Hosts feeding a mixed group
If guests have different tastes, a familiar flavour gives them an alternative to the smoky or spicy bags on the table.
Who is choosing the crisps?
Hosts planning a savoury snack table
Barbecue, smoked paprika, roast and pepper flavours can provide a Bonfire Night theme. Keep a milder choice alongside them for guests who prefer it.
Hosts accommodating dietary needs
Choose by the ingredients and allergen information on each current pack, rather than assuming every flavour from a brand has the same suitability.
What should you check?
Build the flavour mix first, then check the serving format and the label of every variety you plan to offer.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour mix | Look for a familiar salted, cheese-and-onion or vinegar option alongside smoky or chilli flavours. Do not judge heat level from the flavour name alone. | I want guests to have a mild choice without ruling out stronger flavours for those who enjoy them. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredient list, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statements on each current pack. Cheese-flavoured and plain-looking varieties should be checked individually. | If a guest has an allergy or dietary requirement, I need to leave the relevant packaging available for them to read. |
| Serving format | Compare individual multipacks with sharing bags or mixed boxes. Check which flavours and how many packs are included before deciding how to serve them. | Several smaller packs would let my guests choose; sharing bags may suit a table where I can put out different flavours separately. |
| Nutrition label | Compare the exact products using their on-pack nutrition information, with the same per 100g or per-serving basis. Keep any stated comparison tied to its named product and reference. | If fat content matters to my choice, I want to compare the specific flavours I might buy, not assume one range-wide figure. |
What can go wrong?
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Putting out only one strong flavour
Chilli, smoke or meat-style seasoning may appeal to some guests but gives others no milder option.
Start with a familiar flavour and offer the bolder bags as additional choices.
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Using the flavour name as a dietary label
A cheese flavour can contain milk, and a plain-looking crisp may carry relevant allergen statements. The flavour name cannot settle vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or allergen suitability.
Read each current pack before serving. GOV.UK guidance for community and charity events recommends keeping packaging available for people with food hypersensitivities.
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Applying one nutrition claim to every flavour
Walkers describes its Oven Baked Sea Salt product as having 50% less fat than regular potato crisps. That product-specific comparison says nothing about the fat content of another flavour.
Compare the nutrition panels of the particular packs you are considering.
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Choosing a large pack without checking the flavour mix
A single-flavour pack does not provide an alternative for guests who dislike that seasoning.
If variety matters, check the contents of a mixed format. KETTLE Chips lists four flavours across the eight sharing bags in its Originals Box; check each included flavour separately for dietary suitability.
Brand ranges to consider
These brand ranges offer examples of the flavour routes, not a promise that every variety will suit every guest.
Walkers
The Walkers UK range spans familiar flavours, Smokin' BBQ, Roast Chicken and chilli-led varieties.
- The range offers both a mild starting point and stronger-flavoured additions.
- Walkers Cheese & Onion lists milk-derived ingredients; check the exact variety for each guest's needs.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells lists hand-cooked potato crisps including Smoked Paprika, Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper and Roasted Chicken & Sage.
- Its range gives hosts several distinct savoury and chilli-led choices.
- A flavour name does not establish its heat level or dietary suitability.
KETTLE Chips
KETTLE Chips offers hand-cooked crisps and an Originals Box containing eight sharing bags across four flavours.
- The box combines Lightly Salted with vinegar, cheddar-and-onion and black-pepper options.
- KETTLE identifies dietary suitability by variant; Mature Cheddar & Red Onion contains milk ingredients.
Seabrook
Seabrook lists crinkle-cut crisps in familiar flavours including Sea Salted, Cheese & Onion and Sea Salt & Vinegar.
- These flavours can provide straightforward choices alongside stronger seasonings.
- Check the exact flavour and pack label when ingredients or allergens matter.
McCoy's
McCoy's lists ridged crisps including Flame Grilled Steak, Hot 'n' Spicy and Salt & Malt Vinegar.
- The range offers savoury and spicy options for guests who want a stronger-flavoured bag.
- Keep a mild alternative for a mixed group and check individual packs for dietary suitability.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL lists hand-cooked flavours including Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Strong Cheddar & Onion and Jalapeño Pepper.
- Its official shop lists a mixed box for serving several flavours.
- Check the current ingredients and allergen information for each flavour in a mixed selection.
Joybuy options for bolder flavours
These options cover chilli, smoky and savoury snacks for the stronger-flavoured part of a Bonfire Night spread. Add a milder flavour separately if your guests need that choice.
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Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli Crisps 150g x6
A chilli-flavoured choice to put alongside a milder bag. The listed format is six 150g packs; check the packaging for current ingredients and allergens.
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McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, 12 Pack
A steak-flavoured savoury option in a listed 12-pack multipack. Check the pack's ingredients and allergen information rather than inferring dietary suitability from the flavour.
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Tyrrells Hand-Cooked Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper Crisps 150g
A sweet-chilli and red-pepper option in a 150g pack. Tyrrells lists this flavour in its hand-cooked range; check the current pack for allergen information and serve a mild alternative if tastes vary.
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Pringles Hot Smoky BBQ Ribs 160g
A hot, smoky BBQ-flavoured snack in a 160g tube. Put it out as a stronger-flavoured option and check the pack for current ingredients and allergens.
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Hula Hoops Smoky Bacon 6 x 20g
A smoky-bacon-flavoured snack supplied as six 20g packs. The flavour name does not establish whether it meets a dietary requirement, so check the current packaging.
Common questions
Which crisp flavours should I put out for a mixed Bonfire Night group?
Offer a familiar mild flavour first, then add smoky or savoury crisps and a chilli or pepper option if guests want one. Flavour names do not give a consistent measure of heat across brands, so a choice is more useful than relying on one strong seasoning.
Can I judge dietary suitability from a crisp flavour?
No. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack. KETTLE identifies milk ingredients in Mature Cheddar & Red Onion, while Walkers Cheese & Onion also lists milk-derived ingredients; a meat-style or spicy name cannot establish suitability either.
Should I keep crisp packaging at a community Bonfire Night event?
Yes. GOV.UK guidance on providing food at community and charity events recommends keeping packaging so people with food hypersensitivities can check it. The guidance also sets out ingredient and emphasised-allergen labelling requirements for prepacked and prepacked-for-direct-sale foods.
Does a brand's dietary statement apply to every flavour?
Check the individual pack even when a brand makes a range-wide statement. REAL describes its range as vegetarian and gluten-free, whereas KETTLE provides variant-specific suitability information for the flavours in its Originals Box.
Does a lower-fat claim cover other crisps from the same brand?
No. Walkers describes Oven Baked Sea Salt as having 50% less fat than regular potato crisps; that comparison is specific to that product and reference. Use the nutrition panels to compare the particular packs you are considering.