People who exercise and keep an eye on snack portions
You fancy something savoury after exercise and want to compare the calories, fat and salt in a measured portion, rather than relying only on a claim on the front of the pack.
Who are these options relevant to?
People who distinguish between a snack and a meal
You want to enjoy crisps for their flavour, but you know a post-exercise meal should provide more nutrients than a portion of crisps alone. The Voedingscentrum also emphasises the importance of your overall diet.
Shoppers comparing options in the supermarket
You want to compare oven-baked crisps, regular crisps and different flavours, and use the packaging to check the nutritional information for the option you choose.
What should you look for in crisps after exercise?
First decide whether you’re looking for a savoury snack or a meal. If you’re choosing crisps as a snack, compare the nutritional values for the same quantity and decide in advance how much you want to eat.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories, fat and portion size | Compare calories and fat per 100 g and for the same measured portion. | If I fancy something savoury after exercise, I want to know how much of that particular type of crisp I’m eating. For around 42% of consumers, portion size and nutritional value together are the most important factors. |
| Snack or meal | Work out whether you’re looking for a snack or a meal; if you’re choosing crisps, check the protein per portion too. | If what I really want after exercise is a meal, savoury flavour alone isn’t enough to guide my choice. For around 33% of consumers, this distinction comes first. |
| Flavour and packaging | Check the flavour and pack size; if you have allergies, read the ingredients list on the current packaging. | When I’m shopping, I want to choose a flavour and quantity whose label I can check. For around 25% of consumers, this practical choice matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘less fat’ means ‘low in calories’
According to Lay’s, Oven Baked crisps contain 50% less fat than regular potato crisps. That doesn’t tell you how many calories are in your portion: Albert Heijn lists 128 kcal per 30 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel.
Decide how much you want to eat first, then compare the calories and fat in the same quantity of crisps.
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Treating a portion of crisps as a complete meal
Albert Heijn lists 1.5 g of protein per 30 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel. The Voedingscentrum looks at nutrition for people who exercise in terms of an overall diet, not a single snack.
Distinguish between fancying crisps and deciding what you want to eat as a post-exercise meal.
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Choosing vegetable crisps without comparing the nutrition table
According to the Voedingscentrum, both vegetable crisps and regular crisps can be high in calories and salt. So the name of the vegetable alone won’t tell you how the products you’re comparing stack up.
Compare the calories, fat and salt per 100 g and per portion for the specific options.
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Skipping the label because you know the flavour
Ingredients and product information can change. If you have allergies, the information on the packaging you buy is what matters most.
Check the ingredients and allergen information every time you buy, even if you already know the brand.
Brands and retailers to help you compare
A brand or retailer category isn’t a ranking by calorie content. Always compare the nutritional information for the specific flavour and pack.
Lay’s
Lay’s offers its Oven Baked range alongside other types of crisps.
- According to Lay’s, Oven Baked crisps contain 50% less fat than regular potato crisps.
- That brand claim doesn’t mean every Lay’s option is lower in calories. Check the nutritional values for the flavour and portion you choose.
Pringles
Pringles Original is a regular crisp option that you can compare with an oven-baked product using the same portion size.
- Pringles lists 158 kcal and 9.3 g of fat per 30 g for Original.
- That’s more for this portion than the 128 kcal and 3.8 g of fat listed by Albert Heijn for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel. Check the current packaging when you buy.
Chio
Chio Oven Chips offer another oven-baked option; Jumbo lists some flavours in its lower-fat crisps category.
- The category can help you find oven-baked options to compare by flavour.
- Being included in that retail category doesn’t rank products by calorie content or suitability as a post-exercise meal.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn publishes product information that you can use to assess options such as Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel per portion.
- The product information includes a 30 g portion, ingredients and nutritional values.
- When you buy, use the current packaging to check the ingredients, nutritional values and allergens.
Jumbo
Jumbo groups products including Lay’s Oven Baked and Chio Oven Chips in a lower-fat crisps category.
- You can use the category to compare different flavours and pack sizes.
- The category doesn’t compare products by calories, salt or protein for equal portions.
Lidl / Snack Day
Lidl offers oven-baked crisps under the Snack Day brand in paprika and sour cream & onion flavours.
- These options give you different flavours to check on the packaging.
- Don’t assume that ‘oven-baked’ tells you the calorie or salt content; read the nutritional information for the option you choose.
Oven-baked crisps on Joybuy
These oven-baked crisps are for anyone who fancies something savoury after exercise. Compare the flavours and pack sizes, and check the current packaging for the calories, fat, salt and allergen information for the option you choose.
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Lay's Oven Baked Mediterranean Herbs, 150 g
An oven-baked crisp option for a savoury snack after exercise.
150 g bag. Weigh the portion you want to eat and check the nutritional information on the packaging. If you have allergies, carefully read the current ingredients and allergen information.
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Lay's Oven Baked Barbecue, 150 g
An oven-baked crisp option to compare if you fancy a Barbecue flavour for your savoury snack.
150 g bag. Choose your own portion; the nutritional value of the whole bag isn’t the same as that of one measured portion. If you have allergies, check the label for this flavour.
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Lay's Oven Baked Paprika, 150 g
An oven-baked option for anyone craving paprika-flavoured crisps after exercise.
150 g bag. Compare the calories, fat and salt on the label for the amount you actually eat. If you have allergies, check the information on the current packaging.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural, 150 g
An oven-baked crisp option if you’re considering Natural as a savoury snack.
150 g bag. Check the nutritional values for this option on the packaging and weigh the amount you want to eat; figures for another Oven Baked flavour may not apply.
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Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt, 125 g
Another oven-baked option to compare if you fancy a savoury Sea Salt snack.
125 g bag. Choose and weigh your own portion, then compare the nutritional values with other crisps for the same quantity. If you have allergies, read the current packaging carefully.
Frequently asked questions
Are oven-baked crisps a post-exercise meal?
No, treat them as a snack, not a complete meal. For example, Albert Heijn lists 1.5 g of protein per 30 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel; the Voedingscentrum considers nutrition for people who exercise in the context of their overall diet.
How do I compare Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel with Pringles Original?
Use the same quantity for both: per 30 g, Albert Heijn lists 128 kcal and 3.8 g of fat for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel, while Pringles lists 158 kcal and 9.3 g of fat for Original. Check the current packaging if you choose a different flavour or portion.
Are vegetable crisps automatically lower in calories?
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, vegetable crisps can be high in calories and salt, just like regular crisps. Compare the nutritional tables for the specific products per 100 g and per portion.
What should I look for when buying crisps if I have allergies?
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging you buy, even if you’ve eaten the same crisps before. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be listed in the ingredients list for prepacked foods.
Is ‘less fat’ enough to help me choose between two bags?
No, a fat claim doesn’t tell you how many calories are in your portion. Compare the calories, fat and salt per 100 g in both products, then work out the values for the amount you want to eat.