The snack chooser who checks the pack size
If you want to open a bag to share, check how many grams it contains. For example, Jumbo lists its own-brand crisps in 250 g bags; that’s a different amount from a small bag for one snack break.
Which option is right for you?
The snack chooser who compares nutritional information
If fat, salt, ingredients or allergens influence your choice, read the nutritional information for the exact variety. Front-of-pack wording doesn’t tell you everything about the nutritional value per 100 g or the amount you’ll eat.
The fan of a particular flavour or shape
If you’re looking for ridged crisps, a particular flavour or Pringles’ stackable shape, choose the right type of crisp first. Then compare the pack sizes available: a small bag and a larger tube won’t necessarily serve the same purpose.
What should you look for when choosing?
Before choosing a late-night snack, decide whether pack size, flavour and shape, or nutritional information matters most to you. Then compare only the varieties that meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Check the weight in grams and decide whether you want to open a small bag or a larger one. | If I want to share crisps, I need to know whether one pack will be big enough. Around 42% of consumers prioritise pack size. |
| Flavour and crisp shape | Check the flavour and decide whether you want classic potato crisps, ridged crisps or stackable crisps. | If I’m after a particular flavour or shape for a snack break, another type of crisp isn’t an equivalent alternative. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information and ingredients | Check fat, saturates and salt per 100 g, as well as the ingredients and highlighted allergens on the specific pack. | If an ingredient or nutritional value determines my choice, I want to look beyond the wording on the front of the pack. This information matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Looking only at the size of the bag
The weight tells you how many crisps you’re buying, but not whether the flavour and type of crisp are right for what you want to eat. A bag of potato crisps and a tube of stackable crisps are different products, too.
Choose the type of crisp you’re looking for first, then check the pack size.
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Taking ‘lower fat’ as a complete picture of nutritional value
Fat is just one part of the nutritional information. Salt, saturates, ingredients and how much you eat are all separate things to consider.
Read the nutritional values per 100 g and think about how much you plan to have.
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Assuming which allergens a product contains from its brand name
Ingredients can vary from one variety to another. Pringles lists wheat flour in Original, while Albert Heijn specifically labels its AH Chips Natural variety as gluten-free.
Check the current ingredients list and highlighted allergens on the pack you’re buying.
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Treating Smiths and Lay’s as the same potato crisps
According to Lay’s brand history, the former Smiths potato crisps have been sold under the Lay’s name since 2001. Smiths is also used for savoury snacks such as Wokkels and Hamka’s.
Search for the specific product or flavour you want, so you don’t confuse potato crisps with another type of savoury snack.
Brands and own-brand options to explore
Lay’s
Lay’s has a range of crisp and snack lines, including MAX, Sensations and Oven Baked. That makes it more important to check the product line and flavour than the brand name alone.
- You can search specifically for a particular flavour, ridged crisp or product line.
- A feature of Oven Baked doesn’t automatically apply to other Lay’s varieties; check the packaging of the product you choose.
Pringles
Pringles Original is a stackable crisp. Pringles’ Dutch product information lists packs of 40 g, 70 g and 165 g.
- The listed sizes give you a choice between a small pack and a larger tube.
- According to the ingredients list for Pringles Original, this variety contains wheat flour, among other ingredients. Check the pack if ingredients or allergens matter to you.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells own-brand crisps and also lists varieties in a separate category for crisps with less fat or salt.
- AH Chips Natural is listed as a 250 g bag; its specific product page describes the variety as vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free.
- Those claims don’t automatically apply to other AH crisps. Albert Heijn notes that recipes and online product information may change.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists own-brand crisps in flavours and styles including ready salted, paprika and ridged.
- The listed 250 g and 335 g bags let you focus on flavour and pack size.
- A different flavour, ridged shape or pack size means varieties aren’t identical; check the details on the bag you choose.
Lidl Snack Day
Snack Day is a Lidl range of crisps and other savoury snacks in a variety of flavours.
- You can look within the range for the flavour and pack size you want.
- The listed Snack Day Crisps variety is marked ‘in-store only’; check the packaging and nutritional information in store.
Smiths
Smiths is most relevant when you’re looking for a specific savoury snack, such as Wokkels, Hamka’s or Bugles. Lay’s brand history says that the former Smiths potato crisps have been sold under the Lay’s name since 2001.
- Searching by product name helps you find a particular type of savoury snack.
- Don’t assume a Smiths savoury snack is the same type of product as ready salted potato crisps.
Crisps and snacks on Joybuy
These products suit three different late-night snack choices: a plain oven-baked variety, stackable crisps in a tube, and a small bag with a distinctive flavour. Check the pack size for each product, and look at the current packaging if nutritional information or allergens matter to you.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural 150 g
A plain variety for anyone looking for oven-baked crisps. The bag contains 150 g; check the nutritional information for this variety on the current packaging.
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Pringles Original 165 g
For anyone specifically looking for the stackable shape of Pringles Original. This tube contains 165 g; the official ingredients list for Original includes wheat flour, so check the current label if allergens are relevant to you.
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Lay's Sensations Thai Sweet Chili 40 g
A small bag for anyone specifically looking for the Thai Sweet Chili flavour. The pack contains 40 g; check the ingredients for this specific variety if they’re important to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose between a small bag of crisps and a larger pack?
Start with how much you want to open for your snack break and check the weight in grams. Then compare the flavour and type of crisp: a bag of classic potato crisps and a tube of stackable crisps aren’t necessarily interchangeable.
Does ‘lower fat’ tell me enough about a bag of crisps?
No, that claim doesn’t give you the full nutritional picture. For the exact variety, also check salt, saturates and the other nutritional information per 100 g, and take into account how much you’ll eat.
Are crisps automatically gluten-free or vegan?
No, check each product variety individually. Albert Heijn specifically labels AH Chips Natural as gluten-free and vegan, while the ingredients list for Pringles Original includes wheat flour. Always check the current packaging.
Where can I find allergen and other label information?
Check the packaging of the crisps you’re buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly identifiable in the ingredients list, and information about the contents and best-before date of pre-packed food must be easy to read.
How should I store an opened bag of crisps?
Follow the storage instructions on the specific pack. Albert Heijn advises closing the bag of AH Chips Natural securely after use and storing it in a cool, dry place away from light; instructions may vary by product.