Choose a multipack of individual bags if you want a ready-portioned snack to set aside for your working-from-home lunch. A mixed box is a better fit if you want to switch between flavours, while a multipack with one flavour suits you if you always reach for the same variety. In every case, check the weight per bag, and for a mixed box, check how many of each variety it contains.
You can put an individual bag alongside your lunch without opening a large bag. Jumbo offers sharing packs with small bags; check the weight per bag to see whether the portion suits your lunch.
A mixed box brings together several flavours or types of snack. The contents vary from box to box: Jumbo lists three varieties in its Lay's Party Mix, while the Lay's Mega Box described by Albert Heijn also contains other types of snacks.
If salt, fat, ingredients or allergens affect your choice, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the current packaging. According to the Voedingscentrum, values per serving may be less useful for direct comparison because serving sizes vary.
Decide what matters most for your working-from-home lunch: an individual bag, enough to cover several lunches, a choice of flavours or the information on the label.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion per bag | Check the number of bags and the net weight per bag. | If I want to quickly set aside one bag for lunch, I want to know how much is inside. Around 37% of consumers prioritise a pre-portioned serving. |
| Total contents | Compare the total weight and the number of individual packs. | For several working-from-home lunches, I want to estimate how long a pack will last without relying on the number of bags alone. Total contents are the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Flavour selection | Check which flavours and types of snack are in the box, and how many bags there are of each variety. | I don't want the same flavour with every lunch, but I need to like the varieties in a mixed box. A change of flavour is the main consideration for around 18% of consumers. |
| Label information | Compare salt and fat per 100 g; check the ingredients and allergens for each variety on the current packaging. | If ingredients or nutritional values affect my choice, I want to be able to assess each variety separately. Around 18% of consumers prioritise this label information. |
Two multipacks with the same number of bags can still contain different portion sizes. For example, Jumbo lists sharing bags of 25 g and packs with bags of 40 g.
As well as the number of bags, check the weight per bag and the total contents.
A mixed box may contain potato crisps and other snacks. Flavours, ingredients and allergens can vary between varieties.
Check what's in the box and, if you have an allergy, read the current label for every variety you plan to eat.
One manufacturer may use a different serving size from another. As the Voedingscentrum explains, this means values per serving don't always provide a like-for-like comparison.
First compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then check how many grams are in each bag.
Worth considering if you're choosing between bags of one flavour and a box with several varieties.
A brand to consider if you want to choose one flavour for several lunches.
A supermarket own-label option to compare sharing bags with a large bag if you prefer to portion it yourself.
Lidl describes Snack Day as its own snack range, with a choice of crisp flavours.
These products suit two working-from-home lunch preferences: individually packed bags in one named flavour, or a box with several varieties. For each pack, check whether the contents will cover the number of lunches you have in mind.
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For anyone who wants to have an individual bag in the same flavour with their lunch.
The pack lists 10 bags of 40 g. Check whether 40 g is the portion size you're looking for, and read the current label if you have an allergy.
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For several lunches when you want to have an individual pack of the same flavour ready to go.
The title lists 12 packs of 40 g. Check the current packaging if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.
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For anyone who wants to have individual snacks ready and enjoy a bit of variety.
The product name lists 15 pieces. Check the box contents to see which varieties are included; read their labels individually if ingredients or allergens matter to you.
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For lunches when you want a choice of different snacks in one box.
The product name lists 20 pieces and names Lay's, Cheetos and Doritos. Check the mix and the weight of each variety: the pieces may not all be the same portion size.
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For anyone who wants to spread a selection of individual snacks across several working-from-home lunches.
The product name lists 12 pieces. Before buying, check the weight per bag and the mix of varieties so you know which portions and flavours you're choosing.
Check the total weight, the number of bags and the weight per bag. For a mixed box, the selection of flavours and types of snack matters too: two boxes with the same number of pieces may not contain the same amount.
No, small bags vary in weight. For example, Jumbo lists packs with bags of 25 g and 40 g, so check the grams per bag rather than looking only at the number of pieces.
Read the current label for every variety you plan to eat. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly listed on labels for prepacked foods. Don't assume that all the bags in a mixed box have the same ingredients.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then check the weight of each bag. The Voedingscentrum points out that manufacturers may use different serving sizes, so values per serving may not provide a like-for-like comparison.
