Easter egg-hunt organisers
Packaged savoury treats can be handed out alongside the hunt. Check each product’s ingredients, allergens and pack format before choosing snacks for a group.
Who is choosing these snacks?
Shoppers looking for high protein
A protein figure on a crisp packet is not, by itself, a high-protein claim. Compare the nutrition information for the exact variant if protein is the reason for buying it.
Shoppers considering plant-based alternatives
A soya- and pea-based crunchy snack may fit a preference for a vegan, protein-focused option, but it is not the same as a maize snack. Check the received pack for soya and any milk cross-contact statement.
What should you check first?
Maize snacks
Choose when: A familiar maize-based crisp or popcorn matters more than a high-protein claim.
Trade-off: The examined Monster Munch and Wotsits variants have protein listed on their panels but do not meet the high-protein energy criterion.
Protein-focused alternatives
Choose when: Protein qualification matters more than the snack being made principally from maize.
Trade-off: The Novo Protein Pops and Myprotein pretzels described here use soya or pea ingredients; their allergens and serving information need separate checks.
Decide whether maize or protein is the requirement, then check the exact variant and the quantity needed for your group.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein claim | Check protein and energy for the same variant. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets a high-protein criterion of at least 20% of the food’s energy from protein; grams of protein alone do not establish this. | If protein is the point of the treat, I want the nutrition figures to support the claim rather than relying on a crisp having some protein. |
| Snack base | Read the ingredient list and product description. Walkers UK lists maize first for Monster Munch Sweet & Spicy and Wotsits Giants Cheese; ASDA describes Novo Protein Pops Salt & Vinegar as soya and yellow pea chips. | I’m looking for maize if the familiar snack format matters; if protein matters more, I can consider a different type of crunchy snack. |
| Allergens | Check the exact pack’s ingredients, allergen emphasis and any may-contain statement. The examined snacks have different declarations, including milk, wheat, soya or sesame. | Before handing treats to a group, I need to know which products suit the intended recipients and keep their packaging available. |
| Servings and quantity | Check pack count, pack weight and stated servings. ASDA lists two servings in a 45g bag of Novo Protein Pops; a whole bag need not represent one stated serving. | I want enough suitable treats for the participants, regardless of a promotion. In a Food Standards Agency and Ipsos survey of 611 Northern Ireland shoppers interviewed from September to November 2024, around 49% said a promotion made them more likely to buy chocolate confectionery, crisps and snacks; that measures promotion response, not nutritional suitability. |
What could affect your choice?
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Calling any crisp with protein “high protein”
The criterion in Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 concerns protein’s share of total energy. Using Walkers UK’s figures, Monster Munch Sweet & Spicy and Wotsits Giants Cheese fall below its 20% threshold.
Compare protein and energy on the nutrition panel for the flavour and pack you intend to distribute, rather than applying a claim to every product from a brand.
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Assuming a protein crisp is made from maize
ASDA identifies Novo Protein Pops Salt & Vinegar as soya and yellow pea chips, while Myprotein lists soya protein isolate in its Protein Pretzels. A crunchy format does not identify the main ingredient.
Read the product description and ingredient list, then decide whether maize is essential or a different crunchy snack will do.
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Sharing snacks before checking allergens
The products discussed here have differing ingredient and cross-contact statements. Food Standards Scotland advises that food businesses must declare applicable allergens from the 14 specified in UK allergen-labelling requirements.
Ask about recipients’ dietary restrictions in advance, check the packs received and retain their labels during the event. Keep separately chosen alternatives distinct.
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Counting every bag as one serving
ASDA lists two servings in a 45g bag of Novo Protein Pops. Bag count alone therefore does not tell you how many stated servings you have.
Compare the serving statement and number of packs with the number of people receiving treats.
Which brands illustrate the options?
Walkers
Walkers UK’s panels for Monster Munch Sweet & Spicy and Wotsits Giants Cheese provide two maize-first examples for shoppers choosing a familiar savoury format.
- The listed protein figures are 7.0g and 5.3g per 100g respectively.
- Neither examined variant meets the 20%-of-energy high-protein criterion; check each variant’s allergen label before sharing.
Novo Nutrition
ASDA describes Novo Protein Pops Salt & Vinegar as soya and yellow pea chips: a protein-focused crisp-style alternative, not a maize snack.
- The product information lists 23g protein per 100g.
- It contains soya, may contain milk and has two stated servings in its 45g bag.
Myprotein
Myprotein’s Protein Pretzels offer another crunchy format when a maize-based snack is not required.
- Myprotein lists 31g protein per 100g and 11g per 35g serving.
- The listed serving contains 1.60g salt. The soya-based product contains sesame and may contain nuts and milk.
Joybuy snack options
These options include maize or corn snacks for a familiar treat and other crunchy formats to consider separately when protein is the priority. Check each exact pack against the requirement that matters to you.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes 100g
Consider these lentil cakes when a crunchy alternative to maize snacks is acceptable. Check the exact pack’s nutrition and allergen information before choosing them for a group.
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Nik Naks Nice Spicy Corn Snacks 6 x 20g
A six-pack of 20g corn snacks offers separate bags for a group. Treat it as a savoury-snack choice rather than assuming it meets a high-protein requirement; check the exact pack’s nutrition and allergens.
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Butterkist Sweet & Salty Popcorn 6 x 12g
This popcorn comes as six 12g packs, an alternative format to maize crisps for handing out treats. Check the nutrition and allergen label if protein qualification or dietary restrictions matter.
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CJ Bibigo Crispy Seaweed Snack Bulgogi Flavour 5g x 3 Packs
Three 5g seaweed snack packs provide a different savoury format, not a maize snack. Do not use protein grams alone to judge a high-protein claim; check the exact pack’s energy, protein and allergens.
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Butterkist Crunchy Toffee Popcorn Snack Packs 6 x 20g
Six 20g popcorn packs provide individually packed sweet treats rather than a protein-focused savoury snack. Check the received pack’s ingredients, nutrition and allergens before distributing it.
Frequently asked questions
What does “high protein” measure on a snack?
It measures the proportion of the food’s energy supplied by protein, not just the grams of protein listed. The high-protein criterion in Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 is at least 20% of energy from protein, so compare the protein and energy figures for the exact variant.
Are Wotsits and Monster Munch high-protein maize snacks?
The examined variants are not. Walkers UK lists 7.0g protein and 492 kcal per 100g for Monster Munch Sweet & Spicy, and 5.3g protein and 540 kcal per 100g for Wotsits Giants Cheese. Those figures put protein’s share of energy below the 20% criterion; other variants need their own panel checked.
Is a protein crisp necessarily a maize snack?
No. ASDA identifies Novo Protein Pops Salt & Vinegar as soya and yellow pea chips. Read the ingredient list if maize is part of what you want, rather than judging by the crisp-like shape.
What should I check before sharing snacks at an Easter egg hunt?
Check the exact packs received for ingredients, declared allergens and may-contain statements, and ask about recipients’ dietary restrictions before distributing them. The examined products differ in their milk, wheat, soya and sesame information, so a familiar snack name is not enough to establish suitability for everyone.