When purchasing crab meat at the grocery store, there are 4 main types you might see: 1. Jumbo Lump - this is the most expensive is large pieces of crab meat. Usually this type is eaten as a topping, or even by itself. 2. Lump - this is the type I prefer to use for crab cakes, as it gives you big pieces of crab that are sweet and juicy. It's a sturdy meat, so the pieces will stand out when you make a crab cake. 3. Flake/Backfin - from the name, you can probably tell this type is flakier, and generally consists of broken up pieces of lump meat, mixed with flaked pieces of the body of the crab. If all lump meat is too pricey, or you can't find it, this is a good alternative for crab cakes. 4. Claw - this is sort of like the dark meat of chicken; it has a darker appearance and stronger taste than the first 3 types. This is the least expensive, and is great for use in dips, spreads, soups, etc.