A crisp lover who watches portion sizes
You want something savoury without treating the energy in a whole bag as a small snack. Compare the kcal per 100 g and decide on your portion in advance; a claim about less fat doesn’t answer that question.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Someone who eats shortly before a workout
If you don’t have much time before exercising, portion size and fat content matter as well as flavour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against large portions and high-fat foods shortly before exercise.
A shopper comparing familiar types of crisps
You want to compare oven-baked crisps with regular potato crisps or crisps sold in a tube. To do that, compare the nutritional information on the packaging, not just the product names or bag sizes.
What should you look for in crisps before exercise?
First decide when you’ll be exercising and how much you want to eat. Then compare the nutritional information for the crisps you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and portion size | Compare the kcal per 100 g and work out how much that means for the portion you want to eat. | If I have crisps before exercise, I want to know how much energy my portion contains. Around 46% of consumers say the calories in their portion are their top priority. |
| Timing and stomach comfort | Check how long you have before your workout and compare the fat content if you’re eating shortly beforehand. | Anyone who’s hungry shortly before a workout will want to avoid a large or high-fat portion that may feel heavy. For around 36% of consumers, timing and stomach comfort come first. |
| Choosing the right type of crisps | Compare the nutritional information and ingredients for oven-baked and regular varieties. | When choosing a familiar type of crisps, I want to be able to see on the packaging what I’m actually buying. For around 18% of consumers, choosing a familiar product to compare is the top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘less fat’ as ‘low in calories’
Lay’s says its Oven Baked range contains 50% less fat than regular potato crisps. That’s a comparison of fat content, not a statement about the number of kcal in your portion.
Compare the kcal per 100 g for each variety, then work out how much that means for the amount you want to eat.
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Having a large portion shortly before a workout
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against having a large portion or foods high in fat, protein or fibre shortly before exercise, as they stay in your stomach for longer.
Bear in mind when your workout is. If you want to eat shortly beforehand, choose a small amount rather than treating a large bag of crisps as a snack.
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Relying on nutritional information from a different pack
Information from a foreign or older product page may not match the crisps you’re buying. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients and allergen information can change too.
Check the pack you’re buying and compare products on the same basis: per 100 g, then per portion you plan to eat.
Brands to compare
Lay’s
Lay’s Naturel and the Oven Baked range offer two types of crisps to compare.
- According to Lay’s, its Oven Baked range contains 50% less fat than regular potato crisps.
- Don’t use that comparison of fat content as a substitute for checking the kcal, salt and allergens on the pack of the variety you choose.
Pringles
Pringles Original is a tube-shaped crisp variety for anyone who wants to compare this type with potato crisps.
- The difference in product type makes it useful to compare nutritional information per 100 g.
- Check the Dutch packaging for the variety you choose; information for a pack sold in another market isn’t a substitute.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s AH Chips naturel is an own-brand option to include in your comparison.
- An own-brand variety gives you another product to compare for nutritional value and portion size.
- Albert Heijn says product information can change. When you buy, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging too.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range of plain crisps includes both its own-brand crisps and varieties from Lay’s and Pringles.
- This gives you different types of product to compare for the same planned portion.
- A product being available in the range tells you nothing about the kcal in the pack you choose.
Oven-baked crisps on Joybuy
These oven-baked crisps are options to compare by flavour, pack size and nutritional information if you want crisps before exercise. The cooking method alone doesn’t make them low in calories.
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Lay’s Oven Baked Mediterranean Herbs, 150 g
An oven-baked variety for anyone who wants to compare herby crisps with regular crisps.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the kcal per 100 g on the pack and decide how much you want to eat before your workout.
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Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt, 125 g
An oven-baked sea salt variety for anyone who wants to include a different flavour and pack size in their comparison.
Pack size: 125 g. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and work out how much that means for the portion you want.
Frequently asked questions
Are oven-baked crisps automatically low in calories?
No. A claim about less fat doesn’t tell you how many kcal the crisps contain. Check the energy per 100 g on the pack and work it out for the portion you plan to eat.
Can I eat crisps if I’m working out soon?
Keep your portion small if you do want crisps shortly before a workout. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises avoiding large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre at that point, as they stay in your stomach for longer.
When is a proper meal a better choice than a snack?
If you have around two to three hours before exercising, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper meal. If you’re hungry shortly before exercise, consider a small snack rather than a large portion of crisps.
Is online nutritional information enough to compare crisps?
Use the packaging of the product you’re buying for your final comparison. Albert Heijn says ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. This is especially important if you need to check a specific portion or an allergen.