A standard multipack of salted snacks isn’t a suitable snack for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies salty food. If the bags are for other members of the family, check the ingredients and allergen information for each flavour rather than looking only at the number of bags.
A small, ready-to-eat bag might seem convenient for baby-led weaning. But for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year, what’s inside matters more than the size of the pack: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies salty food.
If your baby eats separately and the bags are for other family members or guests, the number of bags, flavours and ingredients in each variety become more important. Albert Heijn lists different snacks and ingredients in the Lay's mixed boxes it has reviewed.
When: If you’re looking for food for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year who is starting on solid foods, don’t choose salted crisps from a standard multipack.
What to consider: Ready-to-eat bags of crisps aren’t suitable as a snack for your baby. Choose food with no added salt and check that the texture is right for your child’s eating ability. Stay nearby while they eat, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
When: A crisps multipack can be a practical choice if the bags are only for people other than your baby.
What to consider: Individual bags are easy to share out, but the ingredients and allergens may differ between varieties in a mixed pack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt in baby snacks | Read the ingredients for each snack. Don’t choose salted crisps as a snack for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies salty food. | When I’m looking for something for my baby, I don’t want a small bag to distract me from its salty contents. For around 50% of consumers, suitability for the baby comes first. |
| Supervised eating | Check whether the food you’ve chosen is suitable for your child’s ability to chew and swallow. Make sure they’re sitting calmly and stay nearby, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | When my child is trying solid food for the first time, I mainly want to be able to judge whether they can manage it while I stay close. Around 30% of consumers give eating ability and supervision the highest priority. |
| Bags for others | Compare the number of bags and the mix of flavours. For a mixed pack, check the ingredients and allergens for each variety. | For a lunchbox or visitors, I want to know which bags I can share with other family members. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main reason for assessing a multipack. |
The size of a bag doesn’t change its ingredients. The Lay's mixed boxes described by Albert Heijn include salted crisps and other salty snacks.
Don’t assume the contents are suitable for a baby based on the number of bags or their weight. Check the ingredients and don’t choose salted crisps as a snack for your baby.
A mixed box can contain different types of snacks. The Lay's boxes described by Albert Heijn include milk and soya in some varieties.
When buying for other family members or guests, read the ingredients and allergen information for every relevant flavour.
Information you checked previously about a flavour or the contents of a box is no substitute for the details on the pack you’re buying now.
Check the current packaging again, especially if you’re choosing a mixed box for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients.
Albert Heijn describes a Lay's Family box containing 15 individual bags and a Celebration box containing 30.
Albert Heijn describes Pringles Original as a 12-pack of 40 g bags.
Lidl Netherlands describes a crisps multipack containing 15 different bags in its snack range.
Don’t choose salted crisps or other salty snacks for a baby aged 4 months to 1 year. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies salty food; the standard Lay's and Pringles packs described by Albert Heijn contain salt.
No. The bag only tells you about the packaging. Check the ingredients and, before offering your baby any food, consider whether the texture is right for their eating ability. Stay nearby while they eat, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Compare the number of bags and, for a mixed pack, check the ingredients and allergens for each variety. If young children are eating too, make sure they’re sitting calmly and stay nearby, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
