Who is this choice relevant to?

Childcare settings with a lunch policy

For staff and buyers who want regular lunches to follow their food policy and do not want to treat lower-fat crisps as a substitute for vegetables, fruit or wholemeal bread.

Childcare settings with occasional snack times

For settings considering paprika crisps only as an occasional treat and wanting to decide in advance how much to serve.

Buyers responsible for checking label information

For organisations that check the ingredients, allergens, salt and portion size for each variety before choosing a snack for a group.

What should you consider when choosing?

First decide whether you are choosing something for a regular lunch or a separate snack time. Then, if you are considering paprika crisps, compare the portion that will actually be served and the ingredients of the specific variety.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Place in the food policy Check whether the food policy allows crisps at this mealtime. For a regular lunch, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables, fruit and wholegrain foods as suitable staples. If I’m responsible for daily lunches, I want the choices to follow our food policy. Around 50% of consumers put this first.
Energy and portion size Compare the kcal per 100 g on the current packaging and work out the nutritional values for the amount you plan to serve. If crisps are only served as an occasional treat, I want to be able to measure out a portion in advance. For around 30% of consumers, portion control is the main concern.
Salt and allergens Read the salt value and the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety. When a group has different dietary requirements, I want to know what the chosen variety contains. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers.

What could you get wrong?

  • Assuming ‘less fat’ means ‘suitable for lunch’

    A comparison within the crisps category does not tell you whether crisps are suitable for a regular nursery lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises offering toddlers and young children snacks from the Wheel of Five.

    Use a fat claim only to compare different varieties of crisps. For a regular lunch, follow your food policy.

  • Comparing only the values per 100 g

    The amount served determines how much of a product a child gets. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a 40 g bowl of standard crisps contains 215 kcal.

    For an occasional snack, decide on the portion in advance and calculate the nutritional values of the crisps for that amount.

  • Assuming paprika flavour tells you everything and skipping the label

    Allergens vary by variety. Jumbo lists milk for Jumbo Paprika Chips, and milk and sulphites for Smiths Sticks Paprika; for Lay's Wokkels Paprika, Jumbo lists soya.

    Check the current packaging of the exact product for its ingredients, allergens and salt content.

  • Assuming a small bag has a different nutritional profile

    Pack size tells you nothing about the nutritional values per 100 g or the allergens in the product.

    For products such as Sun Snacks or Snack Day, check the nutritional information and ingredients on the chosen pack, even if it is already a convenient size for serving.

Brands compared

Lay's

Oven Baked Paprika is worth considering if you want to compare the fat content of different crisps for an occasional snack.

  • Albert Heijn displays the brand’s claim that this variety has 50% less fat than regular potato crisps.
  • A fat comparison does not tell you whether the crisps are suitable for a regular lunch. Also check the allergens on the current packaging.

Smiths

Sticks Paprika is a paprika-flavoured shaped snack, not a like-for-like alternative to regular potato crisps.

  • The product listing on Jumbo’s website lets you check the ingredients and allergens for this variety.
  • Jumbo lists milk and sulphur dioxide/sulphites for Smiths Sticks Paprika.

Albert Heijn

AH Chips Paprika gives you a specific point of comparison for regular paprika crisps.

  • Albert Heijn lists 523 kcal, 30 g of fat and 0.8 g of salt per 100 g for AH Chips Paprika.
  • Compare the portion you plan to serve separately; the values per 100 g are not the values for that portion.

Jumbo

Jumbo Paprika Chips is another regular paprika crisp variety to compare by its nutritional values.

  • Jumbo lists 515 kcal and 1.20 g of salt per 100 g for this variety.
  • Jumbo lists milk as an allergen. For a group snack, check the exact pack and portion size.

Lidl (Snack Day)

Snack Day Paprika Chips is a supermarket own-brand variety that you can assess using its label.

  • This variety is available as paprika crisps in Lidl’s range.
  • Check the kcal, salt, ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose before comparing it with other varieties.

ALDI (Sun Snacks)

Sun Snacks offers, among other options, a 50 g paprika or plain variety and a 250 g pack of paprika crisps.

  • The listed pack sizes can help you choose the format you want to serve.
  • Do not use the bag size as a guide to nutritional values; check the nutritional information and allergens for the variety you choose.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are paprika crisps suitable for daily lunches at a nursery?

Not as a regular lunch choice under the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s dietary advice. For toddlers and young children, it recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five, such as vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread. Its example food policy for childcare settings also emphasises foods from the Wheel of Five.

Does ‘50% less fat’ make paprika crisps suitable for lunch?

No. The claim for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika compares its fat content with regular potato crisps; it does not say whether the product is suitable for a nursery lunch. For an occasional snack, also consider the portion served, salt and ingredients.

Which allergens might paprika crisps contain?

It varies by product, so always check the current packaging. Jumbo lists milk for Jumbo Paprika Chips, milk and sulphites for Smiths Sticks Paprika, and soya for Lay's Wokkels Paprika.

How do I compare crisps for an occasional snack?

First decide how much you want to serve each child, then compare the nutritional information for that amount. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 215 kcal for a 40 g bowl of standard crisps; check the packaging for the nutritional values of the paprika crisp variety you choose.