Don’t buy a multipack of salted crisps as food for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt, and the crisps reviewed contain salt. A multipack may be suitable for adults or older family members, as long as the baby doesn’t eat any. Check the pack size and the current label for ingredients, salt and allergens.
For parents of a baby aged 4 months to 1 year, whether crisps are suitable for the baby matters more than the size of the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt.
If adults or older children are eating crisps while the baby has a separate meal, the pack size and individual portions may be worth considering. Keep the crisps separate from the baby’s food and check the information on the pack you choose.
If you need to avoid wheat, milk, soya or other allergens, you’ll need information about the exact variety of crisps. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods.
First, decide whether the baby will be eating the crisps. If the pack is just for older family members, then compare the pack size and label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Crisps for the baby | Consider whether your baby, aged 4 months to 1 year, would eat any, and check the salt information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt. | If my baby is eating with us, I want to avoid offering salted crisps as a first food. Around 50% of consumers consider suitability for the baby their main purchasing requirement. |
| Pack size for the family | Compare the total quantity and number of bags with the needs of the people the pack is intended for. | I’m buying crisps for older family members and want a pack size that suits how they’ll use them, without letting the baby eat any. For around 30% of consumers, family use comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack, including any warnings about possible traces. | If someone in my household has a food allergy, I want to know what the crisps contain before I buy them. Around 20% of consumers make checking the label their main purchasing requirement. |
Albert Heijn lists Lay's Naturel value pack as containing 1.1 g of salt per 100 g. Comparing it with regular crisps doesn’t change the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice against giving babies food containing salt.
Don’t use a reduced-salt claim as a reason to give salted crisps to a baby aged 4 months to 1 year.
A larger pack or individual bags don’t make salted crisps suitable for a baby. Pack size only matters if the crisps are intended for other family members.
Choose separate foods that are suitable for your baby’s first tastes; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests mashed vegetables or fruit, for example.
Allergens vary by product. For Pringles Original, Albert Heijn lists wheat and cereals containing gluten, with possible traces of milk and soya; for Lay's Smiths Nibb-it Sticks, it lists milk and soya.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you’re actually buying, even if you know the brand.
Albert Heijn’s listing for AH Chips naturel 20-pack stated that the pack had been discontinued. Product information may also change.
Check which pack is available when you buy and read the current label.
The Lay's Naturel value pack is an example of a large bag of crisps for older eaters, not food for a baby.
Pringles Original 12-pack shows how individual bags can work when buying for older family members.
Lay's Smiths Nibb-it Sticks is an example of a specific savoury snack, not a confirmed crisps multipack.
AH Chips naturel 20-pack is an own-brand example that can help you assess the value of a multipack for older eaters.
No. Don’t offer salted crisps to a baby aged 4 months to 1 year just because the pack says ‘less salt’. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt, so check what the claim means for the specific product.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests mashed vegetables or fruit, among other options, as well as a small piece of softened bread. Choose what you offer and how you prepare it to suit the child’s age and development.
Yes. A pack for adults or older family members is separate from the choice of food for the baby. Compare the quantity and portion sizes for those who’ll be eating them, and check the salt, ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose.
Yes, check the allergen information on the exact pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods. Don’t rely on the brand name or a previous purchase alone.
