Calorie-conscious day hikers
If you expect to eat a whole packet, check its total calories as well as kcal per 100g. The first helps you plan that snack; the second lets you compare different packet sizes.
Who is choosing?
Long-walk snack planners
A packet of crisps can be one savoury item in your bag. Plan the rest of your food and drink for the length of the walk rather than relying on that packet alone.
Salt- or allergen-aware shoppers
Compare salt separately from calories, and read the ingredients and precautionary allergen wording for the exact flavour you intend to carry.
What should you check?
Start with energy per 100g for a like-for-like comparison, then check what the packet you would actually eat contains. Salt and dietary suitability need their own label checks.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | Compare kcal per 100g, then kcal per packet or serving. Check whether the stated serving is the amount you will eat; NHS food-label guidance distinguishes per-100g and per-portion figures. | I want to compare crisps fairly even when one bag is much smaller than another. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g and per packet separately from energy. Tyrrells lists 0.02g salt and 156 kcal per 30g serving of Naked (No Salt). | A no-salt variety interests me, but I do not want to mistake that label for a lower-calorie choice. |
| Food for the walk | Check how much food the pack provides against the length of your walk, and plan other food and drink. Walking & Hiking Information discusses carbohydrate-rich foods for longer walks. | On a long walk, I want more than a single crisp packet in my food plan. |
| Dietary details | Read the exact flavour’s ingredients, allergen warnings and any stated vegan or gluten-free suitability on the current pack. | One variety may suit my requirements while another flavour from the same brand may not. |
Common buying mistakes
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Comparing only the number on the front of a small bag
A smaller packet can contain fewer calories simply because it contains less food, making different pack sizes hard to compare.
Use kcal per 100g to compare recipes, then check the calories in the amount you expect to eat.
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Treating no salt as lower calorie
Tyrrells lists 156 kcal per 30g serving of Naked (No Salt), while Walkers lists 96 kcal per 22g bag of Oven Baked Sea Salt. Those pack figures describe different amounts of food.
Choose which measure matters to you, then compare both products per 100g and check salt separately.
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Packing crisps as the entire food plan
A single packet may not match the food you intend to carry for an all-day walk.
Plan other food and drink for the outing, with crisps as one optional snack.
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Assuming every flavour has the same dietary information
Ingredients and precautionary allergen wording can differ between varieties.
Read the current pack for the exact flavour, particularly when an allergen or dietary declaration affects your choice.
Brand and product references
Walkers
Oven Baked Sea Salt is a 22g packet to consider when you want a stated single-packet calorie figure.
- Walkers lists 96 kcal per 22g bag and 438 kcal per 100g.
- Check the current pack’s salt and allergen information; the Oven Baked figures do not describe every Walkers variety.
Tyrrells
Naked (No Salt) addresses a salt preference rather than establishing a lower-calorie choice.
- Tyrrells lists 0.02g salt per 30g serving.
- The same serving is listed at 156 kcal; compare energy separately.
Kettle Chips
Lightly Salted illustrates why the precise packet size matters when choosing a hiking snack.
- Nutracheck lists 129 kcal for a 25g pack of Kettle Lightly Salted.
- Use the current pack label for the size and nutrition figures of the variety you buy.
Seabrook
Sea Salt & Vinegar is a variety to examine when its dietary declarations matter to your choice.
- Seabrook lists 159 kcal and 0.8g salt per 31.8g bag.
- Check the physical pack before using a per-100g energy figure to compare this variety with others.
Pipers
Anglesey Sea Salt is a hand-cooked variety with a stated gluten-free declaration.
- Pipers identifies this variety as gluten-free.
- Pipers lists 532 kcal per 100g, so check the amount you intend to eat if calories are your priority.
REAL
A single 35g Sea Salt bag offers a defined packet size for portion planning.
- Tesco lists 176 kcal and 0.47g salt for its 35g pack.
- Check the current packet: REAL’s own per-100g energy listing differs from the retailer figure.
Joybuy snack options
These options include a multipack of 40g Pringles portions and an 85g PopChips bag. For either format, use the current label to compare calories per 100g with the amount you plan to take on your walk.
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Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Crisps 40g x 12
The 40g portions give you a pack size to plan around for a hiking snack. This is a 12-pack; check the current nutrition panel and ingredients for the Sour Cream & Onion variety.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion 85g
The 85g bag calls for a portion decision if you do not plan to eat it all during the walk. Check the current label for energy per 100g, serving size and ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare crisps when calories are my priority?
Compare kcal per 100g first, then the calories in the packet or portion you expect to eat. NHS food-label guidance explains the distinction between per-100g and per-portion information; Walkers, for example, lists Oven Baked Sea Salt at 438 kcal per 100g and 96 kcal per 22g bag.
Does baked automatically mean lower calorie?
No. Check the nutrition panel for the exact baked and conventional varieties you are considering, using kcal per 100g for the comparison and pack calories for your planned portion.
Is one packet of crisps enough food for a long walk?
Do not rely on a single packet as your whole food plan for a long walk. Plan other food and drink for the outing; Walking & Hiking Information discusses carrying carbohydrate-rich food for longer walks.
What if I need to avoid an allergen or check vegan or gluten-free suitability?
Read the current ingredients, precautionary warnings and dietary declarations for the exact flavour. A declaration for one variety does not establish suitability for every product from the brand.