Choose individually wrapped bags if students need to grab something quickly during a short lunch break. A mixed box is a good choice when flavour matters; if you want to hand out equal portions, choose bags with the same weight. For mixed boxes, check the number of bags per flavour, as well as the ingredients and allergens in each type of bag.
Sealed, easy-to-count bags can be handed straight to students. As well as checking the number of bags, look at the weight of each one: according to product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the multipacks reviewed differ in this respect.
The number of bags and the total net weight help you work out how many boxes you’ll need for the expected lunch service. A box with more bags doesn’t necessarily contain larger portions.
Ingredients can vary from one bag to another in a mixed box. Check the packaging of the product being handed out and make sure students can access the information for their own bag.
First, decide whether speed, the number of bags you need or flavour choice will guide your lunch service. Then check the information on the exact product packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quick service and fixed portions | Check whether the bags are individually wrapped and how many grams each one contains. | If I want to hand out snacks quickly during a short break without serving them from a larger pack, I need sealed bags with predictable portions. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Box contents | Compare the number of bags and the total net weight with the number of snacks expected to be handed out at each lunch service. | When numbers vary, I want to be able to estimate how many boxes to get ready. Around 31% of consumers give this planning of box contents top priority. |
| Flavour variety | Check which flavours are in the box and how many bags there are of each. | I want to give students a choice, but with a fixed mix, one flavour may run out before another. Flavour variety matters most to around 23% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current box and, for a mixed box, on each different type of bag. | If students ask about an ingredient, I need to be able to show them information for the specific bag they have. This check is the top priority for around 15% of consumers. |
Bags in the same box can contain different ingredients. Jumbo’s product information lists milk in the Lay’s Party Mix reviewed, with possible traces of ingredients including wheat and soya.
Check the current packaging for each type of snack and keep the information to hand when handing them out.
A box with lots of bags doesn’t automatically mean equal portions. The multipacks listed by Albert Heijn and Jumbo differ in weight per bag.
Compare the weight per bag and the total net weight before deciding how many boxes to order.
A bag of crisps is a snack in its own right, not a complete lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives an average of 215 kcal per 40 g for crisps; nutritional information can vary between specific products.
Consider the bag of crisps separately from the other products on offer at lunchtime.
Albert Heijn lists a Lay’s Mega Box with 20 bags, while Jumbo lists a Party Mix with 15 bags and three flavours. Both are examples of mixed boxes for handing out, but they don’t represent every Lay’s product.
Albert Heijn lists Pringles Original as a multipack of 12 individually wrapped 40 g portions: one flavour with the same stated weight per portion.
Jumbo lists its own-brand sharing bag with 15 bags of 25 g in ready salted and paprika flavours.
These Joybuy products include mixed boxes and single-flavour multipacks. Choose between them based on the number of individual bags, the stated portion weight and the flavour balance you want.
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A mixed box for a serving point that needs plenty of individual bags ready to hand out. The product name lists two packs of 15; check the current box for the mix, weight and allergens for each type of snack.
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A mixed box for handing out individual snacks and offering a choice of varieties. The product name lists 20 pieces; check the current packaging for portion sizes, quantities of each variety and allergens.
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This multipack is a good fit if you want one flavour and the same stated portion weight throughout. The product name lists ten 40 g portions; check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging before handing them out.
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A good choice if you want to hand out one flavour in portions with the same stated weight. The product name lists twelve 40 g portions. Joybuy product information lists wheat and gluten; check the label on the current packaging.
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A mixed box for a lunch service where 15 individual bags is the right amount. Check the weight per bag, plus the ingredients and allergens in the current mix, before planning portions.
Start with the number of snacks you expect to hand out during each lunch break, then check how many bags are in each box. Also check the weight per bag: according to product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the multipacks reviewed differ in both quantity and portion size.
A bag of crisps isn’t a substitute for a complete lunch. Consider it separately from the rest of your lunch offering; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives an average of 215 kcal per 40 g for crisps, although nutritional values vary by product.
Check the ingredients and allergens for each different snack in the current mixed box. Keep the packaging or relevant product information available when handing out the snacks, so students can check the details for their specific bag.
Follow the storage advice and best-before date on the current packaging. Jumbo lists “store in a cool, dry place” as the storage advice for Lay’s Party Mix; check the advice again for any other multipack.
