Anyone shopping for several school days
If you’re keeping an eye on costs, compare packs using the same price measure. A larger bag also means portioning the crisps out at home.
Who is this choice for?
Anyone who wants to decide on a portion in advance
An individual bag can be handy for an occasional savoury snack, while with a large bag you’ll need to measure out the amount yourself. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Dutch Wheel of Five for school lunches; crisps aren’t included.
Anyone who needs to check the flavour or ingredients
If a particular flavour matters or certain ingredients need to be avoided, check the information for the exact product. Ingredients and allergens can vary by brand and flavour.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether crisps are an occasional addition to lunch. Then compare the packaging, portion and label based on what matters most in your situation.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Price and quantity | Compare the price per kilo at the same time of purchase and consider whether you’ll use the whole pack. | If I’m buying for several school days, I don’t want to judge by the price of the whole bag alone. Around 46% of consumers put price and usable quantity first when making this choice. |
| Portion and place in the lunchbox | Check the amount per bag or portion and the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g. Also bear in mind any school rules. | I want to decide in advance how many crisps to pack, without letting them replace a proper lunch. This is the top consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Read the label for the exact flavour and pack, especially if you need to watch out for allergens. | A pack isn’t much use to me if the flavour won’t be eaten or the ingredients aren’t suitable. Flavour and ingredients are the main consideration for around 18% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Looking only at the price of the pack
A large bag and a multipack contain different quantities. Without checking the price per kilo and net weight, it’s hard to tell which pack suits your shopping needs.
Compare packs at the same time of purchase and think about how much you’ll actually use.
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Thinking low-fat crisps are a substitute for lunch
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, neither low-fat nor regular crisps are part of the Dutch Wheel of Five. So choosing a low-fat option doesn’t change its place in a school lunchbox.
When comparing products, check the nutritional information and portion size, and keep the usual lunch separate from any snack.
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Packing a large bag without planning a portion
A large bag doesn’t define how much to pack for one lunch. A portion size shown on the pack is information about that product, not a recommendation to pack crisps every day.
Portion the crisps out at home if you want to pack a specific amount.
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Assuming every flavour has the same ingredients
Allergens can vary between brands and varieties. So a pack you’ve checked before won’t tell you enough about another flavour or a multipack.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the exact product.
Brands compared
These brands offer different pack formats and flavours. Always compare the specific product rather than treating an entire brand as a single choice.
Albert Heijn
The AH own-brand range includes products such as Paprika Crisps and Ridge-cut Original Crisps in 250 g bags.
- You can portion a larger bag out at home if you want to decide on the serving size yourself.
- Check the label for each flavour: the stated salt content differs between these two varieties.
Lay's
Lay's also offers multipacks with individual bags, as well as larger bags.
- The described twin pack of Original and Paprika contained 15 bags of 27,5 g, so the amount in each bag was set in advance.
- The twin pack listed milk and wheat. Check the exact pack for allergens, and don’t assume other Lay's varieties have the same ingredients.
Pringles
Pringles Original, 165 g, is an example of crisps in a resealable tube.
- A resealable tube offers a different packaging option from a bag or multipack of individual portions.
- The tube doesn’t divide the contents into school portions for you. The ingredients information for Original lists wheat and possible traces of milk and soya.
Smiths
Smiths Nibb-it Happy Ones is a savoury snack with a different shape from regular potato crisps.
- Its shape may be a reason to consider it alongside regular crisps if flavour and snack type matter to you.
- Compare the nutritional information and ingredients on the pack you choose; a difference in shape doesn’t tell you anything about these by itself.
Snack Day
Snack Day is a Lidl own brand, with products including 250 g bags of paprika crisps.
- The paprika variety gives you an own-brand option to compare with other bags of a similar size.
- Lidl lists this variety as an in-store product; check the price per kilo, ingredients and nutritional information in store.
Crisps and multipacks at Joybuy
This selection includes individual bags and packs with separate portions for anyone who wants to add crisps to a school lunchbox now and then. First choose the pack format you want, then compare the current product information for that variety.
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Pringles Red Pepper, 12 × 40 g
For anyone who’d rather take an individual tube than portion crisps out from a large pack at home.
The pack contains 12 tubes of 40 g in Red Pepper flavour. If there are ingredients you need to avoid, check the label for this variety.
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Lay's Sensations Thai Sweet Chili, 10 × 40 g
For anyone who wants to take a bag with a set amount of crisps.
This multipack contains 10 bags of 40 g. Check that the Thai Sweet Chili flavour and ingredients are suitable for the person eating the crisps.
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Croky Sharing Mix, 180 g
For anyone who wants to enjoy a mix of flavours on different occasions.
The pack states a total weight of 180 g. Check how much is in each individual bag before choosing one as a portion.
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Lay's Fun Mix Box, 15 bags
For anyone looking for individual bags and a choice of flavours in one box.
Check the flavour, quantity, ingredients and nutritional information for each bag: the varieties in a mix may not all have the same ingredients.
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Lay's Paprika Crisps, 300 g
For anyone who’d rather portion crisps out from a larger bag at home than buy individual bags.
The bag contains 300 g of paprika crisps and isn’t individually portioned for a school lunchbox. Decide on the amount before packing any.
Frequently asked questions
Are crisps suitable for a school lunchbox?
Crisps can be an occasional addition at most, not the main part of lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Dutch Wheel of Five for school lunches; neither regular nor low-fat crisps are included.
Does choosing low-fat crisps make them a different lunch option?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a low-fat label doesn’t make crisps part of the Dutch Wheel of Five. If you want to know how specific varieties differ, compare their nutritional information and decide how much to pack.
How do I compare a large bag with smaller bags?
Compare the price per kilo and net weight, then check the amount in each small bag or the portion you’d like to divide out at home. A multipack takes some of the portioning out of your hands; with a large bag, you decide on the portion yourself.
What should I check on the label if ingredients matter?
Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact flavour and pack size. The products described list different ingredients, including milk, wheat and soya, so don’t rely on the brand name alone or assume another variety has the same ingredients.