, which is 6% DV. Austin lists 4 g per 39 g pack, which is 8% DV. Lance's total sugars are 5 g, and Austin's total sugars are 4 g.

The ingredient lists name sugar, dextrose and, for Lance, corn syrup. Calculated here per 100 g, Lance is about 7.0 g of added sugars and Austin is about 10.3 g.

Open Food Facts' typed field lists 2 g of added sugars for Lance, but the label photo on the same page shows 3 g. This comparison uses 3 g.

How Many Calories and Grams of Protein Does Each Pack Provide: Lance vs Austin?

Lance's pack provides 220 calories and 5 g of protein per 43 g pack. Austin's pack provides 190 calories and 4 g of protein per 39 g package. Calculated here per 100 g, Lance is about 512 calories and 11.6 g of protein, and Austin is about 487 calories and 10.3 g of protein.

Other per-pack figures differ as well. Lance lists 11 g total fat (15% DV), 2.5 g saturated fat (13% DV) and under 1 g fiber (3% DV). Austin lists 9 g total fat (12% DV), 1.5 g saturated fat (8% DV) and 1 g fiber (4% DV).

Both labels list wheat, peanuts, milk and soy as allergens. Neither label's allergen statement is a substitute for reading the package you buy.

Why Do Lance and Austin List Yellow No. 6, and What Has FDA Said?

In an April 22, 2025 announcement, FDA and HHS said FDA is working with industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes, including Yellow No. 6, from the food supply by the end of next year. The FDA announcement is the primary reference for this, and FDA still lists Yellow No. 6 as an approved certified color.

Neither label shows how either cracker affects an individual, and whether either brand has changed its Yellow 6 use has not been disclosed. For a second Yellow 6 label example, see the Fanta Orange and Friendly's Orange Cream label comparison.

What Does FDA Allow for TBHQ in Austin Crackers?

FDA allows TBHQ as an antioxidant in food under 21 CFR 172.185. The eCFR text of 21 CFR 172.185 states that the total antioxidant content of a food containing it will not exceed 0.02 percent of the oil or fat content of the food.

The Austin label does not state the TBHQ amount, so the cap is a regulatory ceiling and the actual amount in the cracker is not disclosed.

How Do You Check the Yellow 6 and TBHQ Status on Your Own Cracker Pack?

Read the ingredient statement on the exact package, because both additives appear by name in the ingredient text. Yellow 6 may appear as 'yellow 6' or 'FD&C Yellow No. 6,' and TBHQ appears in parentheses after an oil.

• Find the ingredient statement, which is printed on the package and separate from the Nutrition Facts panel.
• Look for 'yellow 6' or 'FD&C Yellow No. 6' in the list.
• Look for 'TBHQ' or 'tertiary butylhydroquinone' in the oil wording.
• Compare the serving size and calories with the Nutrition Facts panel on that pack.
• Note the pack weight, because per-100 g comparisons depend on it.
• Check the allergen and bioengineered statements on the same package.

Label versions change, so the pack in your hand is the reference, not a photo online. Taste reviews and price comparisons are opinions and are not covered here.