Office teams sharing from a bowl
For a meeting or informal team get-together, you’ll want enough crisps to put out without portioning them in advance. Choose a flavour the group will enjoy and compare the net weight of the bags.
Who are the crisps for?
Organisers handing out individual portions
At a meeting or team activity, everyone can take their own bag. A multipack lets you hand out portions in advance; if it contains a mix of flavours, check the information for each variety.
Teams that need to check ingredients
If allergens may be relevant to colleagues, read the packaging for the exact variety before serving. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products must appear on the label.
What should guide your choice?
First decide whether the crisps will go in a shared bowl or be handed out individually. Then choose the quantity and flavours, and check the labels before serving.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Compare the net weight with the number of colleagues who will be eating. | If I’m putting out a shared bowl, I want to choose an amount that suits the group. For around 19% of consumers, quantity comes first. |
| Flavour choice | Choose one flavour or several varieties; if it’s a mix, check what’s included. | When colleagues have different preferences, I want to offer more than one flavour. For around 25% of consumers, variety is their main concern. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current label for each variety, including those in a multipack. | If I’m putting out snacks for colleagues with allergies or intolerances, I want them to be able to check what’s in them. Ingredients and allergen information comes first for around 31% of consumers. |
| Portioning | For individual portions, check the number of bags and the contents of each bag. | During a meeting, I want everyone to be able to take a portion without sharing from a communal bowl. Around 25% of consumers give handing out individual portions their highest priority. |
Common assumptions to rethink
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Assuming the number of packs tells you how much you’re getting
A tube, bag or box can have a different net weight from another type of pack. For example, Jumbo lists Pringles Original at 165 g and Lay’s Ready Salted at 300 g in its ready salted range.
Check the net weight before deciding how many packs you’ll need for the team.
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Assuming every snack in a mix has the same ingredients
Different varieties in one box may contain different ingredients and allergens. The Lay’s Party Mix described by Jumbo, for example, combines potato crisps and Bugles Nacho Cheese, among other snacks.
Read the information for each variety and keep the packaging available for colleagues who want to check it themselves.
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Relying on the ingredients list from a previous purchase
Product information can change. Albert Heijn notes on its product pages that information such as ingredients and allergens may be updated.
Before serving, check the label on the pack you’ve actually bought.
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Buying a sharing bag when you want to hand out portions
An open bag for a bowl serves a different purpose from individual bags that colleagues can pick up themselves.
Decide how you’ll serve the crisps in advance: use a bowl for sharing or a multipack for individual portions.
Brands and retailers to consider
Lay’s
Lay’s offers classic potato crisps, ridged varieties and multipacks of small bags, among other options.
- Lay’s says its small bags are made for sharing.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen flavour and pack separately.
Pringles
Pringles sells stackable crisps in a tube, in flavours including Original and Paprika.
- A tube can add another flavour alongside crisps served in a sharing bowl.
- The Original tube listed by Jumbo contains 165 g; compare the contents if you’re buying for a larger group.
Smiths
The range shown by Jumbo includes shaped snacks such as Sticks Barbecue and Sticks Paprika.
- These sticks offer an alternative to potato crisps.
- The bags listed by Jumbo are 100 g; choose the number of bags to suit your group.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells its own-brand crisps as well as branded products.
- You can add crisps to a wider list of office supplies.
- Albert Heijn says product information may change, so check the pack you buy.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists own-brand and branded crisps, as well as individual bags in a range of sizes.
- The range shows why net weight matters when comparing packs.
- Check the exact flavour and contents of the pack you choose.
Lidl
Lidl stocks Lay’s crisps and its Snack Day brand, among other products.
- The Lay’s range shown includes bag sizes for sharing from a bowl.
- For food ingredients, allergens and nutritional values, Lidl directs customers to the packaging or to make an enquiry about the specific product.
Joybuy products for individual portions
These crisps and snack mixes are suited to individual portions for an office get-together. If you’re looking for one large bag to share from a bowl, you’ll need a different type of pack.
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Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce Potato Chips, 12 × 40 g
An option if you want to offer colleagues individual portions with a Texas BBQ flavour.
According to the product name, the pack contains 12 portions of 40 g. Check the current ingredients and allergen information before handing them out.
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Lay’s Sensations Thai Sweet Chili, 10 × 40 g
A good choice if you want to hand out portions of Thai Sweet Chili crisps in advance.
The product name lists 10 bags of 40 g. If ingredients or allergens may be relevant to colleagues, check the label for the exact variety.
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Lay’s Cheetos Doritos Mega Box Multipack, 20 pieces
This mix of crisps and other snacks is a good fit for a team get-together where you want to hand out a range of individual portions.
The product name lists 20 pieces. Check the net weight, the number of each variety and the labels on the individual snacks.
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Lay’s Fun Mix Box, 15 bags
A mixed selection for colleagues to choose their own individual bags.
The product name lists 15 bags. Joybuy lists milk and warnings for possible gluten-containing cereals, soya and wheat for this mix; check the current labels for each variety before handing them out.
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Croky Sharing Mix, 180 g
A mix to consider if you want to put out or hand out a selection of snacks.
The product name lists 180 g. Compare this amount with the number of colleagues and read the labels for each variety before serving.
Frequently asked questions
How many crisps do I need for an office meeting?
Choose an amount to suit the number of people and whether crisps will be the only snack. Check the net weight rather than just the number of packs; the sizes listed in Jumbo’s ready salted range vary.
Should I choose a large bag or a multipack for the office?
A large bag works well for sharing from a bowl, while a multipack is better for handing out portions in advance. If you choose a mix, bear in mind that the flavours may differ and check the ingredients for each variety.
Should I check the allergens in every flavour?
Yes. Check every variety you’ve chosen if allergens may be relevant to colleagues. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products appears on the label. Keep the packaging so colleagues can read the information for themselves.
Can I rely on an online product page for ingredient information?
Before serving, check the packaging of the product you bought. Albert Heijn warns that product information can change, while Lidl directs customers to the packaging or to make an enquiry about the specific product for information on food ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.