Patio-goers comparing calories
You fancy some crisps with your drink, but compare the energy values of different varieties per 100 g before choosing.
Who is this comparison for?
Snackers keeping an eye on fat
You’re looking for crisps with less fat and want to know whether a light or oven-baked variety also contains fewer calories.
People sharing crisps
You’re bringing a bag to share and want to decide how much everyone has, rather than treating the whole bag as one portion.
What should you look for when choosing?
When choosing crisps to enjoy with a drink, first compare kcal per 100 g, then check the fat and salt content, and finally decide on your portion. A lower figure per 100 g won’t change how much you eat from the bag.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing calories | Compare kcal per 100 g for the varieties you’re considering and check the value on the current packaging. | When I’m having a drink, I want to choose crisps with relatively fewer calories without judging by the variety name. For around 50% of consumers, this is their main concern when buying. |
| Less fat | Check both fat and kcal per 100 g; if you’re considering another flavour, check its salt content too. | I mainly keep an eye on fat, but don’t want to assume that a light variety also means far fewer calories. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this comparison of fat content. |
| Portions and sharing | Check the weight of the bag or packet, and the nutritional values per portion and per 100 g. | If the crisps are on the table to share, I want to be able to choose an amount per person in advance. For around 20% of consumers, portion size is the main thing to consider. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming less fat means far fewer calories
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the calorie difference between light crisps and regular crisps can be small, even when light crisps contain less fat.
If you’re mainly concerned about energy, compare kcal per 100 g; use the fat value as a separate criterion.
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Calling an oven-baked or light variety low-calorie
A lower energy value than other crisps doesn’t automatically make a variety low in calories. For example, Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Ready Salted.
Describe the difference between products in terms of kcal per 100 g, rather than making a nutritional claim based on the cooking method or product name.
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Relying only on nutritional values listed online
Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Ready Salted, while Joybuy lists 442 kcal per 100 g. This difference could affect your comparison with another bag.
When buying, check the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens for the exact variety.
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Treating the whole bag as one portion
A comparison per 100 g doesn’t tell you how many kcal are in your portion. Jumbo lists 155 kcal per 30 g portion for regular Lay's Ready Salted.
Decide how many grams you want to eat and, if you like, portion out some of a sharing bag into bowls beforehand.
Brands compared
Lay's
Among the ready-salted varieties reviewed, product details from Albert Heijn and Jumbo show different values for Oven Baked, Light and regular crisps.
- Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal and 13 g of fat per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Ready Salted, and 490 kcal and 21 g of fat per 100 g for Lay's Light Ready Salted.
- Jumbo lists 517 kcal per 100 g for regular Lay's Ready Salted. Joybuy lists 442 rather than 428 kcal per 100 g for Oven Baked Ready Salted, so compare the exact packaging.
Chio
Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt is an oven-baked variety for which Joybuy lists nutritional values per 100 g.
- Joybuy lists 435 kcal and 9.2 g of fat per 100 g for this variety.
- The product information also lists 1.5 g of salt per 100 g and names milk, sesame, soya, barley and wheat as allergens. If you have an allergy, check the packaging.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn groups products including Lay's Oven Baked Ready Salted and AH Ribbelchips Naturel Minder Vet in a category for crisps with less fat or salt.
- This categorisation can help you find varieties whose nutritional values you want to compare.
- A category label doesn’t tell you how many kcal a particular product contains, or its salt or allergen content; check the information for that variety.
Crisps to browse on Joybuy
This selection includes two oven-baked varieties and a Paprika Cheese variety. Compare the nutritional values for the exact flavour and, if you’re sharing a bag, decide how much you’ll have per person.
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Lay's Oven Baked Barbecue 150 g
If you’re considering an oven-baked variety with a barbecue flavour, compare the nutritional values of this bag with those of other flavours.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the portion size on the bag if you want to work out the nutritional values per portion.
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Lay's Mama Mia's Paprika Cheese Chips 125 g
If you want to share paprika and cheese-flavoured crisps with a drink, compare the nutritional values and decide how much to have per person.
Pack size: 125 g. Check the nutritional information for this flavour rather than using values from another Lay's variety.
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Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt 125 g
This oven-baked variety is worth comparing if you want to check fat and salt per 100 g as well as kcal.
Joybuy lists 435 kcal, 9.2 g of fat and 1.5 g of salt per 100 g. The product information names milk, sesame, soya, barley and wheat as allergens; if you have an allergy, check the packaging for the exact variety.
Frequently asked questions
Does less fat mean crisps are low in calories?
No. A lower fat content doesn’t tell you how many kcal a product contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that the calorie difference between light crisps and regular crisps can be small, so compare the energy value per 100 g.
Should I compare kcal per portion or per 100 g?
Use kcal per 100 g to compare different varieties of crisps, then think about your own portion. A portion size shown on the packaging doesn’t determine how much you’ll actually eat with a drink.
What should I check if I have an allergy?
Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging for the exact flavour. Joybuy’s product information lists milk, sesame, soya, barley and wheat among the allergens for Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt; information about another variety isn’t enough.
Are small bags more convenient than a sharing bag?
Small bags can be handy if you want to choose an amount per person in advance; you can portion out a sharing bag yourself. Either way, compare the portion weight and kcal per 100 g, as the packaging doesn’t change the nutritional value of the crisps.