Coffee-break snackers keeping an eye on calories
You fancy paprika crisps with your morning coffee, but your main concern is the energy in the amount you actually eat.
Who is this comparison for?
Shoppers comparing more than just calories
You check the fat and salt figures too: a product with less fat does not automatically contain less salt.
Shoppers who need to check ingredients
You check allergens and specific product claims before buying. The Lay's Oven Baked, Jumbo and Smiths varieties in this comparison contain milk; Smiths Sticks Paprika also lists sulphites.
What should you look for when choosing?
With paprika crisps for your morning coffee, how much you eat will affect the number of calories. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g on a like-for-like basis before choosing between oven-baked crisps, classic potato crisps and shaped snacks.
Oven-baked paprika crisps
When to choose them: you’re looking for fewer calories per 100 g than in the classic potato crisps in this comparison; Albert Heijn lists 427 kcal for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika.
The trade-off: this variety contains milk, and the Joybuy pack with the same name lists a different energy value. Check the value on your pack.
Classic paprika potato crisps
When to choose them: you’re after the familiar style of potato crisps and calories aren’t your only consideration.
The trade-off: the classic products in this comparison vary in salt content and allergens, so compare individual products rather than treating the whole category as the same.
Shaped snacks with paprika flavour
When to choose them: you want a different shape and texture; according to Jumbo, Smiths Sticks Paprika is a potato and maize snack.
The trade-off: Jumbo lists 491 kcal and 1,3 g of salt per 100 g for this Smiths variety, as well as milk and sulphites.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Compare kcal per 100 g, then work out the figure for the amount you plan to eat; stated portion sizes can vary. | If I have a small portion with my coffee, I want to know how much energy that amount provides. Around 50% of consumers prioritise the calories in their portion. |
| Salt and fat | Check the salt and fat per 100 g alongside the energy value; don’t rely solely on a claim on the front of the pack. | I don’t want to choose based on kcal alone if the salt content varies between paprika snacks. This broader comparison matters most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Allergens and dietary claims | Check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product; only rely on dietary claims that are actually stated on the pack. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the snack has to meet my requirements before I compare calories. This check is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘less fat’ answers every nutritional question
Albert Heijn lists less fat and fewer kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika than for classic Lay's Paprika. The oven-baked variety also contains salt and milk; its fat content tells you nothing about those.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, and check the ingredients and allergens separately.
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Comparing different portion sizes directly
A product with a smaller stated portion may show a lower figure per portion as a result. The product pages in this comparison use both 25 g and 30 g portions.
Compare kcal per 100 g first, then work out the energy for the amount you want to eat.
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Assuming all paprika crisps contain the same allergens
The products in this comparison differ: Lay's Oven Baked Paprika and Jumbo Paprika Chips list milk, while Smiths Sticks Paprika lists milk and sulphites. Albert Heijn describes its AH Chips paprika as vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information for the specific product, even if you already know the flavour.
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Calling a supermarket own-brand product low in calories without checking the nutrition
Lidl sells Snack Day Paprika chips, while ALDI sells Sun Snacks Paprikachips. The product name alone doesn’t tell you how many kcal, how much fat or how much salt the product contains.
Only compare these varieties nutritionally after checking the information on their packaging.
Brands to consider
Lay's
This comparison includes both classic paprika potato crisps and an oven-baked paprika variety.
- Albert Heijn lists 427 kcal and 13 g of fat per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika, compared with 507 kcal and 29 g of fat for classic Lay's Paprika.
- The Oven Baked variety in this comparison contains milk. Joybuy also lists 440 rather than 427 kcal per 100 g for a pack with the same name, so check the label on the exact variety.
Smiths
Smiths Sticks Paprika is a shaped potato and maize snack for anyone looking for a different texture from classic crisps.
- Jumbo lists 491 kcal per 100 g for Sticks Paprika.
- The same product information lists 1,3 g of salt per 100 g and the allergens milk and sulphites.
Albert Heijn
AH Chips paprika is a classic paprika potato crisp with product claims aimed at shoppers making specific ingredient choices.
- Albert Heijn describes this specific product as vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free.
- Albert Heijn lists 523 kcal and 30 g of fat per 100 g; check the current pack if these claims are important to your choice.
Jumbo
Jumbo Paprika Chips is a classic own-brand variety with a stated portion size of 30 g.
- Jumbo lists 154 kcal per 30 g portion, as well as 515 kcal per 100 g.
- This specific product contains milk and lists 1,20 g of salt per 100 g.
Lidl / Snack Day
Lidl describes Snack Day Paprika chips as potato crisps with paprika flavour, in a 250 g pack.
- An option to compare on the label with other classic paprika crisps.
- Check the nutritional information on the pack before judging its calories, fat or salt content.
ALDI / Sun Snacks
ALDI lists Sun Snacks Paprikachips as paprika crisps in a 250 g pack.
- A familiar product name to use when comparing it with other paprika crisps.
- Check the nutritional information on the pack before assessing this product for energy, fat or salt.
Paprika snacks on Joybuy
These products offer a choice of paprika snacks to have with your morning coffee: classic potato crisps, a shaped snack and an oven-baked variety. Choose based on the pack you plan to eat, and check the nutritional information and allergens for the exact variety.
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Farmhouse Biscuits Paprika Chips 150 g
A paprika potato crisp for anyone who wants to weigh out their own portion to have with coffee.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion on the pack, as well as the allergen information if it matters to your choice.
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Lay's Chips Paprika 300 g
A larger pack of classic paprika crisps for anyone who likes to decide how much to have at each snack break.
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and decide on your portion before working out the calories for your coffee break.
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Lay's Wokkels Paprika Chips 100 g
A shaped paprika snack for anyone looking for something different from the shape of classic potato crisps.
For this variety, pay particular attention to the salt content and the mention of soya; work out the energy for the amount you want to eat.
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Lay's Oven Baked Paprika 150 g
An oven-baked paprika variety for anyone who wants to compare this type of product with classic crisps.
Joybuy lists 440 kcal per 100 g, while Albert Heijn lists 427 kcal per 100 g for a 150 g variety with the same name. Check the value on the exact pack, and look out for the mention of milk.
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Lay's Max Smoky Paprika 185 g
A paprika crisp for anyone looking for the Smoky Paprika variety and keen to take its nutritional values into account too.
Compare the energy and salt per 100 g with other packs, then decide how much you want to have as a snack.
Frequently asked questions
Do oven-baked paprika crisps always contain fewer calories?
You can’t assume that all oven-baked paprika crisps do. Albert Heijn lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika and 507 kcal per 100 g for classic Lay's Paprika, but Joybuy lists 440 kcal per 100 g for an Oven Baked pack with the same name. So compare the exact products per 100 g, and check the information on salt and allergens too.
Should I compare kcal per 100 g or per portion?
Use kcal per 100 g to compare different paprika crisps on a like-for-like basis, then work out the kcal for the amount you want to have with your coffee. The product information in this comparison doesn’t use the same portion size throughout: Jumbo gives a 30 g portion for its Paprika Chips, while Albert Heijn gives 25 g for AH Chips paprika.
Should I check the allergens in paprika crisps every time?
Yes. If allergens matter to you, check the current pack for the specific product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the rules for mandatory allergen labelling on food labels. In the product information reviewed here, Lay's Oven Baked Paprika and Jumbo Paprika Chips list milk, while Smiths Sticks Paprika lists milk and sulphites.