If your main reason for choosing different crisps is to eat less fat, look for a product with a clear reduced-fat claim and a stated basis for comparison. Then compare similar crisps per 100 g, looking at energy, fat, saturates and salt. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a Nutri-Score alone does not tell you whether a product is healthy.
Wants to enjoy crisps while watching a film or series and is looking for a product that clearly explains what its reduced-fat claim is compared with. Albert Heijn’s product information makes claims like these for Lay's Oven Baked Original and AH Ridged Crisps Original Reduced Fat.
Wants to consider energy, saturates and salt as well as fat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing the nutritional information for similar products per 100 g.
Prioritises flavour or texture over a reduced-fat claim and decides in advance how many crisps to put in a bowl for a night in front of the TV.
First decide what matters most for your TV snack: a proven reduction in fat, the overall nutritional profile, or a balance of flavour and portion size.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Proven lower fat content | Check what the reduced-fat claim is compared with, and look at the nutritional information per 100 g. | For my TV snack, I mainly want crisps with a clear reduced-fat claim, not just a suggestion on the front of the pack. Around 42% of consumers prioritise a proven reduction in fat. |
| Nutritional values beyond fat | Compare similar crisps per 100 g for energy, fat, saturates and salt. | If I’m choosing between different options, I want to see how much energy and salt I’m getting as well as fat. Around 33% of consumers place the greatest importance on the overall nutritional profile. |
| Flavour and portion size | Choose the flavour you like and decide in advance how many crisps to put in a bowl. | I want a flavour that suits my TV snack, without treating the whole pack as one portion. Around 25% of consumers prioritise flavour and choosing a portion in advance. |
A reduced-fat claim doesn’t tell you how much energy, saturated fat or salt a product contains. For example, Albert Heijn lists 461 kcal and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g for AH Ridged Crisps Original Reduced Fat.
Compare the nutritional information for similar crisps per 100 g before you choose.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a green A or B doesn’t automatically mean a product is healthy. The score is useful for comparing products of the same type.
Use Nutri-Score alongside the nutrition table, not instead of it.
Nutritional values per portion can be hard to compare when packs use different portion sizes.
Compare products per 100 g first, then decide separately how much you want to eat while watching TV.
Ingredients and product information can change. This is especially important if you need to avoid an ingredient because of an allergy or intolerance.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack before eating.
For Lay's Oven Baked Original, Albert Heijn states that it contains 50% less fat than regular potato crisps. This comparison applies to this particular variety and not automatically to other flavours from the brand.
According to Albert Heijn, AH Ridged Crisps Original Reduced Fat is compared with regular AH Ridged Crisps Original and carries a claim of 35% less fat.
Pringles Original is available in 40 g, 70 g and 165 g packs. These sizes may be useful if you want to decide in advance how much to serve for your TV snack.
These 150 g Lay's Oven varieties are worth considering if you’re looking for crisps with a reduced-fat claim to assess. The flavours differ, so check the current claim, its basis for comparison and the nutritional information on each pack.
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A herby option for anyone who wants this flavour for a TV snack and is comparing oven-baked crisps.
Pack size: 150 g. Compare the nutritional values per 100 g with those of similar crisps.
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A barbecue flavour for anyone who wants to choose their preferred taste first, then compare the fat claim and other nutritional values.
Pack size: 150 g. If you have an allergy, check the current allergen information on the pack.
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A paprika option for when this flavour matters more to you than choosing between the other Oven Baked varieties.
Pack size: 150 g. Alongside any fat claim, check the energy, saturates and salt per 100 g.
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An Original option for anyone who doesn’t want to choose one of the herb flavours mentioned for their TV snack.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the latest ingredients and nutritional information on the pack.
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A cheese and onion option for anyone who enjoys this flavour and wants to compare its nutritional values with other crisps.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the latest allergen information and compare nutritional values on the same per-100 g basis.
No. A reduced-fat claim compares the fat content with that of another product, but it doesn’t tell you how much energy, saturated fat or salt the crisps contain. Compare the nutritional information for similar crisps and think about how much you plan to eat.
Compare similar crisps using their nutritional values per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that values per portion can be confusing when packs use different portion sizes.
Check energy, saturates and salt as well as total fat. As a reference, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average crisps per 40 g as 215 kcal, 13.1 g of fat, 3.4 g of saturates and 0.53 g of salt; individual products may differ.
Check the allergen information on the pack before eating the crisps, too. Ingredients and product information can change, so don’t rely on online information alone for this check.
