Compare crisps by their energy per 100 g and how much you actually eat. Don’t choose based on the brand or the ‘less fat’ claim alone. AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet lists less energy and fat per 100 g than AH Chips naturel, but even with this option, the amount you eat determines how much energy your snack provides.
If you want to fit crisps into a planned snack portion, compare the energy per 100 g, then check how many grams you’ll actually put in your bowl. The portion size shown on the pack can help with the calculation, but it isn’t a personal limit.
If an ingredient or allergen matters to you, check the information for the exact flavour. For example, the allergen information for Pringles Original differs from that for Smiths Sticks Paprika, so check the pack you’re buying.
Start with the amount of crisps you want to compare. Then check the nutritional values per 100 g and, for a particular flavour, check the ingredients and allergens.
| What to consider | What to check | Who might find this relevant? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and portion size | Compare kcal per 100 g, then calculate the amount you’ll serve yourself. | If I want to fit crisps into a planned snack portion, I want to know how much energy that portion provides. For around 56% of consumers, energy and portion size come first. |
| Nutritional composition | Check the fat and salt per 100 g for the exact product; if it says ‘less fat’, also check what it is being compared with. | When choosing between regular crisps and a lower-fat option, I want to compare the nutritional values rather than go by the name. For around 33% of consumers, nutritional composition is the most important factor. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the pack for the flavour you’ve chosen. | If an ingredient or allergen matters to me, I need to know what’s in this particular product. For around 11% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet lists 461 kcal per 100 g. The claim doesn’t tell you how much energy the amount you actually eat will provide.
Compare the energy and fat per 100 g, then consider how much you want to have.
Ingredients and allergens can vary from one product to another. According to Jumbo’s product information, Pringles Original contains wheat and may contain milk and soya; Smiths Sticks Paprika contains milk and sulphites.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information for the exact flavour and pack, even if you already know the brand.
According to the Dutch government, Nutri-Score is intended to help compare the composition of products within a product group. On its own, a score doesn’t tell you how much of a product you eat.
Use the logo only as an additional way to compare products within the group, and check the nutritional values and the amount you’re having too.
The values given apply to the specific products and flavours, not to every crisp from a particular brand.
The supermarket’s own brand offers both regular ready salted crisps and a ridged option labelled ‘less fat’.
Jumbo Chips Naturel is a regular ready salted option with a portion size shown on the pack.
Snack Day Naturel chips is a 250 g ready salted option listed by Lidl as one of its own-brand products.
Lay's Naturel is an option if you want to compare this particular ready salted crisp with supermarket own-brand products.
Pringles Original is a shaped potato snack for anyone looking for this particular shape and flavour.
Smiths Sticks Paprika is a shaped potato and maize snack with a paprika flavour.
No. The claim alone doesn’t tell you how much energy the amount you eat will provide. AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet lists 461 kcal and 20 g fat per 100 g, compared with 532 kcal and 31 g fat per 100 g for AH Chips naturel. You should also consider the portion you actually have.
Compare products per 100 g first, then calculate the values for the amount you want to have. Voedingscentrum gives an average of 215 kcal for a 40 g bowl of crisps; the ready salted crisps mentioned from Albert Heijn and Jumbo show a 25 g portion. Neither amount is a personal limit.
No. According to the Dutch government, use Nutri-Score to compare products within a product group. A score for crisps doesn’t tell you how they compare with fruit as a snack.
Check the allergen information on the pack for the exact flavour. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be clearly stated on the label of prepacked foods. Don’t assume the ingredients are the same as those in another flavour from the same brand.
