Don’t buy a tortilla chip multipack as a regular snack for a toddler: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread. If you do want to give them crisps to share occasionally, decide how much to serve rather than treating one bag as a toddler-sized portion; according to Jumbo, a 44 g bag of Doritos contains 211 kcal and 0.39 g of salt. If you’re taking them somewhere, also check the allergens on the current packaging and the rules at the school or childcare setting.
There’s more to a daily snack routine than a handy little bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread.
An individual bag or resealable pack can make them easier to take along and share. But that doesn’t automatically mean one whole bag is a suitable amount for a toddler.
If you’re choosing a snack for school or childcare, check the current ingredients list and the setting’s rules. Whether tortilla chips contain ingredients with gluten varies by product; the Doritos Nacho Cheese varieties we checked list milk as an allergen.
When choosing a tortilla chip multipack for a toddler, first decide whether crisps are right for the occasion. If you’re sharing them occasionally, then consider how much you’ll actually serve, the pack size and any allergens.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Suitability and amount | Compare the nutrition information per serving with the amount you’ll actually give your child, and check the salt content too. | If you’re looking for an everyday snack for a toddler, first consider whether crisps are right for the occasion and how much your child will have. This is the main question for around 50% of consumers considering a multipack for a toddler. |
| Taking them along and sharing | Check how many bags there are and how much each one weighs, or see whether the larger pack is resealable. | For an occasional sharing moment, I want to be able to take crisps along or share them without leaving a large bag open. This convenience is the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Allergens and setting rules | Check the allergens on the current packaging and ask about the rules at the school or childcare setting. | If a snack is going to school or childcare, I want to know whether the ingredients and group rules allow it before I pack it. This check is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Individual packs are handy for taking along and handing out, but they don’t determine how much you should give a toddler. According to Jumbo, one 44 g bag of Doritos Nacho Cheese contains 211 kcal and 0.39 g of salt.
When sharing crisps occasionally, use the bag to portion them out rather than automatically treating it as the right amount for one child.
You can’t tell which allergens a particular flavour contains just from the name ‘tortilla chips’. The Doritos Nacho Cheese varieties we checked list milk.
Read the current ingredients list on the exact pack you’re buying, and check the school or childcare setting’s rules if you’re taking the crisps along.
A large bag or resealable box makes sharing possible, but it doesn’t control how much you serve.
Choose a pack size based on who’ll be sharing it, and decide in advance how much to serve for an occasional toddler snack. For an everyday snack, choose an option that follows the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice.
Jumbo lists Doritos Nacho Cheese in a box of 20 bags of 44 g; Albert Heijn also lists a resealable Nacho Cheese snack box.
Jumbo lists its own-brand tortilla chips in a 170 g bag and a 300 g Nacho Cheese variety.
Jumbo lists Santa Maria Nacho Tortilla Chips in a 475 g bag.
ALDI lists SUN SNACKS Tortilla Chips in plain, cheese and sweet chilli varieties.
Not as a regular choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread.
No, the packaging doesn’t determine how much you should give a toddler. The Doritos Nacho Cheese multipack listed by Jumbo contains 44 g bags, each with 211 kcal and 0.39 g of salt; if you’re sharing them occasionally, decide for yourself how much to serve.
You can’t tell from the product category alone. Check the current ingredients list for the specific flavour and pack for cereals containing gluten and any other relevant allergens; the Doritos Nacho Cheese varieties we checked list milk.
Ask about the snack and allergy rules at the school or childcare setting, and check the current packaging. The allergen information helps you check the ingredients, but it doesn’t tell you whether the setting allows this snack.
