When hosting drinks with someone who has coeliac disease, first choose a bag of crisps clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol. Also check the ingredients and warnings on the bag you’re buying. Only then decide whether it contains enough to share. A large bag of potato or corn crisps isn’t automatically a gluten-free choice.
You’re buying crisps for a get-together where someone with coeliac disease will be eating. You want to be able to check the chosen bag for a gluten-free label, ingredients and warnings, even if that limits your choice of larger bags.
You want enough crisps for a bowl rather than a small snack-sized bag. Jumbo lists plain crisps in 250 g, 300 g and 335 g bags, among other options. The label on the bag you choose is still what matters.
You want to choose crisps that suit the way you’ll serve them, such as plain crisps or tortilla chips with dip. Check the crisps and the dip separately before serving them together.
Start by checking whether the specific bag is suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Then compare the net weight and choose a flavour and serving style that suit your group.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Suitability for coeliac disease | Check the current packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol. Also read the ingredients and any warnings about cereals containing gluten. | If someone with coeliac disease is eating, I want to choose a bag that leaves no room for guesswork. This certainty is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Enough to share | Compare the net weight of bags you’ve already checked for suitability with the number of people who’ll be eating the crisps. | With several guests around the table, I want to be able to serve enough crisps without choosing a large bag I’m unsure about. Having enough to share comes first for around 29% of consumers. |
| Flavour and dip | Choose a variety that suits how you plan to serve it, and check the dip and other accompaniments separately. | I want to serve crisps that go well with the planned dip or other snacks. This choice of how to serve them matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Availability | Use gluten-free categories in shops to find options, but check the packaging and contents of the product you actually buy. | For a get-together I’m hosting soon, I want to be able to find a suitable bag in the shop where I do my food shopping. This is the main purchasing concern for around 14% of consumers. |
The main ingredient doesn’t tell you everything about the other ingredients. For example, Pringles Netherlands lists wheat flour in Pringles Original.
Check the current packaging for each variety rather than relying on the type of product or the brand name.
A different flavour, a new size or updated packaging may mean you need to check again. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises staying alert to changes to the label.
Before serving, read the ingredients and warnings on the bag you’ve bought.
A size designed for several guests says nothing about whether the crisps are suitable for someone with coeliac disease. A product in a gluten-free shop category won’t necessarily be available in the size you’re looking for either.
First, select bags that meet the gluten-free requirement, then compare their net weights. You could also choose several smaller bags that are suitable.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that contact with gluten during serving can also have consequences for someone with coeliac disease.
Check the dip and accompaniments separately. Use a clean bowl and clean serving utensils, and keep the crisps you’ve checked separate from other snacks.
Lay's has several crisp ranges. Jumbo lists Lay's Ready Salted in a 300 g bag.
Pringles sells several flavours, and the ingredients need to be checked for each variety.
Jumbo has a gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks category, as well as larger bags of standard crisps.
Albert Heijn has a dedicated online category for gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks.
Lidl lists Snack Day Plain crisps in a 250 g bag.
Not automatically. Check the specific packaging for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the ingredients and any warnings. The fact that they’re made from potatoes alone isn’t enough to tell you.
Yes, read the label on the bag you’re about to serve. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that changes to packaging are a reason to keep checking the latest information.
Serve them separately in a clean bowl with clean serving utensils, and check the dip too. This helps prevent guests from using the same utensils for the checked crisps and snacks containing gluten.
Not as a gluten-free choice: Pringles Netherlands lists wheat flour in the ingredients for Original. Check another flavour on its own packaging rather than assuming it has the same ingredients as Original.
