When comparing crisps for a school lunch, look beyond the energy per 100 g and consider how many crisps you’ll actually pack. In the product information compared here, Jumbo lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika, compared with 507 kcal for Lay's Paprika according to Albert Heijn. A lower energy value doesn’t make crisps a suitable lunch staple: check the salt and allergen information too, and decide what else to include in the lunch first.
If you’re packing paprika crisps as an extra in a lunchbox, compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then work out what’s in the portion you’ve chosen. The pack size isn’t automatically the same as the portion size.
If you have an allergy or dietary requirement, the ingredients and warnings on the current packaging are what matter. For example, the product information compared here lists milk in Lay's Oven Baked Paprika and says Proper Paprika Lentil Chips may contain soya.
If you’d like to pack crisps as a treat, start by planning the lunch itself. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also suggests packed lunch ideas, including sandwiches and wraps; crisps have a different role to play.
First decide how many crisps to pack alongside lunch. Then compare the nutritional information and, if you have an allergy, check the packaging of the product you’re buying.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and portion size | Compare kcal per 100 g and work out the amount you’ll actually pack. | If I’m putting crisps in a lunchbox, I want to know what’s in the portion I’ve measured out. For around 36% of shoppers, energy and portion size are the top priorities. |
| Salt and allergens | Check the salt per 100 g, ingredients and any allergen warnings on the current packaging. | If I have an allergy or dietary requirement, or I’m keeping an eye on salt, a lower energy value alone won’t determine my choice. Around 29% of shoppers give these checks the highest priority. |
| How they fit alongside lunch | Choose the lunch components first, then decide whether there’s room for a portion of crisps alongside them. | For the school afternoon, I want to pack a lunch and use crisps as an extra at most. This approach to planning lunch matters most to around 21% of shoppers. |
| Packaging | Check how much is in the bag and whether you can set aside a suitable amount at home. | If a large bag is being split over several school days, I don’t want to pack the whole bag each time. For around 14% of shoppers, portioning it out is the main concern. |
Lay's Oven Baked compares its fat content with that of standard potato crisps. According to Jumbo, Lay's Oven Baked Paprika contains 427 kcal per 100 g, so the amount you pack still matters.
Compare kcal per 100 g and measure out your chosen portion into a separate tub or bag before packing it.
A lower energy value doesn’t necessarily mean less salt. Albert Heijn lists 467 kcal and 2,71 g salt per 100 g for Proper Paprika Lentil Chips.
As well as the energy value, check the salt content, ingredients and allergen information.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the labels of prepacked foods.
Use a product page to help narrow down your options, but check the packaging of the product you’ve bought before eating it.
A bag may contain several portions. That means the amount you put in the lunchbox may differ from the portion used to calculate the nutritional value.
Portion out the crisps at home and calculate the nutritional values using the weight of the portion you’re taking with you.
Portioning them out in advance takes an extra step and requires a separate tub or bag.
The product information compared includes both standard and oven-baked paprika crisps from Lay's.
The product information compared includes both standard and organic paprika potato crisps from Albert Heijn.
Jumbo Paprika Chips are standard paprika-flavoured potato crisps in a 250 g bag.
Proper Paprika Lentil Chips are paprika-flavoured lentil crisps, not paprika-flavoured potato crisps.
These paprika crisps and paprika-seasoned snacks could be considered as measured extras alongside a school lunch. Pack sizes vary, so choose how much to take for lunch separately from the contents of the whole bag or multipack.
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For anyone who wants to measure out some crisps at home for a lunchbox. The bag contains 150 g; if ingredients and allergens matter to your choice, check the current packaging.
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For anyone who wants to divide a bag of paprika crisps into lunch portions at home. The pack contains 200 g; compare the nutritional information based on the amount you’re taking with you.
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For anyone looking for standard paprika crisps in a 100 g bag and wanting to measure out a lunch portion. Check the energy value on the current packaging before calculating your portion.
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For anyone who wants to pack Wokkels with paprika flavour as a treat and measure out a portion at home. The bag contains 100 g; check the salt content on the packaging when comparing products.
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For anyone who finds individual packs handy for school. This multipack contains 12 tubes of 40 g; include the contents of one tube in your portion calculation and check the allergen information on the label.
No. ‘Oven-baked’ alone doesn’t tell you enough about the energy value of a portion. Jumbo lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Lay's Oven Baked Paprika. Compare this with other products and work out the value for the amount you’re taking with you.
Don’t make a school lunch out of paprika crisps alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also suggests packed lunch ideas, such as sandwiches and wraps; you could add a measured portion of crisps alongside them.
Every time you buy them, check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, including any warnings about possible accidental presence. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on the labels of prepacked foods.
No. Also consider the nutritional values, portion size, ingredients and how the crisps fit alongside the rest of the lunch. Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack food choice label; a single score doesn’t tell you how much of a product you’ll take with you.
Ask the school about its own rules for food brought in from home and the canteen. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses policies for school environments, but this information doesn’t replace the rules set by an individual school.
