Anyone who wants to share crisps at a get-together
You want to put a bag on the table without accidentally eating a large part of it yourself. A pre-filled bowl or individual bags make it clear how much is meant for you.
Who is this choice for?
Anyone comparing energy and portion sizes
You look beyond the name of a variety, checking both the nutritional information per 100 g and the amount you actually serve yourself.
Anyone who also needs to check ingredients
If allergens or dietary requirements matter, you’ll want to check the specific flavour and current packaging. That information is separate from the question of how large your portion is.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how much crisps you want to serve per person. Then compare the packaging and nutritional information on a like-for-like basis.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and your portion | Compare kcal per 100 g and consider how many grams you plan to serve yourself; keep portions the same when comparing varieties. | If I’m watching how much I eat, I want to know what’s in my bowl, whatever the bag size. For around 50% of consumers, this balance between portion size and energy is the main consideration. |
| Sharing without an open bag | Check the net weight and stated portion size; choose a bag to divide up yourself or individual packs to hand out. | At a get-together, I want to be able to give everyone a set amount instead of reaching into the same bag again and again. This way of sharing is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Read the allergen information for your chosen flavour; compare salt per 100 g if that’s relevant to you. | If I need to take ingredients or allergens into account, the variety I choose needs to be suitable before I share it. For around 20% of consumers, checking the label comes first. |
Common mistakes
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Taking ‘light’ as a licence to eat more crisps
According to the Voedingscentrum, light crisps contain slightly fewer calories than regular crisps, but the difference is small. That still doesn’t tell you how much you’ll end up eating.
Compare kcal per 100 g and stick to the same planned portion when comparing regular and light crisps.
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Treating a sharing bag as one portion
The contents of a large bag aren’t the amount one person should have. For example, Albert Heijn lists ten 30 g portions in a 300 g bag of Lay's Naturel value pack.
Before serving, divide the amount you want into bowls and put the remaining crisps to one side.
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Relying on the flavour name when you have allergies
Ingredients vary from product to product. For Pringles Original 165 g, Jumbo lists wheat flour and the possible presence of milk and soya.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging for every flavour you choose.
Brands to consider
Lay's
Albert Heijn stocks both regular sharing bags and Lay's Oven Baked varieties.
- For Lay's Oven Baked naturel, Albert Heijn lists 428 kcal and 13 g of fat per 100 g.
- Compare the nutritional information for the flavour and pack you’ve chosen; the figures for Oven Baked naturel don’t apply to every Lay's variety.
Pringles
Pringles Original is a potato-based snack in a tube; Jumbo lists a 165 g pack.
- The tube format may be useful if you want to take this pack with you or put it on the table.
- For Original, Jumbo lists wheat flour and the possible presence of milk and soya. If you have allergies, check the variety you’ve chosen.
Albert Heijn
The own-label range includes AH Chips naturel in a 250 g bag.
- For this variety, Albert Heijn states a portion size of 25 g, with ten portions per pack.
- A stated portion size doesn’t determine how much you serve yourself; check the current label as well.
Jumbo
The own-label range includes Jumbo Ribbelchips Naturel in a 250 g bag.
- Jumbo lists around eight 30 g portions for this variety.
- Jumbo lists 528 kcal per 100 g; also consider how much you actually want to serve.
Snack Day (Lidl)
Snack Day is Lidl’s own-label range of crisps and other snacks.
- When choosing between flavours, you can also compare pack sizes.
- To compare energy, portion sizes or allergens, read the nutritional information for the specific variety.
Products for sharing and handing out
These Joybuy products include a bag of oven-baked crisps, individually wrapped snacks and multipacks for a group get-together. Choose based on how much you want to hand out; when comparing nutritional values, always check the specific variety.
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Lay's Oven Baked Mediterranean Herbs 150 g
A bag you can divide between bowls to share with a group.
An oven-baked variety with Mediterranean Herbs flavour; the bag contains 150 g. If you’re comparing it with other crisps, check the nutritional information for this flavour.
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Pringles Original Crisps 12 × 40 g
For a group where you’d rather hand out individual packs than open one large bag.
According to the product name, this multipack contains twelve 40 g packs. Decide whether 40 g is the amount you want to give each person, and check the label if anyone has allergies.
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Croky Sharing Mix 180 g
A mix for sharing when you want to offer a selection of snacks.
The total contents weigh 180 g. If you want to plan portions in advance, check the pack to see how much each individual unit contains.
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Lay's Mama Mia's Paprika Cheese Crisps 125 g
For a snack occasion where you want to check the quantity before handing it out.
The pack contains 125 g in total. If you want to plan a set amount per person, check how many individual bags there are and how much each one weighs.
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Lay's Cheetos Doritos Mega Box multipack, 20 pieces
For a group that wants individual snacks to hand out instead of sharing a large bag.
The product name describes a 20-piece multipack of Lay's, Cheetos and Doritos. If energy, salt or allergens affect your choice, compare the labels on the individual snacks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose a large bag of crisps if I want to limit my portion?
Yes, as long as you decide how much you’ll have before sharing. The Voedingscentrum lists 216 kcal for a 40 g bowl of plain crisps, so serve yourself a set amount from the bag rather than eating straight from it.
Does ‘light’ automatically make a larger portion of crisps a better choice?
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, light crisps contain slightly fewer calories than regular crisps, but the difference is small. Compare the nutritional value per 100 g and keep your planned portion the same.
Which nutritional information should I compare for sharing bags of crisps?
Start with the energy per 100 g, then consider how much you want to serve each person. You can also compare fat and salt per 100 g; the stated portion size helps you work out how many portions you’ll get from a bag.
Should I check for allergens in crisps too?
Yes, especially if someone in your group needs to avoid a particular allergen. For Pringles Original, Jumbo lists wheat flour and the possible presence of milk and soya; always check the label for the specific flavour and pack.