When choosing a multipack of crisps for coffee on the go, start by checking the weight of each individual bag. A smaller bag may be better for a short break or lunchbox, while a box with more bags is handy if you want to share. For a mixed box, compare the flavour selection and check the ingredients and allergens for each variety, as the contents may differ from bag to bag.
An individually wrapped bag is easy to pop in your bag or lunchbox. Check the weight per bag: the Lay's mixed boxes listed by Albert Heijn contain smaller bags than the Pringles Original 12-pack listed there, which has 40 g per bag.
Individual bags are easy to hand out during a coffee break with colleagues. If you want to offer a choice of flavours, compare the stated contents of a mixed box with a single-flavour multipack.
A box containing several potato and corn snacks may have different ingredients and allergens in each variety. Check the packaging of the bag you want to eat, and compare the nutritional information on the same serving basis.
First decide whether you need the bags for one coffee break, to share with others or to keep in stock. Then compare the contents of each bag and the information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Bag size for taking on the go | Compare the number of individually wrapped bags and the weight per bag, not just the size of the box. | If I only have a short coffee break, I want to take one sealed bag with me without having to weigh anything out. For around 29% of consumers, a handy individual portion is the top priority. |
| Flavours to share | Check which varieties are in the box and how many bags there are of each. | When having coffee with colleagues, I want to hand out bags without giving everyone the same flavour. For around 29% of consumers, flavour variety and sharing matter most. |
| Stock for several occasions | Check how many bags you can use and whether the flavour selection suits you if you use them repeatedly. | If I take a bag with me regularly, I want enough in stock without being left with flavours I wouldn’t choose. For around 21% of consumers, having useful stock is the main consideration. |
| Label for each variety | Read the ingredients and allergens for each bag; compare the nutritional values per 100 g or per serving on the same basis. | If certain ingredients aren’t suitable for me, I need to know which bag to choose, even in a mixed box. For around 21% of consumers, the label and nutritional information are the deciding factors. |
More bags doesn’t mean each portion is the same size. Albert Heijn lists 40 g bags in its Pringles Original 12-pack, compared with smaller individual bags in the Lay's mixed boxes described there.
Compare both the number of bags and the weight per bag with the coffee break you’re buying for.
A mixed box can contain snacks with different ingredients. So, the ingredients in one variety don’t necessarily tell you anything about the other bags.
Read the current ingredients list and allergen declaration for the specific variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on the labels of prepacked foods.
An individual pack makes the portion size clear, but it doesn’t tell you how much fat or salt that variety contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average figures of 13.1 g of fat and 0.53 g of salt for 40 g of crisps; this average is no substitute for the nutritional information for a specific product.
For the variety you’re buying, check the nutritional values per 100 g and, if listed, per bag.
The sales channel can vary by multipack: Lidl lists its described 15-bag multipack as available in store, while Jumbo marks certain Lay's boxes as online only.
Before you set off or place an order, check how the pack you’ve chosen is available.
The examples below show the types of multipack you can compare; a brand name alone doesn’t tell you what’s in a specific box.
For anyone looking for a mixed box of individual bags. Albert Heijn describes, among others, a Mega Box with 20 bags and a Celebration Box with 30 bags.
An alternative if you want one familiar flavour. For the Original 12-pack described, Albert Heijn lists twelve individual packs of 40 g.
A supermarket own-brand option if you’re mainly after ready salted and paprika flavours. Jumbo lists a sharing bag with 15 bags of 25 g each.
An in-store option if a pack of 15 bags suits the way you snack. Lidl lists this multipack as available in store only.
These products offer individual bags to take with you or share, as well as a smaller sharing mix. Compare the quantity, stated contents and current packaging of each product; one box isn’t automatically better suited to a short coffee break than another.
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A mixed box of individual bags to take with you or hand out.
The pack contains 20 bags and includes Lay's, Cheetos and Doritos. Check the weight per bag and the current allergen declaration for the variety you choose.
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For anyone who wants to take the same flavour with them in individual packs.
According to the product name, each pack contains 40 g. Decide whether that amount suits your coffee break, and check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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A sharing mix to consider if you want to put crisps out for a coffee break with others.
The product name states that the pack weighs 180 g. If portion size for taking on the go is important, check how the contents are divided between the individual bags.
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A box of individual bags for anyone who wants to hand out crisps.
The product name states that it contains 15 items. Check the current packaging for the weight, contents of each variety and allergens before choosing this box for a group.
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A mixed multipack for a coffee break when you want to hand out individual bags.
The product name states that it contains 12 bags. Check the packaging for the weight per bag, flavour selection and allergens in each variety.
Choose an individual bag that suits your break, and compare the weight per bag. Albert Heijn lists smaller bags in the Lay's mixed boxes described and 40 g per bag in the Pringles Original 12-pack. The larger size may be just right if you want more to eat.
Yes. If ingredients or allergens matter to your choice, check the variety you want to eat. Different snacks in the same box may have different ingredients; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed in the ingredients lists of prepacked foods.
The bag tells you the portion size, but not necessarily the nutritional value of those crisps. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average figures of 215 kcal, 13.1 g of fat and 0.53 g of salt for 40 g of crisps; for a specific bag, use the nutritional information on the packaging.
Follow the storage instructions and date on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen. For its described sharing bag, Jumbo advises storing it in a cool, dry place; keep individual bags sealed until you’re ready to take them with you or share them.
