Party hosts keeping an eye on fat
If you want to serve crisps and focus on comparing their fat content with regular potato crisps, check the claim for the variant you’ve chosen as well as the nutritional information on the packet.
Which option suits you?
Label-readers who also check salt
To look beyond fat, compare like-for-like crisps per 100 g for energy, fat, saturated fat and salt. A ‘lower fat’ label doesn’t tell you how the other values compare.
Hosts sharing crisps with guests
For a King's Day get-together with several guests, flavour and how much you put out are practical considerations too. Serving crisps in bowls makes it easier to see how much you’re offering.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether lower fat, overall nutritional value or sharing at your get-together matters most to you. Then compare the packets of the flavours you actually want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Lower fat | Compare the fat content per 100 g with that of the regular crisps you’d otherwise choose. Check that the claim applies to your chosen flavour. | I mainly want to choose crisps for my get-together with a demonstrably lower fat content. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Nutritional value | For each 100 g, also check the energy, saturated fat and salt values; serving sizes on packets can vary. | A lower fat content alone isn’t decisive for me if I also want to keep an eye on salt and other nutritional values. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this broader comparison. |
| Sharing and portions | Choose a packet and flavours to suit your guests, and decide how many crisps to put in the bowls. | When I’m sharing crisps, I mainly want to control how much is on the table during the get-together. This is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘lower fat’ means ‘healthy’
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, light crisps contain less fat than regular crisps, but the difference in calories is small. Neither is included in the Wheel of Five.
Use the label to compare crisps, then decide separately how much you want to serve.
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Looking only at the front of the packet
A fat claim or Nutri-Score doesn’t tell you how much salt, saturated fat and energy your chosen crisps contain individually.
Compare the nutritional information for like-for-like crisps per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that manufacturers set their own serving sizes.
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Assuming another flavour has the same ingredients
Ingredients and allergens can vary by flavour, and product information may also change.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packet, even if you’ve bought crisps from the same range before.
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Treating a sharing bag as an individual portion
A sharing bag doesn’t tell you how many crisps each guest will end up eating.
Put crisps in bowls first and top them up if needed, rather than putting the whole bag on the table.
Brands to compare
Lay's
Lay's Oven Baked is an oven-baked crisp range for anyone specifically looking for a lower-fat claim.
- According to Lay's, the Oven Baked range contains 50% less fat than regular potato crisps.
- That claim doesn’t tell you about the salt, energy or allergens in your chosen flavour, so check the current packet.
Chio
Jumbo lists Chio Oven Chips, including paprika and sea salt, in its lower-fat crisps category.
- The flavours listed offer a choice of oven-baked crisps.
- Compare the nutritional information for each flavour per 100 g before choosing.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s selection includes AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet and AH Ribbelchips sour cream & onion minder vet.
- You can compare the flavours of these own-brand options on their packets.
- Albert Heijn warns that product information may change. Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values on the current packet.
Oven-baked crisps for your get-together
This Joybuy selection features 150 g bags from the oven-baked crisp range. Choose a flavour for your King's Day get-together, and compare the nutritional information on the packet if lower fat is your top priority.
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Lay's Oven Baked Mediterranean Herbs, 150 g
An oven-baked, herb-flavoured option to share at your get-together. Compare the fat, saturated fat, salt and energy per 100 g on the packet, and check the allergens for this flavour.
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Lay's Oven Baked Barbecue, 150 g
An oven-baked barbecue flavour for when you want to serve something with a smoky taste. Check the nutritional values per 100 g for this bag, and read the ingredients and allergen information on the packet.
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Lay's Oven Baked Paprika, 150 g
An oven-baked paprika flavour for anyone who wants to serve it at their get-together. As well as fat, check the energy, saturated fat, salt and allergen information on the packet for this flavour.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural, 150 g
An oven-baked Natural option if that’s the flavour you’re after for your get-together. The name doesn’t tell you how much salt the crisps contain, so compare the nutritional information per 100 g and read the allergen information on the packet.
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Lay's Oven Cheese Onion, 150 g
An oven-baked crisp with cheese and onion flavour to share at your get-together. Don’t rely on the flavour name for allergen information: check the packet and compare the nutritional values per 100 g.
Frequently asked questions
Are lower-fat crisps automatically a different choice from regular crisps?
They don’t automatically contain far fewer calories. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, light crisps contain less fat than regular crisps, but the difference in calories is small and neither is included in the Wheel of Five. Compare the options you’ve chosen and decide how much to serve.
How do I compare two bags of crisps?
Compare similar crisps per 100 g for energy, fat, saturated fat and salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that manufacturers set their own serving sizes on the packet, so comparing per serving can be misleading.
Do I still need to check allergens in lower-fat crisps?
Yes, check the allergen information for the specific flavour on the current packet. Ingredients can vary between options, and product information may change.
How can I keep track of how many crisps I serve at a King's Day get-together?
Divide the crisps between bowls instead of putting the whole bag on the table. That way, you can decide how much to serve to start with and whether to top up later.