When choosing crisps for your gym bag, first look for a verifiable organic certification, then compare the nutritional information per portion, especially energy, fat, salt and protein. Crisps can make a savoury snack on the go, but they’re not automatically a suitable choice just before exercise or a replacement for a post-workout meal. Choose vegetable or lentil crisps for their flavour or based on their label, not because the name alone tells you anything about their nutritional value.
You want to pack crisps without relying on words such as ‘natural’. The EU organic logo and other organic indications on the packaging help you check a product’s status; the European Commission explains when the logo is compulsory.
You want to know how much energy, fat, salt and protein are in the amount you’ll actually take with you. So check the nutritional information both per 100 g and per portion, and consider when you plan to eat the crisps.
You’re looking to mix things up with vegetable or pulse crisps. Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific variety: according to the Voedingscentrum, vegetable crisps can contain as much fat as potato crisps.
For shoppers considering organic crisps for their gym bag, organic status comes first. The timing, portion size and flavour you’re after then help determine which pack is practical.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiably organic | Check the organic indications on the packaging, including the EU organic logo where required. Assess the nutritional value separately. | If organic is a must for me, I want to be able to check this on the packaging rather than rely on a natural look. Around 45% of these consumers would put verifiable organic status at the top of their list when buying. |
| Nutritional value around exercise | Compare energy, fat, salt and protein for the same portion size; also consider when you plan to eat the crisps. | If I eat close to a workout, I want to know how much I’m having and how the portion fits into my plans. Around 33% of these consumers would prioritise nutritional value around exercise. |
| Portability and flavour | Check the pack size and ingredients; consider whether you want to take a portion with you separately. | I want to take an amount that fits in my bag, and I like to switch between potato, vegetable and pulse crisps. This would be the main deciding factor for around 22% of these consumers. |
Organic describes how a product is produced; it doesn’t automatically tell you how much energy, fat or salt it contains. The Voedingscentrum says that, in general, there’s no evidence that organic food is healthier than conventional food.
Check the organic indication, then read the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion.
According to the Voedingscentrum, vegetable crisps can contain as much fat as potato crisps. Jumbo lists 7,0 g of fat per 25 g portion for its organic vegetable crisps.
Choose these crisps for the flavour you want, and compare the nutritional values per portion if fat is a factor in your choice.
The Voedingscentrum advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise, as they can stay in your stomach for longer.
Decide in advance how much you want to take with you, and bear in mind what feels comfortable for you when choosing when to eat it.
Lidl states that its organic vegetable crisps are available while stocks last. So a product listing doesn’t tell you whether the item is available at a particular shop.
Check current availability if you want to take that particular variety with you.
Jumbo offers own-brand organic ready salted crisps and organic vegetable crisps.
BioToday Sea Salt Lentil Crisps are an organic variety made with red lentils.
Trafo presents itself as a brand of organic crisps, including varieties made with potato, vegetables and pulses.
Albert Heijn lists AH Biologisch Ready Salted Crisps as an own-brand product.
Lidl lists organic vegetable crisps in a 100 g pack as a shop product.
Look for organic indications on the packaging, including the EU organic logo where required. According to the European Commission, this logo is compulsory for pre-packed food produced in the EU and sold there as organic. The logo must also be accompanied by a code for the control body and an indication of where the agricultural raw materials come from.
No. Organic status alone doesn’t tell you how much energy, fat or salt crisps contain. The Voedingscentrum says that, in general, there’s no evidence that organic food is healthier than conventional food, so compare the nutritional information of the products you’re considering.
A large portion just before exercise won’t suit everyone. The Voedingscentrum advises avoiding large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre at that time. Choose your portion size and when to eat it with your own tolerance in mind.
Not necessarily: according to the Voedingscentrum, vegetable crisps can contain as much fat as potato crisps. Compare specific products by the same weight; Jumbo lists 7,0 g of fat per 25 g portion for its organic vegetable crisps.
Protein content is one value to compare per portion, not a reason to treat crisps as a post-workout meal. BioToday lists 12 g of protein per 100 g for its Sea Salt Lentil Crisps; also check the portion size and other nutritional information on the label.
