Office organiser looking for set portions
You’re putting together lunch boxes for several colleagues and want to know in advance how many individual snacks you can hand out. Boxes of individual bags are easier to plan than one large sharing bag.
Who are these packs for?
Buyer who checks what’s in the pack
You look beyond the total weight to the number of bags, the amount in each bag and how many portions you can actually use for the lunch you’re planning.
Lunch planner who takes allergens into account
You’re buying for people with different preferences, so you check the ingredients and allergens for each variety in the mix. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether each lunch box needs its own bag of crisps. Then compare the contents and mix of flavours in suitable packs, and check the labels before choosing for your group.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portions | Count the individual bags and check the amount in each one if it matters for planning lunch. | When I’m putting together lunch boxes for colleagues, I don’t want to have to divide up a large bag while handing them out. An estimated 42% of consumers prioritise individual portions. |
| Usable pack contents | Compare the total number of bags with the number of lunch boxes planned; for a sharing pack, consider whether portioning it out yourself is practical. | For a series of lunches, I want to have enough snacks ready without being left with lots of opened packs. For around 33% of consumers, usable pack contents are a priority. |
| Flavours and labels | Check the varieties in the box and read the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the current packaging for each one. | If I’m buying for a group with different preferences or allergies, I want to know which bags are suitable for whom. This is estimated to be the main concern for 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming every variety in a mix has the same allergens
A mix can contain crisps and other savoury snacks, with different ingredients in each variety. Milk is listed for the cheese snack in Lay’s Party Mix; the packaging also states that it may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
Read the current packaging for the whole mix and the information for each variety before handing out bags to colleagues.
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Choosing a large bag for individually packed lunches
A sharing bag won’t automatically give you individual portions for each lunch box.
Choose individual bags if handing out portions in advance is important. Use a sharing bag only if you can and want to portion it out yourself.
Portioning it out yourself takes time and may require separate containers.
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Planning crisps as the main part of lunch
Crisps don’t provide the same components as the wholegrain foods, vegetables and fruit that Voedingscentrum recommends for lunch.
Plan the lunch first, then offer crisps as a savoury extra if you like.
Brands to consider
Lay’s
Worth considering if you’re looking for boxes of individual bags with different snack varieties.
- Albert Heijn lists Lay’s boxes containing 20 and 30 items; Jumbo lists a Party Mix with 15 bags.
- Different varieties in a mix may contain different ingredients and allergens. Also check that every variety is suitable for your lunch group.
Pringles
Worth considering if you’re looking at tubes for sharing or stocking up.
- Joybuy describes a Pringles tube as resealable; Albert Heijn also lists packs containing several tubes.
- A tube doesn’t provide pre-portioned individual servings for lunch boxes.
Jumbo
Worth considering if you want a straightforward own-brand pack of individual bags.
- Jumbo lists a pack with 15 bags of 25 g in ready salted and paprika flavours.
- This pack offers two flavours. Check the listed allergens too before buying for other people.
Snack Day (Lidl)
Lidl’s own brand is worth considering if you’re looking at a multipack of individual bags.
- Lidl lists a multipack with 15 bags.
- Check the weight, varieties and ingredients on the packaging before planning to include them in lunch boxes.
Smiths
Worth considering if you want to include specifically shaped savoury snacks in your lunch mix.
- In its own brand history, Lay’s includes Wokkels, Hamka’s, Nibb-it and Bugles among Smiths products.
- Don’t automatically treat these savoury snacks as crisps; check the type, flavour and allergens for each product.
Crisps multipacks for lunch boxes
These Joybuy products come in boxes of individual bags or portion packs. Choose according to the number you need, and check which varieties in mixed boxes are suitable for your lunch group.
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Lay’s Fun Mix Box, 2 x 15 bags
For lunch boxes where you want to hand out individual bags to a larger group or across several lunch occasions.
The box contains two packs of 15 bags. For the different snack varieties, check the current ingredients and allergen information for each one.
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Lay’s Cheetos Doritos Mega Box, 20 items
For a lunch group where you want to have a set number of individual snacks ready and offer a choice of varieties.
The box contains 20 items. Check how they’re divided between varieties, the amount per item and the allergens on the current packaging.
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Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce, 12 x 40 g
For lunch boxes where one BBQ flavour is enough and you want to hand out individual packs.
This variety comes in 12 portion packs of 40 g. Check the current label for wheat and mustard if allergens are relevant to your group.
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Lay’s Family Box, 15 items
For a lunch group where you want to have 15 individual snacks ready and are considering a mix of Lay’s, Cheetos and Bugles.
Check the amount in each bag, how the varieties are divided up, and the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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Lay’s Doritos Chill Box, 12 bags
For up to 12 lunch boxes, with one bag in each, if a mix of Lay’s and Doritos flavours suits your group.
Check the flavour mix, the amount in each bag and the current label for each variety before handing them out.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags do I need for the lunch boxes?
Allow for one individual bag per lunch box and consider any extra people or flavour choices. Jumbo lists a box with 15 bags of 25 g, while Albert Heijn lists a Lay’s Celebration Box with 30 bags. Choose the quantity to suit your lunch plans.
Is a large bag as convenient as individual bags?
Individual bags are easier to hand out when you’re putting lunch boxes together in advance. With a large bag, you’ll need to portion it out yourself and decide what to do with any leftovers once it’s open.
What should I check if someone has an allergy to an ingredient in a crisps mix?
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for every variety in the mix. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on pre-packed food labels. For Lay’s Party Mix, milk is listed for the cheese snack, and the packaging says it may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
Can crisps replace lunch?
Crisps are a savoury extra, not a replacement for the main components of lunch. Voedingscentrum recommends including wholegrain foods, vegetables and fruit in lunch. Always check the packaging of your chosen crisps for nutritional information.