Commuters keeping an eye on calories
You want to take some crisps with you to have with your coffee, so you compare not only the calories per 100 g but also how much you’ll eat in one snack break.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers keeping an eye on salt
You’re looking for a savoury snack and want to know how much salt your portion contains, alongside what else you eat throughout the day.
Commuters who want to keep portions in check
You’d rather take a pre-measured amount with you than open a large bag. A small bag can help; check the nutrition information for that variety too.
What should you look for when choosing?
When choosing a snack to have with your coffee on the go, start by deciding what matters most to you: calories, salt or a clearly defined portion. Then compare the values on the label of the variety you want to take with you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per snack break | Compare calories per 100 g and work out the calories in the amount you’re taking with you. | I want crisps with my coffee, but I’d like to keep the calories in my portion down. For around 50% of consumers, calorie content is the deciding factor. |
| Salt | Check the salt per 100 g and for the portion you’ve chosen. | If I’m also eating something salty later in the day, I want to know how much salt this snack adds. Salt is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Portion size and taking it with you | Check the net weight of each bag or decide in advance how much to take from a larger bag. | I don’t want to keep eating from a large bag while I’m out, so I’d rather choose my portion beforehand. Having a defined portion is the priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Relying on ‘light’ or ‘oven baked’ alone
A description of how crisps are made or their fat content doesn’t tell you how many calories are in your portion. Flink lists Lay's Oven Baked Natural at 442 kcal per 100 g; Jumbo listed Lay's Light Natural at 490 kcal per 100 g.
Compare the calories per 100 g, then calculate them for the amount you actually want to eat.
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Comparing calories but not salt
The amount of salt can also vary between varieties of crisps. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises adults to consume no more than 6 g of salt a day; this is a daily total, not a limit for each snack.
Consider the salt in your portion alongside what else you eat that day.
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Taking a large bag as a single snack
The calories in your snack depend on how much you eat, not just the figure per 100 g. A bag containing several portions won’t limit how much you eat for you.
Choose a portion in advance or look for individual small bags; check their nutrition information too.
Relevant brands and retailers to compare
Lay's
Lay's offers Oven Baked crisps as well as standard crisps, so the differences between varieties are worth considering when making your choice.
- Flink lists Lay's Oven Baked Natural at 442 kcal, 13 g of fat and 0.84 g of salt per 100 g.
- Check the current packaging and decide on your portion; a value per 100 g doesn’t automatically reflect your snack break.
Pringles
Pringles Original are stackable crisps in a tube, for anyone who also takes the packaging format into account.
- Pringles lists Original at 528 kcal and 1.0 g of salt per 100 g.
- If you’re mainly looking to limit calories, compare these values and your chosen portion with the variety of crisps you’d otherwise take with you.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range of crisps includes Lay's Oven Baked Natural, Pringles Original and small bags of Lay's Natural.
- The range of pack sizes makes it easier to find a bag that suits a single snack break.
- Check the current variety, packaging and nutrition information when you buy.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn has product pages for various Lay's varieties and AH Chips Natural.
- Product pages can help you identify the variety you’re looking for before you buy.
- Albert Heijn notes that ingredients and nutritional values can change, so check the current packaging.
Lidl / Snack Day
At Lidl, Snack Day Natural crisps and Lay's Superchips Natural are relevant varieties to look out for in store.
- Lidl describes Lay's Superchips Natural as ridged potato crisps in a 200 g bag.
- To compare calories and salt, check the nutrition information on the packaging of the specific variety.
Oven-baked crisps on Joybuy
These two oven-baked varieties are options to take with you for coffee on the go. Choose your portion in advance and compare the nutrition information on the specific pack.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural, 150 g
For anyone who wants to take oven-baked crisps with them for coffee on the go and choose their own portion from the bag.
The bag contains 150 g. Flink lists the natural variety at 442 kcal and 0.84 g of salt per 100 g; work out the values for the amount you actually eat and check the current label.
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Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt, 125 g
For anyone who wants to take oven-baked crisps with sea salt along and decide in advance how much is right for their coffee break.
The bag contains 125 g. Compare the calories and salt per 100 g on the current packaging before weighing this variety up against other crisps.
Frequently asked questions
Are crisps with less fat automatically the lowest-calorie choice?
No. Compare the calories per 100 g of the specific varieties, then consider your portion. Flink lists Lay's Oven Baked Natural at 442 kcal per 100 g, while Jumbo listed Lay's Light Natural at 490 kcal per 100 g.
Which nutrition information is useful when comparing crisps?
Start with energy in kcal per 100 g so you can compare packs on the same basis. Then check the salt content and work out the values for the amount you’ll actually eat; the European Union sets out per-100 g information as the basis for nutrition labelling.
How should I factor salt into my choice?
Compare the salt per 100 g and in your chosen portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises adults to have no more than 6 g of salt a day; consider your crisps alongside what else you eat that day.
What if the online nutrition information differs from the packaging?
Use the information on the current packaging for the variety you’re buying. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients and nutritional values, among other things, can change; check the allergen information on the label for that same variety too.