Families choosing a smaller crisp snack
If potato crisps are on the menu, compare the calories in the individual bag rather than relying on words such as “baked” or “lighter”. Check the bag size alongside the calorie figure.
Who is this for?
Families serving from multipacks or sharing bags
A labelled serving from a larger bag is not necessarily the amount poured into a bowl. Decide on the portion before comparing it with a single snack pack.
Families checking ingredients and suitability
Flavours within a crisp range can have different ingredients and allergen statements. Use the current pack of the exact flavour when checking dietary suitability.
What should you compare?
Decide first whether the snack needs to be a potato crisp, then compare the portion likely to be eaten. A baked bag, a standard crisp bag and a non-crisp snack answer different preferences; a smaller calorie figure alone does not settle every part of the choice.
Baked potato crisps
Consider when: A crisp is wanted and calories per individual bag are the main comparison.
Bear in mind: Walkers UK lists 96 kcal for Oven Baked Sea Salt in a 22g bag, which is smaller than the 25g standard-crisp examples.
Standard potato crisps
Consider when: A conventional crisp is preferred and an individual bag makes the intended portion clear.
Bear in mind: Seabrook Crisps lists 126 kcal for Canadian Ham in a 25g bag, while Walkers UK lists 127 kcal for Roast Chicken in a 25g pack.
A snack without crisps
Consider when: The after-school snack does not need to have the flavour or texture of potato crisps. NHS children’s snack guidance suggests fruit and vegetables.
Bear in mind: Fruit or vegetables will not satisfy a preference for a crisp snack.
The Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland interviewed 611 adults in Northern Ireland from 16 September to 23 November 2024. The survey figures below describe those shoppers, not UK parents choosing snacks for children.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion calories | Read kcal for the whole individual bag or the amount served. If bag sizes differ, compare kcal per 100g as well. | I want to know the calories in the portion that will actually be eaten, not just whether the front of the bag says “baked”. |
| Salt and nutrition labels | Compare salt for the stated pack or serving. Use traffic-light labelling where it appears, alongside the full nutrition information. | I want to check salt as well as calories. In the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland’s 2024 survey, 49% of the Northern Ireland adults interviewed said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food. |
| Pack quantity | Check the number and size of bags in a multipack, or measure a serving from a sharing bag. Keep the planned snack portion separate from the quantity purchased. | A promotion would not change the portion I intend to serve. In the same 2024 Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland survey, 49% of the Northern Ireland adults interviewed said they were more likely to buy chocolate confectionery, crisps and snacks when those items were on promotion. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen statement and any dietary-suitability declaration on the exact flavour and current pack. | If a child needs to avoid an ingredient, a claim on another flavour from the same brand is not enough for me to choose this one. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming a smaller bag means a lower-calorie crisp
A smaller bag can have fewer calories simply because it contains less food. Walkers UK’s 22g Oven Baked Sea Salt pack lists 96 kcal; the 25g standard-crisp packs cited by Seabrook Crisps and Walkers UK list 126 kcal and 127 kcal respectively.
Use kcal per bag for the snack you plan to serve, then check kcal per 100g if you want to compare products independently of bag size.
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Treating a sharing bag’s serving as the whole bag
Tyrrells lists 156 kcal for a 30g serving of Lightly Sea Salted crisps from a larger bag, but 208 kcal for its 40g pack. The amount served changes the comparison.
Measure the intended serving from a larger bag, or choose a clearly labelled individual bag when that is easier to manage.
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Assuming every flavour has the same allergen information
Ingredients and warnings can differ between products, even within one brand’s range. A simple-sounding flavour name does not establish dietary suitability.
Check the current ingredients and allergen statement for the exact pack before serving it.
Brand and product references
These figures describe the named products and portions, not every crisp made by each brand. Brand inclusion here does not indicate which products Joybuy stocks.
Walkers
Walkers UK lists 96 kcal for a 22g Oven Baked Sea Salt pack and 127 kcal for a 25g Roast Chicken crisp pack.
- The named packs give two clearly stated individual portions to compare.
- The bags differ in size; check the current allergen statement for the flavour chosen.
Seabrook
Seabrook Crisps lists 126 kcal for a 25g Canadian Ham bag and 164 kcal for a 31.8g Sea Salted bag.
- Both named flavours have calories stated for the whole bag.
- Their bag sizes differ, so the calorie figures are not a like-for-like comparison by weight.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells lists 208 kcal for a 40g pack of Lightly Sea Salted crisps and 156 kcal for a 30g serving from a larger bag.
- The separate pack and serving figures help when deciding how much to serve.
- Do not treat the 30g serving figure as the calorie total for a larger bag.
KETTLE Chips
KETTLE Chips lists 513 kcal, 28.9g fat and 1.6g salt per 100g for Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar.
- The named product is labelled gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- A per-100g figure does not tell you the calories in an unmeasured individual portion.
Pipers
Pipers Crisps lists 532 kcal, 30.7g fat and 0.94g salt per 100g for Anglesey Sea Salt.
- The named product is labelled gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- Check the weight of the bag or serving before using the per-100g figure for a snack comparison.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps lists 496 kcal per 100g for its Roast Ox product.
- The stated per-100g value provides a basis for comparing energy by weight.
- Check the portion size and the exact flavour’s ingredients before choosing a pack.
Joybuy snack options
These multipacks include Oven Baked crisps, a PopChips snack and ridged crisps. Use the bag size to narrow the choice, then check the current nutrition and ingredient label for the flavour you intend to serve.
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Walkers Oven Baked Variety Pack Crisps, 6 × 22g
Six individual 22g bags provide a defined portion for comparing after-school snacks. Check the nutrition and allergen label for each flavour in the variety pack.
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Walkers Oven Baked Cheese & Onion Crisps, 6 × 22g
The six 22g bags offer a consistent single-flavour portion to compare with other snacks. Read this flavour’s own nutrition and allergen information rather than using figures from another Oven Baked product.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion, 5 × 17g
Five individual 17g bags provide another portion size to consider. Check its ingredients and kcal per bag and per 100g before comparing it with potato crisps.
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McCoys Ridge Cut Mighty Meaty Crisps, 6 × 25g
Six individual 25g bags offer a defined portion for someone choosing ridged crisps. Compare the calories on this pack with the baked options, and check its flavour-specific ingredients and allergens.
Questions about after-school crisps
How can I compare lower-calorie crisp packs?
Compare kcal for the individual bag or measured serving you intend to offer, then use kcal per 100g when bag sizes differ. Walkers UK lists 96 kcal for Oven Baked Sea Salt in a 22g pack; Seabrook Crisps lists 126 kcal for Canadian Ham in a 25g bag, and Walkers UK lists 127 kcal for Roast Chicken in a 25g pack.
Does “baked” settle the after-school snack choice?
No. “Baked” describes the crisp, but the pack’s calories, portion size, salt and ingredients still matter. If a crisp is not specifically wanted, NHS guidance also suggests fruit and vegetables as snacks for children.
Should I check salt as well as calories?
Yes: read both figures for the same pack or serving. Walkers UK lists 0.19g salt for its 22g Oven Baked Sea Salt pack, while Seabrook Crisps lists 0.4g for its 25g Canadian Ham bag; other flavours and portions need their own label check.
How do I check whether a flavour suits an allergy or dietary requirement?
Read the current ingredients, allergen warning and suitability statements for that exact flavour and pack. Do not carry a gluten-free, vegan or other declaration across to a different product simply because it has the same brand name.