A crisps multipack isn’t the right choice for a daily snack for a toddler: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. Individual bags of crisps can be handy for sharing among older children or adults on an occasional family get-together, but the packaging doesn’t make the contents a toddler-sized portion. Give your toddler a different snack for that occasion, and check the contents and label of each flavour before serving the crisps.
For a regular snack at home, on the go or in a lunchbox, the question is whether crisps fit the routine you have in mind – not which brand has the smallest bags. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five for young children and toddlers.
Individual bags can make sharing easier on an outing or at a family get-together. The size of the bag doesn’t in itself mean it’s suitable for a toddler; consider who will be eating the crisps and check the nutritional information on each bag.
Mixed packs need careful checking, as every flavour can be different. According to Jumbo’s product information, the listed allergens vary between products including Pringles Paprika and Smiths Sticks Paprika.
First decide whether the snack is for your toddler or the crisps are for someone else. Only then compare the bag size and ingredients of any multipack you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Daily snack | Is it for your toddler? If so, choose a suitable food from the Wheel of Five instead of crisps. | When I’m looking for something for a regular toddler snack, I don’t want the convenience of a multipack to make the decision for me. Around 50% of consumers put finding a suitable daily snack first. |
| Bag size and sharing | Read the contents and nutritional information for each bag, and decide who will be eating the crisps. | For an occasional family get-together, I want to be able to hand out bags without assuming that a whole bag is a suitable toddler-sized portion. Around 30% of consumers say sharing is their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current label for every flavour, especially in a mixed pack. | If someone in the family needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in each variety before choosing a mix. This is the most important consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
A small bag isn’t automatically a small portion for a toddler. Jumbo lists 207 kcal and 0.44 g of salt per 40 g bag of Lay's Ready Salted (20 × 40 g). A mixed pack can also contain a range of ingredients: Jumbo lists a cheese snack in Lay's Party Mix that contains milk and may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
An individual pack makes sharing easier, but that doesn’t mean it’s suitable as a snack for a toddler. Jumbo lists 207 kcal and 0.44 g of salt in a 40 g bag of Lay's Ready Salted.
Check the nutritional information on each bag and, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends, choose a suitable alternative from the Wheel of Five for your toddler’s snack.
A mix can contain different snacks and ingredients. In the Lay's Party Mix described by Jumbo, the cheese snack contains milk; the product information also says it may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
If someone has a relevant allergy, check the ingredients and allergens on the exact pack and for each variety – don’t rely on the front of the box alone.
Comparing fat content doesn’t answer the question of whether crisps are suitable as a daily snack for a toddler. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five as snacks for young children and toddlers.
First decide what’s right for your toddler’s snack. Only compare the nutritional values of crisps if you’re buying them for someone else in the family.
These product examples can help you compare pack formats and labels, but none of the crisps mentioned is being recommended as a daily snack for toddlers.
Jumbo lists products including Lay's Ready Salted as a multipack of 20 bags of 40 g each.
Jumbo lists various Pringles flavours in 165 g tubes – a different format from a multipack of individual bags.
The Jumbo range described includes Smiths Sticks Barbecue and Sticks Paprika in 100 g packs.
Albert Heijn lists AH Ready Salted Crisps 20-pack as 20 bags of 40 g each.
Jumbo lists Ready Salted Crisps in a 250 g bag, rather than as a multipack of individual bags.
These Joybuy multipacks are options for setting aside crisps to share with older children or adults at an occasional family get-together. For a young child or toddler, a different, suitable snack remains the right choice. Check the contents per bag and the labels for every flavour in each multipack.
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Worth considering for an occasional sharing occasion with older children or adults, while your toddler has something else. Check the number of bags on the pack and read the nutritional information and allergens for the exact varieties.
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A multipack to share among older children or adults on an occasional get-together. Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for each flavour and bag; individual packaging doesn’t make these crisps a suitable toddler snack.
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This multipack includes a selection of the snacks listed and is suited to sharing among older children or adults, not for daily toddler snack time. Read the nutritional information for each bag size and check the ingredients and allergens for every variety.
No, not as a daily snack for a toddler. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five as snacks for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. A multipack doesn’t change that advice.
No, the size of the pack isn’t a recommendation for a toddler-sized portion. Jumbo lists 207 kcal and 0.44 g of salt in a 40 g bag of Lay's Ready Salted; for another product, always check the values for that particular bag.
Fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread are examples of snacks from the Wheel of Five that the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends for young children and toddlers. Choose a type and portion size that suit your child and the occasion.
Yes, check the label for each relevant variety. According to Jumbo, Pringles Paprika contains milk and wheat, while Smiths Sticks Paprika contains milk and sulphites. With a mixed pack, don’t assume that one ingredients list applies to every flavour.
