If you want to plan a portion in advance
You want to plan a set amount of crisps, so you’re mainly looking at the weight and nutritional information for each bag. The number of bags in the multipack matters less when making this choice.
Who are multipacks useful for?
If you take crisps in a lunchbox or on the go
An unopened bag is easy to set aside in advance and take with you. Just check how many grams it contains: an individual bag isn’t necessarily the portion you had in mind.
If you’re sharing a multipack
Individual bags and a choice of flavours can make sharing easier. Agree in advance who gets which bags, and check the ingredients and allergens for each flavour in a mixed pack.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how many crisps you want for one snack. Then look for a bag size that suits you, and check whether the pack is convenient to take with you or share.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and nutritional value | Check the weight and kcal per bag, or convert the values per 100 g to match your planned portion. | If I want to plan a set amount of crisps, I need to know how much is in an unopened bag. For around 50% of consumers, planning portions comes first. |
| Lunchboxes and on the go | Check whether the bags are individually sealed and how many grams each one contains. | For a lunchbox, I want to be able to set aside a bag in advance without opening a large pack. For around 30% of consumers, this is the main occasion for eating crisps. |
| Sharing and variety of flavours | Check the number of bags and the flavours; for a mixed pack, read the ingredients and allergens for each flavour. | If several people are sharing, I want to be able to divide up the bags and take everyone’s tastes and allergens into account. For around 20% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming every individual bag is a small portion
An individual bag can also contain 40 g. Jumbo lists a 40 g bag of Lay's Naturel as containing 207 kcal.
Check the weight in grams and the kcal for the exact pack before choosing a bag size for your snack.
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Assuming a large mixed box is automatically right for you
Lots of individual bags are handy for sharing, but the size of the box doesn’t change the nutritional value of the bags you eat.
Divide the bags between people or occasions in advance, and decide how many you want to set aside for yourself at a time.
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Relying only on ‘light’ or ‘less fat’ claims
A claim about fat doesn’t tell you how many kcal are in the portion you actually eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that light crisps contain slightly fewer calories than regular crisps, but the difference is small.
Compare the weight, kcal and salt for the amount you plan to eat.
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Reading only one ingredients list for a mixed pack
Flavours in a multipack can contain different ingredients and allergens. Albert Heijn lists milk, cereals containing gluten, celery and mustard among the allergens in a Lay's Mixpack.
Check the current allergen information for every flavour if you’re sharing the bags with others.
Brands to consider
Lay's
Lay's offers multipacks of individual bags in various sizes. Jumbo lists Lay's Naturel, for example, as 20 × 40 g.
- A stated bag weight makes it possible to assess whether a pack suits your portion size.
- Don’t choose based on the word ‘multipack’ alone: Jumbo lists Lay's Naturel as containing 207 kcal per 40 g bag. A claim for Lay's Oven Baked doesn’t automatically apply to other varieties.
Pringles
Albert Heijn lists Pringles Original as a 12-pack of 12 × 40 g; Pringles also offers an individual 40 g size.
- The weight of each bag is clearly stated for this Original 12-pack.
- A fixed size doesn’t tell you about the nutritional value or allergens of another flavour. Always check the variety you’ve chosen.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists products including Jumbo Chips Uitdeelzak Paprika & Naturel, a pack of 15 × 25 g.
- The individual 25 g bags offer a different portion size from a multipack with 40 g bags.
- Before choosing a portion or handing out bags, also compare the nutritional information and ingredients for the exact flavours.
Lidl Snack Day
Lidl describes a mixed multipack containing 15 bags of crisps.
- The individual bags can be divided between several snack occasions or people in advance.
- Check the weight, nutritional information and allergens for the bags you’ve chosen on the pack before comparing them with other options.
Crisps multipacks with individual portions
These Joybuy products contain crisps in individual packs, making it easy to choose a portion in advance, take one with you or share them. Focus on the weight per pack, and for the mixed box, check the contents of the exact variety.
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Lay's Sensations Thai Sweet Chili, 10 × 40 g
The individual packs make it easy to set aside one bag in advance for a snack.
The multipack contains 10 packs of 40 g. Check the current pack for the nutritional information and allergens for this flavour.
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Pringles Red Pepper Flavoured Potato Chips, 12 × 40 g
You can divide up the individual packs in advance or take one with you if 40 g suits your planned snack.
This multipack contains 12 packs of 40 g. Check the current nutritional information and allergens for this flavour.
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Pringles Original Chips, 12 × 40 g
The individual packs are a handy option if you want to choose a 40 g snack in advance or share the multipack.
The multipack contains 12 packs of 40 g. Check the current pack’s nutritional information and allergens before planning your portion.
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Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce Potato Chips, 12 × 40 g
The individual packs are easy to set aside in advance for a snack or to take with you.
The multipack contains 12 packs of 40 g. Compare the nutritional information and allergens for this flavour with your chosen portion.
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Lay's Fun Mix Box Chips 15 Pack
A mixed box of individual bags can be handy for sharing different flavours between several people or snack occasions.
The product name states that this is a 15-pack. Check the pack for the exact contents, weight, nutritional information and allergens for each flavour.
Frequently asked questions
Does a crisps multipack automatically help with weight management?
No, a multipack doesn’t determine how many crisps you end up eating. Individual bags can make it easier to choose an amount in advance; check the weight and kcal for the portion you actually take. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, 40 g of crisps contains an average of 215 kcal, although the value for a specific product may differ.
What should I compare when choosing 25 g and 40 g bags?
Compare the weight and nutritional value for the amount you want to eat, not just the values per 100 g. Check the exact pack for kcal, fat, salt and any nutritional values per portion. This lets you compare bags of different weights on a like-for-like basis.
Do all the flavours in a mixed pack contain the same allergens?
Don’t assume they do: check the ingredients and allergens for each flavour on the current pack. Albert Heijn lists milk, cereals containing gluten, celery and mustard among the allergens in a Lay's Mixpack; this doesn’t tell you which allergens are in another mixed pack.
Is choosing a light or oven-baked variety enough reason to buy a multipack?
No, also compare the bag weight and the kcal for the amount you want to eat. Lay's claims that Oven Baked contains less fat than regular potato crisps, but this claim doesn’t apply to every Lay's multipack. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the difference in calories between light crisps and regular crisps is small.