A plain variety isn’t automatically a low-calorie lunch choice: Albert Heijn lists 470 kcal per 100 g for AH Original Tortilla Chips, while Jumbo gives the same figure for Doritos Original. So first work out how much you’ll actually eat, then compare the salt content and allergens for the exact flavour, especially if the chips are served loose in the canteen.
You fancy tortilla chips with or after lunch, but also want to know how many kcal are in the amount you actually eat. To work this out, compare the nutrition information per 100 g with your own portion, not just the contents of the bag.
You want to be able to check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen flavour. If the chips are served loose in the canteen, it’s important to ask about allergen information before buying.
You’re looking for something crunchy to go with other lunch foods. It helps to decide in advance how many chips you’ll have and think about what else is on your lunch menu.
Start with the kcal per 100 g and how much you plan to eat. Then consider whether the chips are an addition to your lunch, and check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen flavour.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Kcal per portion eaten | Check the kcal per 100 g and calculate the amount you’ll have; the stated serving may not match your portion. | If I have chips with lunch, I want to know how many kcal are in my portion. For around 46% of consumers, the amount they eat is the most important factor. |
| How they fit into your lunch | Decide whether the chips are a small addition and what else you’ll have for lunch. | I want something crunchy, but I don’t choose my lunch based solely on a bag of chips. For around 27% of consumers, combining them with other lunch foods is the priority. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Check the exact flavour and packaging; if buying loose portions in the canteen, ask about allergen information before you buy. | When I buy loose chips in the canteen, I want to know which allergens they contain. This is the main concern for around 27% of consumers. |
The varieties compared range from 470 to 475 kcal per 100 g, according to product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo. So the word ‘original’ alone doesn’t tell you how many kcal the chips contain.
Check the nutrition table per 100 g, then calculate the kcal for the amount you plan to eat.
The stated serving sizes vary: Albert Heijn gives 25 g for AH Original Tortilla Chips, Jumbo gives 30 g for Doritos Original, and Albert Heijn gives 40 g for Santa Maria Original Nacho Chips. This means you can’t compare the serving figures directly without taking the weight into account.
Choose your own portion and calculate the nutrition information for that amount.
Jumbo lists milk as an allergen in Jumbo Tortilla Chips Cool Cream. The AH Original Tortilla Chips reviewed are labelled vegan and gluten-free, but may contain soya. Salt content also varies between these varieties.
Check the ingredients, allergens and salt content on the current packaging for the exact flavour. If the chips are unpackaged in the canteen, ask how you can get allergen information.
If you have chips as your whole lunch, you’re not considering what else will be on your plate. A measured portion as an addition is a different choice from eating a whole bag as a meal.
Decide in advance how the chips will fit into your lunch and how much you want to eat.
The AH Original Tortilla Chips reviewed are a plain variety in a 200 g pack.
Jumbo offers several Doritos flavours. The Doritos Original reviewed has a stated average serving size of 30 g.
The Original Nacho Chips reviewed come in a 185 g pack, for anyone looking for nacho chips to enjoy with a dip or a meal.
The Jumbo Tortilla Chips Cool Cream reviewed are a flavoured variety in a 170 g pack.
ALDI lists tortilla chips in plain, cheese and sweet chilli flavours in this range, in a 300 g pack.
These tortilla chips are suitable for a lunch where you want a portion alongside other food or with a dip. The packs vary in flavour and weight, so always work out how much you’ll actually eat when comparing kcal.
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For anyone who likes plain tortilla chips with a dip; choose how many you’ll have with lunch.
Pack weight: 185 g.
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For anyone who wants sweet chilli-flavoured tortilla chips with lunch; choose how much you’d like to serve yourself.
Pack weight: 170 g.
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For anyone who likes nacho chips with a dip; divide the pack into the portion you choose for lunch.
Pack weight: 475 g.
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For anyone who wants nacho chips with a dip or a nacho dish; base your lunch portion on how much you actually have.
Pack weight: 185 g. For the 185 g pack of Original Nacho Chips reviewed, Albert Heijn lists 474 kcal and 0.9 g salt per 100 g.
You can’t tell from the flavour name alone. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list 470 to 475 kcal per 100 g for the four varieties compared here; the amount you eat determines how many kcal the chips add to your lunch.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products is shown on the label, while information for unpackaged products must be provided to consumers in another way. Before buying, ask how you can get the information for loose portions in the canteen.
No. You can’t tell from the word ‘plain’ alone. The AH Original Tortilla Chips reviewed are labelled that way, but may contain soya; Doritos Original is listed as potentially containing cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat. Check the exact packaging.
Seal the pack tightly after opening and store the chips in a dry place. Albert Heijn recommends an airtight container for the variety reviewed; follow the storage instructions on your product’s packaging.
