Shoppers choosing a defined snack portion
If you plan to eat one bag with afternoon tea, compare its labelled calories with the portion you want. Per-100g figures provide a separate comparison between differently sized bags.
Who is this choice for?
The useful comparison depends on whether your main concern is the amount in one snack, its salt content or the suitability of a particular flavour.
Shoppers also checking salt
A small bag can have a low per-bag calorie figure without having a low salt figure per 100g. Check both the salt in the portion and the per-100g declaration when comparing packs.
Shoppers with dietary requirements
Check the ingredients, suitability statements and allergen advice for the exact flavour and current pack. A statement about one crisp product does not automatically apply to another.
What should you check on the pack?
Start with the portion you will eat, then use the per-100g panel to compare products on the same basis. The NHS explains that pre-packed food labels give nutrition information per 100g and may also give it per portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and portion size | Compare kcal for the bag or portion you intend to eat, then kcal per 100g. Check the weight if one option is a smaller bag. | I want to know the calories in my afternoon snack, not just which bag has the lowest number on its label. |
| Salt | Check salt per bag and per 100g. Where traffic-light labelling appears, GOV.UK says it identifies whether the labelled salt amount is low, medium or high. | Salt matters to my choice as well as calories, particularly when I am comparing bags of different sizes. |
| Fat claims | Read fat and saturates for the stated serving and per 100g. Check what a less-fat claim compares the product against; use kcal separately for a calorie comparison. | A baked or lentil crisp sounds relevant, but I still want the calorie figure for the flavour and portion I will eat. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the exact flavour’s ingredient list, allergen advice and any vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free statement on the current pack. | I need to check that the particular crisps I buy meet my dietary requirements, rather than relying on the flavour name or crisp type. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Choosing by the lowest per-bag calorie number alone
Seabrook Sea Salted Crunchies list 82 kcal in an 18g bag; Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt lists 96 kcal in a 22g portion. Those numbers describe different amounts of food.
Compare the amount you expect to eat first, then use kcal per 100g to judge whether the difference is mainly due to bag size.
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Assuming a less-fat or lentil crisp has fewer calories
Tyrrells says its lentil crisps contain 30% less fat than standard potato crisps on average, but its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps list 141 kcal per 30g serving. The fat claim and the serving’s calorie figure answer different questions.
Check kcal, fat and serving size for the exact flavour instead of using the crisp type as a substitute for its nutrition panel.
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Overlooking salt in a small bag
Seabrook Sea Salted Crunchies list 0.30g salt per 18g bag and 1.69g per 100g. A small portion and its per-100g salt figure offer different views of the same product.
If salt is relevant to your choice, compare both figures across the packs you are considering.
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Assuming a simple flavour settles allergen suitability
The manufacturer information for Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt and Seabrook Sea Salted Crunchies includes may-contain allergen advice. A sea-salt flavour name does not replace that information.
Read the ingredients and allergen statement on the current pack of the exact flavour before eating it.
Brand and product references
These manufacturer examples show why a crisp’s format or brand name cannot stand in for the nutrition panel of the product you intend to buy.
Walkers
The Oven Baked range includes potato-crisp flavours relevant to a portion-based comparison.
- Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt lists 96 kcal, 2.8g fat and 0.19g salt per 22g portion.
- Its manufacturer page includes may-contain allergen advice. Check the current pack and flavour if allergens affect your choice.
Seabrook
Sea Salted Crunchies provide an example of a small, sealed snack bag.
- Seabrook lists 82 kcal per 18g bag.
- The same product lists 0.30g salt per bag and 1.69g per 100g; compare its smaller portion and salt figures alongside the calories.
Tyrrells
Its potato crisps and lentil crisps illustrate two different serving and product comparisons.
- Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted potato crisps list 156 kcal per 30g serving; its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps list 141 kcal per 30g serving.
- Tyrrells says its lentil crisps contain 30% less fat than standard potato crisps on average. That claim does not establish the calories in another flavour or serving.
KETTLE Chips
Lightly Salted is a hand-cooked potato-crisp option with manufacturer-stated dietary suitability.
- KETTLE describes this product as gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
- Its label lists 516 kcal per 100g. Decide on a portion before comparing its snack calories with those of individual bags.
McCoy's
Salted Flavour is a ridged-crisp reference for shoppers considering that format.
- The manufacturer lists 533 kcal and 1.3g salt per 100g for this flavour.
- Its product information says it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard; check the exact pack for dietary suitability.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
The brand provides range-wide dietary statements for its hand-cooked crisps.
- REAL states that its range is vegetarian and gluten-free and has no added MSG.
- Use the calorie and serving information on the exact pack before comparing one of its crisps with a single-snack bag.
Joybuy product options
These options include individual-bag multipacks and larger packs that require you to choose a portion. Compare the label for the exact product and flavour before deciding what to have with afternoon tea.
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Walkers Oven Baked Variety Pack Crisps, 6 x 22g
Separate bags give you a defined portion for an afternoon break. The pack contains six 22g bags; check the nutrition and allergen information for each flavour in the variety pack.
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Walkers Oven Baked Cheese & Onion Crisps, 6 x 22g
This multipack offers individual bags for a defined afternoon snack. It contains six 22g Cheese & Onion bags; check this flavour’s calorie, salt and allergen declarations on the pack.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion, 5 x 17g
The five individual 17g bags offer a smaller defined portion than the 22g multipack bags above. Compare their labelled calories and salt, and check the flavour’s allergen advice.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes, 100g
Lentil cakes are an alternative to a bag of potato crisps for this snack occasion. The pack is 100g; choose how many cakes you intend to eat and check the corresponding label information rather than comparing the whole pack with one small crisp bag.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion, 85g
This larger bag lets you choose a portion, but it does not provide the fixed serving boundary of an individual snack bag. Check the labelled serving size and measure the amount you plan to eat; the pack contains 85g.
Questions about choosing crisps
Should I compare calories per bag or per 100g?
Use the bag or serving figure for the amount you expect to eat, then use kcal per 100g to compare differently sized products. The NHS explains that pre-packed food labels give nutrition information per 100g and may also give it per portion.
Does the lowest-calorie bag settle the choice?
No: bag size, salt and dietary suitability may change which product meets your needs. Seabrook Sea Salted Crunchies list 82 kcal per 18g bag and 1.69g salt per 100g; Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt lists 96 kcal per 22g portion and 0.19g salt per portion.
How can I account for salt in a crisp snack?
Check the salt figure for the portion you will eat, as well as per 100g when comparing packs. NHS guidance says adults should have no more than 6g salt a day, including salt already present in food.
Can I rely on a plain flavour or a dietary label if I have an allergy?
Check the ingredients and allergen advice on the current pack of the exact flavour. Manufacturer information for both Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt and Seabrook Sea Salted Crunchies includes may-contain declarations, so the flavour name alone is not enough to establish suitability.
What if I buy a sharing bag for several breaks?
Decide on the amount for each break and compare calories for that portion rather than treating the whole bag as a single snack. Follow the product’s storage instructions; Tyrrells, for example, advises keeping its Lightly Sea Salted crisps in a cool, dry place.