Back-to-school snackers comparing kcal
You want to take crisps with you, so you compare the energy value per 100 g of specific products. Then you can decide how much of your chosen crisps to eat.
Who is this comparison useful for?
Planning portions for your bag and break
You want to decide in advance how many crisps to take, rather than eating from a larger bag during your break.
Shoppers who are also keeping an eye on salt
As well as kcal, you compare the salt per 100 g and take the amount in your portion into account.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the nutritional information per 100 g to compare products. Then decide on your portion and check the salt content too: these three questions could lead you to a different choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy value | Compare kcal per 100 g for the flavours you’re considering, rather than relying on claims such as ‘oven baked’ or ‘lower fat’. | When choosing crisps for the start of term, I want to know how the energy value of one variety compares with another; around 42% of consumers prioritise a lower energy value. |
| Portion size | Check the pack weight and portion size on the label, and decide in advance how much to take with you. | I don’t want to keep eating from a large bag without realising during my break; around 33% of consumers prioritise portion control. |
| Salt | Compare the salt per 100 g on the packaging for your chosen flavour, and take your portion size into account. | When choosing a savoury snack, I also want to know how much salt the crisps contain; around 25% of consumers put this first when making their choice. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘lower fat’ means ‘proportionally fewer kcal’
Fat and energy value are different measures. Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal per 100 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel and 517 kcal for Lay’s Naturel; a claim about fat doesn’t tell you the difference in kcal.
Use the energy value per 100 g to compare the products you’re considering.
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Confusing a lower value per 100 g with a smaller snack
The amount you eat determines how much of the stated nutritional value you consume. Voedingscentrum gives an average 40 g bowl of plain crisps an energy value of 216 kcal; the value for a specific product may differ.
Put the amount you want to take with you into a container in advance, then use the nutritional information for those crisps to assess your portion.
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Overlooking salt when comparing crisps
Even crisps you compare by kcal can vary in salt content. Albert Heijn lists 0.85 g of salt per 100 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel and 1.1 g for Lay’s Naturel.
Check both the energy value and salt content on each pack, ideally for the same quantity of crisps.
Brands and product ranges compared
Lay’s
The Oven Baked range is worth considering if you want to compare the nutritional value of an oven-baked variety with regular plain crisps.
- Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal and 0.85 g of salt per 100 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel, compared with 517 kcal and 1.1 g of salt for Lay’s Naturel.
- Don’t assume these values apply to other flavours or pack sizes; check the nutritional information for the variety you choose.
Albert Heijn
AH Ribbelchips Naturel Minder Vet is an own-brand option you can compare by energy value and salt content.
- Albert Heijn lists 461 kcal and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g for this variety.
- Its stated energy value is higher than the 428 kcal per 100 g Albert Heijn gives for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel; the ‘lower fat’ claim is no substitute for comparing kcal.
Jumbo
Jumbo Chips Naturel is a regular plain variety that can serve as a nutritional comparison point.
- Jumbo lists 528 kcal and 1.10 g of salt per 100 g for Jumbo Chips Naturel.
- If you’re mainly looking for a lower energy value, you can compare these label values with those for the oven-baked and lower-fat varieties mentioned above.
Oven-baked crisps at Joybuy
These products are oven-baked crisps with paprika or sea salt flavour. For the start of term, check the nutritional information on each pack and decide how much you’d like to take with you.
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Lay’s Oven Baked Paprika, 150 g
An option if you’re looking for oven-baked crisps with paprika flavour for your break.
150 g pack. Check the kcal, salt content and portion size on the label for this flavour.
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Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt, 125 g
An option if you’re looking for oven-baked crisps with sea salt flavour for your break.
125 g pack. Compare the kcal and salt per 100 g with other crisps, and decide in advance how much to take with you.
Frequently asked questions
Do lower-fat crisps automatically contain fewer kcal?
No. A claim about fat doesn’t tell you how many kcal a product contains. Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal per 100 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel and 517 kcal for Lay’s Naturel; check the energy value for the specific flavour you’re considering.
Which of the plain varieties mentioned has the fewest kcal per 100 g?
Of the products mentioned here, Albert Heijn lists the lowest energy value for Lay’s Oven Baked Naturel: 428 kcal per 100 g. Albert Heijn gives 461 kcal for AH Ribbelchips Naturel Minder Vet and 517 kcal for Lay’s Naturel; Jumbo lists 528 kcal for Jumbo Chips Naturel.
Should I compare crisps per 100 g or per portion?
Use kcal per 100 g to compare products in different pack sizes, then consider how much you actually want to eat. Voedingscentrum gives an average 40 g bowl of plain crisps an energy value of 216 kcal; for a specific product, use the nutritional information on its own packaging.
Are lower-kcal crisps therefore suitable as an everyday break-time snack?
A lower energy value per 100 g doesn’t, by itself, determine how often you should eat crisps. Voedingscentrum points out that many snacks are high in calories or salt, so check the portion size and salt content of the crisps you choose as well as their kcal.