Don’t use flavoured crisps as your main source of fuel just before or during a long run. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, crisps in various flavours contain fat as well as carbohydrates, and high-fat foods can stay in your stomach for longer before exercise. Choose a carbohydrate-focused option that you’ve tried during training; compare crisps as an occasional snack at other times by checking their nutritional value, ingredients and allergens.
If you run for more than around 1 to 1.5 hours, you’ll need to think about how to top up your energy on the go. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends carbohydrate-rich food or drink for this type of exercise; a crisp flavour is no substitute for a fuelling plan you’ve tried out.
If eating shortly before a run upsets your stomach, when you eat, how much you eat and how you react to the ingredients matter more than how intense the flavour is. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against eating a large portion or high-fat foods just before exercise.
If you’re looking for crisps for another occasion, compare flavours by fat, salt, ingredients and allergens. Check the nutritional information for the exact variety, not just the flavour name.
First decide whether you’re looking for fuel for a long run or crisps for a separate snack break. Only then should flavour and the differences between varieties come into play.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel for a long run | Before or during your run, choose a carbohydrate-focused option you’ve tried in training; plan your drinks separately. | When I’m running for a long time, I want to know what food I can use on the go without relying on a crisp snack. For around 46% of consumers, fuelling is the top priority. |
| Stomach comfort around a run | Think about when you eat and the portion size; if you’re sensitive, check the ingredients in strongly seasoned flavours too. | I don’t want to try an unfamiliar flavour for the first time just before an important run if my stomach is quick to react. For around 36% of consumers, how well food agrees with them is the top priority. |
| A snack outside your run | Compare fat and salt per 100 g and per portion, and check the ingredients and allergens for the exact flavour. | I’m looking for crisps for a separate snack break and want to choose between flavours and pack sizes. For around 18% of consumers, flavour and label information come first. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a 40 g bowl of crisps in various flavours contains an average of 0.59 g of salt. That doesn’t tell you how much to drink during a long run or what carbohydrate fuelling you need.
Plan your drinks and food separately before your run; don’t use crisps instead of an approach you’ve already tried.
Lay’s describes Oven Baked Roasted Paprika as containing 50% less fat than regular potato crisps. That comparison within the crisp category says nothing about whether they’re suitable fuel while running.
Use the claim only to compare the types of crisps mentioned, and check the nutritional information on the pack.
Albert Heijn describes AH Ribbelchips naturel as vegan and gluten-free, while the Jumbo Paprika Chips product page lists milk as an allergen. These details apply to the specific product.
If you have allergies or dietary requirements, check the current label for the exact flavour and pack.
Lay’s lists onion and garlic in the flavour profile of Sensations Red Sweet Paprika. How a flavour works for you around exercise will vary from person to person.
Try new foods on a regular training day, not for the first time just before a race.
Brands offer a range of flavours and product lines. Compare nutritional information and allergens for each specific variety; the brand name alone won’t tell you whether the crisps suit the occasion you have in mind.
The range includes regular crisps, MAX, Sensations and Oven Baked. There are various paprika and other flavours to compare as snacks.
Pringles Original is a stackable potato crisp. The nutritional information per portion makes it easy to compare with other snacks.
AH Ribbelchips naturel is a useful point of comparison if you’re considering a plain variety as well as flavoured crisps.
Jumbo Paprika Chips is a 250 g paprika-flavoured variety, with nutritional values and allergen information on the product page.
Lidl’s Snack Day range includes plain, paprika and bolognese crisps, among other varieties, for comparing flavours in store.
These Joybuy products are flavoured crisps to compare as snacks outside the immediate period before or during a long run. The pack and flavour can help you choose, but they don’t make these products running fuel.
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A paprika-flavoured variety to compare for a snack break. The product name states Oven Baked and the pack size is 150 g; check the current nutritional information and allergens on the pack.
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For anyone looking to compare a paprika-flavoured Wokkels variety for a snack outside their run. The pack is 100 g; check the label for nutritional values and allergens for this flavour.
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A paprika-flavoured variety in a 200 g pack for a separate snack break. Check the nutritional information per portion and read the current allergen information.
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A sweet paprika flavour to try outside the run-up to an important race. Lay’s lists onion and garlic in its flavour profile; check the ingredients on the pack if you need to take these into account.
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A paprika and cheese-flavoured variety in a 125 g pack, to compare as a snack. Don’t infer allergens from the flavour name: check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
Not as your main choice just before or during a long run. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that crisps in various flavours contain an average of 12.9 g of fat per 40 g portion, and advises against high-fat foods just before exercise. For prolonged running, it recommends carbohydrate-rich food or drink; try your choice during training beforehand.
Treat crisps as an occasional snack outside the immediate period before or during a long run, not as a substitute for planned fuelling on the go. If you’re sensitive to eating around exercise, use regular training sessions to work out what timing and portion size you can tolerate.
No, these details vary by product. Albert Heijn describes AH Ribbelchips naturel as vegan and gluten-free, but those claims don’t automatically apply to paprika varieties. Jumbo lists milk as an allergen for Jumbo Paprika Chips, so always read the label for the flavour you choose.
No. According to Lay’s, Oven Baked Roasted Paprika contains 50% less fat than regular potato crisps, but that’s a comparison between types of crisps, not a recommendation for fuelling during a long run. Assess your running fuel separately from your snack choice.
