Lunchbox planners
If you’re filling lunchboxes for several days, individual bags are easy to portion out. Check the amount in each bag: mixed boxes described by Albert Heijn include portions of around 20 to 28 g.
Who are individual bags useful for?
Households with different flavour preferences
A mixed box gives people a choice when they don’t all want the same flavour. Check the contents list: according to Albert Heijn, the Lay's boxes reviewed also contain savoury snacks other than ordinary potato crisps.
Weekly shop planners
If you’re buying snacks for several lunchboxes, compare the number of bags, the total weight and the amount in each bag. This will help you see whether the contents suit the occasions you have in mind.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how many individual portions you need and what size bag is right for you. Then check the flavour mix and the information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Amount per bag | Check the weight of each bag and decide whether you want to pack a smaller or more substantial snack. | When I’m filling lunchboxes, I want pre-portioned bags that suit the amount I plan to pack. For around 30% of consumers, portion size comes first. |
| Flavour mix | Check which flavours and types of snack are in the box, not just how many bags it contains. | People at home have different preferences, so I want to be able to choose without being left with a flavour nobody wants. Variety of flavour is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Number of usable bags | Compare the number of bags with the occasions you want to use them for, and check the total weight too. | For the week ahead, I want to know whether there are enough individual bags for the lunchboxes I’ve planned. Around 20% of consumers put the number of usable portions first. |
| Label for each snack variety | Read the ingredients, allergen and nutrition information for the variant you’ve chosen; for a mix, check each relevant item. | If I need to take ingredients or nutritional values into account, I want to know exactly what’s in every bag. For around 20% of consumers, label information is the top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Comparing only the number of bags
Fifteen bags of 25 g make a different-sized stash from twenty bags of 40 g. The number alone doesn’t tell you which pack is right for your lunchboxes.
As well as the number of bags, check the weight per bag and the total weight.
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Assuming every bag contains ordinary potato crisps
Mixed boxes can combine potato crisps, corn snacks and other savoury snacks. Ingredients and allergens may therefore vary from one item to another.
Check the box’s contents and ingredients list, along with the labels on individual snacks if allergens matter to your choice.
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Assuming a larger bag is automatically the right size for a lunchbox
A 40 g bag contains twice as much as a 20 g bag. Both are individually wrapped, but they’re not the same size.
Choose the bag size only once you’ve decided how much you want to pack.
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Relying on a product description you viewed earlier
The contents and label information on the pack you buy are what matter when making your choice.
When you buy it, check the ingredients, allergens, nutrition information and best-before date on that pack.
Brands to compare
These brands and own-label ranges show a variety of pack formats. Always compare the specific variant rather than just the brand name.
Lay's
Albert Heijn describes a Lay's Family Box with 15 bags and a Mega Box with 20 bags. Both contain a mix of snack varieties.
- The boxes reviewed offer small individual bags and a choice of flavours.
- Not every item is an ordinary potato crisp; check the ingredients and allergens for each snack variety.
Pringles
Pringles lists Original tubes in 40 g, 70 g and 165 g sizes. A single tube is a different pack format from a mixed box of bags.
- The listed sizes let you choose a tube to suit your needs if that’s the format you want.
- A tube doesn’t offer the flavour mix of a mixed box; check the ingredients of your chosen variant too.
Jumbo
Jumbo describes a sharing bag with 15 bags of 25 g, split between salted and paprika flavours.
- The number of bags, weight per bag and two flavours are clearly specified.
- The choice is limited to those two flavours. Jumbo lists milk as an allergen for this sharing bag.
Snack Day
Lidl Netherlands lists flavours for its Snack Day own-label range including salted, paprika, bolognese and cheese onion. Choose a specific pack based on its own contents.
- The range includes a variety of listed flavours.
- For an individual pack, check the number of portions, weight per bag and ingredients before choosing it for your lunchbox stash.
Crisps multipacks on Joybuy
This selection features boxes of individual bags containing a mix of crisps and other savoury snacks. Within this pack format, choose based on the number of bags and check that the contents and weight per bag suit your lunchboxes.
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Lay's Fun Mix Box, 2 x 15 bags
An option if you want to share individual bags from a mixed box between several lunchboxes.
Check the contents and labels for each snack variety if ingredients or allergens matter to your choice.
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Lay's Cheetos Doritos Mega Box, 20 pieces
A mixed box for anyone who wants to share different snacks between lunchboxes.
Joybuy describes 20 pieces in a range of flavours. The mix contains more than just potato crisps; read the ingredients and allergen information for each item.
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Lay's Doritos Chill Box, 2 x 12 pieces
This bundle of individual bags could be a good fit if you’re looking for a mix of flavours for several lunchboxes.
Check the weight per bag and the labels on the box you choose before portioning them out.
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Lay's Family Box, 15 pieces
A box of individual snacks to share when several people don’t always want the same thing.
Check the weight and ingredients for each snack variety in this pack.
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Lay's Doritos Chill Box, 12 pieces
This 12-piece variant is a separate option from the 2 x 12-piece bundle.
If you’re using the bags for lunchboxes, check the flavour mix, weight per bag and labels for this variant.
Frequently asked questions
What size bag is right for a lunchbox?
It depends on how much snack you want to pack. In the Lay's mixed boxes reviewed, Albert Heijn describes bags ranging from 20 g to 27.5 g. Compare these sizes with the weight per bag in the box you’re thinking of buying.
Should I check every bag in a mixed crisps box for allergens?
Check the allergen information for all relevant snack varieties if someone with an allergy or intolerance will be eating them. Items in a mixed box can contain different ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling on food products.
How should I store individual bags of crisps after the weekly shop?
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the pack you’ve chosen. For the sharing bag it reviewed, Jumbo says to store it in a cool, dry place.
How do I compare the nutritional values of different bags?
Compare the nutrition information on the same basis, for example per 100 g or per bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides values for average crisps, but you’ll find the values for a specific flavour or type of snack on that product’s label.