Choose a small bag if you want to take one set portion with you; a multipack is more practical when several people each want their own bag. With a large bag, you’ll need to portion out the crisps yourself and seal the rest carefully. Serve crisps at a student dinner as a snack or side, not as a meal replacement.
Before choosing a pack, decide whether you want to hand out the crisps, take them with you or serve them from one bag on several occasions.
If you’re sharing crisps with housemates or buying them for several snack breaks, check how many portions you’ll actually get from the pack. With a large bag, you’ll need to portion them out yourself and seal the rest after use.
An individual bag is ideal for a snack on the go or a side for one person. The Jumbo and Lay’s packs in the range we looked at show that these bags come in different sizes, including 25 g and 40 g.
The exact flavour and product variant matter more than the brand name alone. Albert Heijn describes its 250 g Chips naturel as vegan and gluten-free; the product information for Pringles Original lists wheat and gluten. If you have a dietary requirement or allergy, always check the label on the pack you’re buying.
Start by considering how many people and snack occasions you’re catering for. Then choose between pre-portioned bags and portioning them yourself. If you’re buying a mixed pack, check which flavours it contains too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to most |
|---|---|---|
| How much you get in one pack | Compare the total contents with the number of snack occasions you’re planning. Consider whether you can reseal a large bag properly once it’s open. | If I’m eating with housemates and want to save some crisps for later, what matters most is whether I can portion them out without opening more than I need. For around 36% of consumers, this is the main consideration when choosing a pack. |
| Individual portions | Check the weight of each bag and the number of bags; individual 25 g and 40 g packs aren’t the same size portion. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take one bag with me rather than an open large bag. Around 29% of consumers prioritise a set individual portion like this. |
| Flavours and sharing | Check which flavours are in the mix and whether there’s an individual pack for everyone. | If my housemates want different flavours, a mix of individual bags makes sharing easier. For around 21% of consumers, this combination of variety and easy sharing is their main concern. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for every flavour you choose; don’t assume another variant has the same characteristics. | If I have an allergy or a specific dietary requirement, I need to know exactly what’s in these crisps before I share or eat them. For around 14% of consumers, this check comes first. |
Ingredients can vary between variants. The product information for Pringles Original lists wheat and gluten, while Jumbo lists milk and sulphites for Smiths Sticks Paprika.
If you have an allergy or a specific dietary requirement, read the label for every flavour and pack you plan to serve.
Crisps are a snack or a side. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes an evening meal as including different food groups from the Wheel of Five; a bag of crisps doesn’t fulfil that role.
Plan the meal separately, then decide whether you’d like to serve crisps alongside it.
Jumbo lists 15 bags of 25 g in a sharing pack of its own-brand crisps, while the Lay’s Naturel 20-pack contains bags of 40 g. So the number of bags doesn’t tell you how many crisps each person will get.
Check both the number of bags and the weight of each one before planning portions for a group.
The pack sizes and features mentioned here apply to specific product ranges and variants, not necessarily to every type of crisps from a brand.
The range we looked at includes Lay’s crisps in small bags, multipacks and large bags.
Pringles Original is listed in an individual 40 g pack, among other options.
Smiths Sticks Paprika is a shaped snack, not the same product as regular potato crisps.
The own-brand range includes Chips naturel in a large bag and has also sold individual packs.
The own-brand range includes both larger bags and a sharing pack of individual portions.
Snack Day is Lidl’s own snack range, which includes crisps in a variety of flavours.
These packs offer individual snacks or a mix to share at a student dinner. Not every mix consists solely of regular potato crisps, so check the contents and weight if you’re planning portions.
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A mix to share between several people or over a number of snack occasions. The product name lists 20 pieces and several snack brands; check the contents and allergens of the individual packs before handing them out.
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A sharing pack for anyone who wants to serve crisps over several snack occasions. The product name gives the total weight as 180 g; check the pack if you want to know how much each person will get.
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For a group who want to share a variety of snacks. The product name lists 15 pieces; the Joybuy product description also mentions Lay’s, Cheetos and Bugles snacks. Check the contents and ingredients of each pack, as this isn’t a box of regular potato crisps only.
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Individual packs for anyone planning one tube per person or snack occasion. The product name lists 12 tubes of 40 g with red pepper flavour. If you have allergies, check the label for this variant, not Pringles Original.
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A pack for anyone who wants to serve paprika and cheese-flavoured crisps as a snack or side. The product name gives the total weight as 125 g; decide how you’ll divide it and check the ingredients on the pack if you have allergies.
No, crisps aren’t a substitute for a complete evening meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes an evening meal as including foods from different sections of the Wheel of Five. So plan crisps as a snack or side alongside whatever else you’re eating.
Yes, check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant. The product information for Pringles Original lists wheat and gluten, while Jumbo lists milk and sulphites for Smiths Sticks Paprika; you can’t assume this information applies to other flavours.
No, these characteristics don’t automatically apply to all plain crisps. Albert Heijn lists them for its 250 g Chips naturel; for any other pack, check the product information and label again.
Seal the bag carefully after use and follow the storage instructions on the pack. Albert Heijn advises storing its Chips naturel in a cool, dry place away from light and resealing the pack carefully after opening.
