When choosing crisps for a night shift, don’t rely on the brand or flavour name alone: check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the exact product. If you need to avoid gluten, also look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ statement. A small bag is easy to take with you, but its size doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for your diet.
You’re looking for something you can eat straight away during your shift, but need to avoid ingredients such as milk, soya or sulphites. The ingredients list on the exact pack is what matters when making your choice. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on labels.
You want to search with a specific aim in mind, then check that the chosen pack says ‘gluten-free’. Albert Heijn and Jumbo’s gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks categories can be a useful starting point; then check the information for the specific product too.
You don’t need to avoid a particular allergen, but want to take a snack with you and compare pack sizes. If you also want to check salt, fat or energy, compare the nutritional values per 100 g, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
First, work out which ingredients you need to avoid. Then choose a flavour and pack size that suit your night shift.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergens | Read the ingredients and highlighted allergens on the exact pack. Check for any warnings too. | If I need to avoid a particular allergen, I can’t rely on a familiar flavour or brand name. Around 50% of consumers prioritise avoiding a specific allergen. |
| Gluten-free options | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging and check the ingredients for that product; use a shop filter for searching only. | When I avoid gluten, I don’t want to assume a snack is suitable just because it’s called ‘plain’. An explicitly gluten-free option is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack size and nutritional values | Check the pack size and compare salt, fat and energy per 100 g when comparing products. | I want to be able to take a small bag with me and decide how much to eat during my shift. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
Ingredients and allergens vary between products. According to Jumbo’s product information, Smiths Sticks Paprika contains milk and sulphites; Pringles lists wheat flour for Original and says it may contain milk and soya.
Read the label on the flavour and pack you’re actually buying, even if you’ve eaten another product from the same brand before.
A flavour name or information about fat doesn’t tell you whether a product contains an allergen you need to avoid. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking the ingredients and nutrition table too.
Check each allergen that matters to you separately. Look at the nutrition table only if you also want to compare the nutritional values of different products.
Pringles says that recipes can change. So a product page you viewed previously or an old pack is no substitute for the information on the tube or bag you’re using now.
Check the physical packaging before eating the snack, especially after buying online or if you haven’t bought the product for a while.
An online category can help you search, but the range may change. That’s inconvenient if you’re counting on a specific snack for your night shift.
Check that your preferred product is available and, if necessary, choose another product in advance whose label you can check.
A brand or shop is a place to start looking, not a guarantee that every product will meet the same dietary needs. Always check the exact product.
Lay's offers a range of crisps and snacks, including multipacks with small bags for anyone looking for a handy size.
Pringles Original shows why the ingredients list matters even for a familiar classic flavour.
Smiths Sticks Paprika is an example of a flavoured snack where the exact product makes all the difference.
The dedicated gluten-free crisps category gives you a more focused way to search.
Jumbo has separate categories for gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks, and for plain crisps.
Snack Day is Lidl’s crisps and snacks brand, with a range of flavours and product types.
These broccoli and okra crisps, banana chips, sweet potato crisps and cassava crisps are options to consider as a crunchy snack for a night shift. They’re different types of products, not interchangeable gluten-free or allergen-free options: check the information on the exact pack to make sure it meets your dietary needs.
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The 20 g bag is a handy small size to take with you on your shift.
If you need to avoid gluten or a specific allergen, check the statements, ingredients and any warnings on the exact pack.
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The 25 g pack is a handy size for a snack during your night shift.
Before eating, check the packaging to make sure the information about gluten and allergens matches what you need to avoid.
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If you want to take banana chips with you for a shift, this pack contains 70 g.
Allergen information on a product page is no substitute for the label. If it matters to your choice, look for ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging too.
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These 70 g sweet potato crisps are a different option to regular potato crisps to consider for your shift.
The flavour name Original Flavor doesn’t tell you whether the product contains gluten or other allergens. Check the ingredients and statements on the packaging.
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If you want to take cassava crisps with you, this larger 250 g pack lets you decide in advance how much to eat during your shift.
Before choosing this product for a strict diet, check the ingredients, any allergen warnings and whether the exact pack states that it is gluten-free.
Yes. Labelling rules apply to the 14 specified allergens in prepacked foods. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that any allergens present must be clearly distinguishable from the other ingredients. Read the ingredients list on the pack you’re buying.
You can’t tell from the flavour name alone. For example, Pringles lists wheat flour for Original and says it may contain milk and soya. Always check the ingredients and warnings for the exact product.
Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ statement on the exact pack and check the ingredients as well. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions for using this statement; the type of snack or its flavour name alone isn’t enough.
Use the filter as a starting point, not as your final check. Albert Heijn and Jumbo have separate categories for gluten-free crisps or savoury snacks, but you should then check the current information on the packaging of the product you choose.
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g when looking at different products side by side. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this as the basis for comparison; then check the pack size to decide how much to take with you.
