Choose individual bags if you want to keep track of portions and hand them out without needing to serve them. A mixed box offers more choice of flavours, but you’ll need to check the ingredients and allergens for each variety. Also check the weight of each bag and consider how crisps fit in alongside the rest of the lunch.
If you’re buying for a group, a pack with a clearly stated number of bags makes it easier to work out in advance how many individual snacks you can hand out. Check the weight of each bag too: the same number of bags doesn’t necessarily mean the same amount of crisps.
Individual bags are handy when everyone needs to be able to take one wrapped portion. Lay’s describes its multipacks as small bags for sharing; if you need a larger portion per person, another size may be more suitable.
A mixed box can offer several flavours, but the ingredients and allergens may vary from bag to bag. Compare each variety individually and check its nutritional information too.
First, work out how many people will get a bag at the university lunch and whether the crisps are a small snack alongside other dishes. Then compare the contents of the packs that suit your plans.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Number of bags | Count the individual bags and check there are enough for the number of people you plan to serve. | If I’m buying for a large lunch group, I want to know in advance how many people can have their own bag. For around 25% of consumers, the number of bags available comes first. |
| Portion size | Compare the weight of each bag and decide whether it suits the role crisps will play at lunch. | If everyone is getting the same set snack, I want to hand out a suitable size without weighing portions. Around 25% of consumers prioritise portion size. |
| Choice of flavours | Check which flavours and types of snacks are actually included in the mix. | For a group with different preferences, I want to offer more choice than a single flavour, even if not everyone picks the same bag. Around 19% of consumers put flavour variety first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion, including fat and salt. | If crisps are served alongside other lunch dishes, I want to know what one bag adds to the meal. For around 19% of consumers, nutritional information is the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | For a mixed box, check the ingredients and allergens for each variety on the current packaging. | If anyone needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to identify which individual bags are suitable for them. Around 12% of consumers put this check first. |
A box may contain different types of snacks, each with its own ingredients list. For example, Jumbo lists milk as an allergen in its sharing pack of paprika and ready salted crisps.
Check the information for each variety and keep the outer packaging available so lunch guests can read the label for themselves.
A product name or nutrition label alone won’t tell you what role a bag of crisps plays in the whole lunch.
Check the nutritional information for the specific variety per 100 g and per bag, alongside what else is being served.
Individual bags make handing out snacks easier, but they also leave you with separate wrappers to dispose of. Utrecht University identifies waste reduction as a consideration in its catering.
Check the disposal instructions on the packaging and make sure collection is in line with the waste streams on the campus in question.
Lay’s offers, among other things, crisps in small sharing bags and mixed snack boxes.
Pringles Original is available in tubes of various sizes, including 40 g.
Jumbo has its own-brand sharing pack of paprika and ready salted crisps.
Snack Day is Lidl’s snack range, with a variety of crisp flavours.
Albert Heijn has a range of sharing bags, including mixed multipacks from well-known brands.
These packs contain individual portions of crisps or snacks for sharing with a group. Compare the number of bags, the weight per portion and, for mixed boxes, the information for each variety. A 100 g bag serves a different purpose from a small sharing bag.
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A mix for handing out individual snacks to a group.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the different bags.
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A mixed box for serving a choice of snacks at lunch.
The pack contains 20 bags. Check the ingredients and allergens for each variety.
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An option if you want to hand out twelve individual portions of the same flavour.
Each tube contains 40 g. Joybuy’s product information lists wheat and gluten, and possible traces of milk and soya. If you have allergies, check the current packaging.
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A corn snack in individual bags for anyone looking for a larger portion to hand out.
The pack contains 18 bags of 100 g. Decide whether that weight per bag suits your planned lunch and check the current allergen information.
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A box of individual bags for a group looking for a choice of different snacks.
The listed mix contains 15 bags of Lay’s, Cheetos and Bugles snacks. Check the current packaging for the weight, ingredients and allergens of each variety.
Don’t assume that a bag of crisps is a complete lunch on its own. Consider what other dishes are being served and compare the nutritional value per bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that many snacks can be high in energy, salt, sugar or saturated fat.
Yes. For a mixed pack, check the ingredients and allergens for each variety on the current packaging. Jumbo lists milk in its sharing pack of paprika and ready salted crisps; the product information for Pringles Original lists wheat and the possible presence of milk and soya.
Choose the weight per bag based on the role crisps will play at this lunch, rather than looking only at the total weight of the box. The listed Jumbo sharing pack contains 25 g bags, while the Lay’s multipacks mentioned contain 40 g bags.
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the specific pack. The storage advice for the listed Jumbo sharing pack and Pringles Original is to keep them in a cool, dry place. Once opened, keep a Pringles tube tightly closed, as stated in the product information.
