When comparing lower-fat crisps for a school lunch, don’t rely solely on the claim on the front of the pack. Check the fat, salt and energy per 100 g, and decide how many crisps to pack. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt contains 9.2 g of fat and 1.5 g of salt per 100 g, while Lay's Oven Baked Naturel contains 13 g of fat and 0.85 g of salt per 100 g. Which difference matters more depends on your priorities. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread as snack options for teenagers; crisps are not a substitute for lunch.
Want to take crisps with you now and then, and is a lower fat content your main priority? Compare the amount of fat per 100 g. A ‘less fat’ percentage refers to a comparison product and doesn’t, on its own, tell you how much fat the crisps contain.
If you’re packing crisps, you may want to decide what else to put in the lunchbox first. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread, among other things, as snack options for teenagers.
A lower fat content says nothing about how much salt a product contains or whether it’s suitable for someone with an allergy. Compare the nutritional information and check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack of the crisps you choose.
If you’re choosing crisps as an occasional addition to a school lunch, start by deciding what matters most to you. Then check the other details on the label: a lower fat content doesn’t automatically mean less salt or a suitable ingredients list.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Compare fat per 100 g and check which product a ‘less fat’ claim is compared with. | If I take crisps with me now and then, I mainly want to know how much fat the variety I’ve chosen contains. Around 36% of consumers say this is their main priority. |
| Salt and the rest of the lunch | Check the salt per 100 g and decide what place crisps should have alongside the other lunch items. | I want crisps to remain an addition, so I also take the salt content and the rest of the lunch into account. This consideration is the deciding factor for around 29% of consumers. |
| Amount for the lunchbox | Check the pack weight and stated serving size; decide for yourself how much to take. | When I’m taking some crisps from a larger bag to school, I want to be able to portion them out in advance. This practical need is the main priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the label tells me whether the crisps I’ve chosen are suitable. Around 14% of consumers give this check top priority. |
A lower-fat claim doesn’t turn crisps into a substitute for lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread, among other things, as snack options for teenagers.
Decide what else you’re packing first and, if you choose crisps, treat them as an occasional addition.
Albert Heijn’s product information compares AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet with AH Ribbelchips naturel, while claims for some other varieties refer to regular potato crisps. So the percentages don’t necessarily use the same basis for comparison.
Check the reference product for the claim, then compare the amount of fat per 100 g.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Chio Oven Chips Sea Salt contains 1.5 g of salt per 100 g, while BioToday Linzenchips zeezout contains 1.7 g per 100 g. Both product descriptions also mention possible allergens.
Check the nutritional information and allergen details on the pack every time you buy, especially if you need to avoid an ingredient.
The Oven Baked range includes a potato crisp variety marketed as having less fat.
Oven Chips Sea Salt is an oven-baked potato crisp variety to compare by fat and salt per 100 g.
AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet uses regular AH Ribbelchips naturel as the basis for its fat claim.
Linzenchips zeezout is a lentil-based crisp, not a regular potato crisp.
Pringles Original is a familiar product for comparison, but it isn’t the same as a lower-fat variety.
This Oven Baked Barbecue variety may suit you if you want to portion out crisps for a school lunch now and then and are specifically looking for a lower-fat claim. Check the nutritional values on the pack before deciding how much to take.
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An option for portioning out an occasional amount of crisps from a larger bag for the lunchbox.
No. A claim about less fat doesn’t mean crisps can replace lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread, among other things, as snack options for teenagers. So consider crisps an occasional addition to whatever else you’re packing.
Not on that percentage alone: check what the manufacturer is comparing the crisps with and look at the fat per 100 g. According to Albert Heijn, the claim for AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet compares it with AH Ribbelchips naturel; a claim that uses regular potato crisps as its reference has a different basis.
Decide at home how much you want to take and portion out the crisps in advance. A serving size on the pack can help you measure them, but it isn’t a compulsory personal limit; check the serving information for the variety you buy.
Read the allergen information on the current pack of the specific variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that 14 allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods. When choosing, don’t rely solely on a product page you looked at earlier.
