For a crunchy lunch side, compare protein, calories and salt in the whole bag you would eat, then check the exact flavour’s ingredients and allergens. The cited protein-crisp bags declare 10g to 15g protein each, but crisps alone do not provide the range of foods described in the NHS Eatwell Guide; build lunch around other foods and add crisps if you want them.
If you eat lunch at your desk and want crisps alongside it, compare protein per bag with the portion you expect to eat. Walkers lists 2g protein in its cited 32.5g Ready Salted bag; the protein-crisp examples elsewhere in this article use different pack sizes.
A smaller bag may fit the amount of crunch you want without assuming all protein crisps have the same nutrition. Myprotein lists 11g protein and 100 kcal in its cited 25g pack; compare whole-pack figures for other products too.
Check the exact flavour’s ingredients and allergen statement. The cited protein crisps differ: some contain soya or milk, while Applied Nutrition describes its Protein Chips as gluten-free and soy-free.
Start with the portion you would eat at lunch, then compare its nutrition and ingredients rather than relying on the front-of-pack description.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per portion | Compare protein per whole bag as well as per 100g. Check pack size: a 25g bag and a 50g bag are different portions. | I want to know how much protein is in the amount I will actually eat, not just in 100g of the product. |
| Lunch alongside crisps | Consider what else lunch contains. The NHS Eatwell Guide includes protein foods such as beans, pulses, fish and eggs within a varied eating pattern. | I want crunch with lunch, but I am choosing the rest of the meal separately rather than treating a bag of crisps as the whole lunch. |
| Calories and salt | Read both values for the whole pack. For example, Myprotein lists 100 kcal and 0.75g salt per cited 25g pack; Ocado lists 147 kcal and 0.35g salt for The Curators’ cited 35g bag. | If crisps are a regular lunch addition, I want to compare what the portion contributes beyond protein. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the exact flavour’s ingredient and allergen statements; do not infer suitability from a lentil, pea or potato base. | I need a product that fits my ingredient or allergen requirements, even when another flavour in the range looks suitable. |
A lentil base or lower-fat description does not tell you the protein in your portion. Tyrrells lists 3.9g per cited 30g lentil-crisp serving, while Myprotein lists 11g per cited 25g protein-crisp pack.
Compare the protein figure for the amount you plan to eat before choosing a crisp for its protein content.
A protein-crisp bag adds one snack-format food, not the variety of foods described in the NHS Eatwell Guide.
Plan the rest of lunch separately, with foods such as beans, eggs or another protein food and fruit or vegetables as appropriate.
Salt differs between the cited products: Myprotein lists 0.75g per 25g pack, while Ocado lists 0.35g for The Curators’ 35g bag.
Compare salt for the whole portion alongside protein and calories.
The cited Myprotein crisps contain soya and milk ingredients, and The Curators Tangy Cheese chips contain milk and soya.
Check the current pack for the exact flavour, including precautionary allergen information where relevant.
These brand examples show why the exact product and portion matter; a brand’s wider crisp range does not share one nutrition profile.
The cited range includes standard Ready Salted crisps and Oven Baked Sea Salt.
Its lentil crisps offer a different base from potato crisps.
The cited Lightly Salted product is a potato crisp labelled vegan and gluten-free by KETTLE Chips.
The cited Sea Salted variant is labelled gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans by Seabrook.
The cited Salted flavour is a potato crisp sold for its ridged texture and flavour.
REAL describes its range as vegetarian and gluten-free.
This lentil-cake option offers crunch alongside a working-from-home lunch; compare the number of cakes you would eat with the per-bag protein-crisp examples discussed above.
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These lentil cakes are a crunchy alternative to a bag of crisps alongside lunch. The supplied product information gives 1.6g protein per cake, so consider how many cakes you would eat; check the current pack’s milk, sesame and soya precautionary allergen statements if relevant.
Plan them as a side or snack rather than the entire lunch. The NHS Eatwell Guide describes a varied eating pattern that includes protein foods, starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, and dairy or alternatives.
Use both figures for different purposes: per 100g helps compare products at the same weight, while per bag shows what your intended portion contains. Check calories and salt for that portion too, especially when comparing bags of different sizes.
Suitability depends on the exact product and flavour. Applied Nutrition describes its Protein Chips as gluten-free and soy-free, while the cited Myprotein product contains soya and milk; read the current ingredients and allergen statement before ordering.
Check the exact product and pack size, its nutrition information, and its ingredients and allergens. UK food-labelling guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency identifies ingredients, including allergens, and net quantity as key information for pre-packed food.