Shoppers comparing fat levels
If reducing fat matters more than choosing a baked snack, compare the per-100g nutrition figures. The maize rings, Monster Munch and Wotsits Cheese examples below all exceed the NHS guide for high total fat.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers choosing an individual packet
A single bag makes the amount for elevenses clear. Check its fat and salt per pack, then use the per-100g figures to compare it fairly with bags of other sizes.
Shoppers checking dietary suitability
Maize alone does not establish that a flavoured snack is free from milk or gluten. Check the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen information; Tesco lists its Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings as gluten-free, while the researched Monster Munch and Wotsits Cheese products contain milk.
What should you check?
Start with fat per 100g to compare products of different pack sizes. Then check salt, the amount you would actually eat and any dietary requirements.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Compare total fat per 100g, not just a baked claim. The NHS guide calls 3g or less per 100g low and more than 17.5g per 100g high. | I want to know whether a snack meets a low-fat goal, rather than assuming the cooking method tells me its fat content. |
| Salt | Read salt per 100g and for the amount you expect to eat. Tesco Groceries lists 1.32g salt per 100g for its Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings; Walkers lists 1.55g per 100g for Monster Munch Pickled Onion. | When comparing maize snacks, I want to consider salt alongside fat instead of choosing on one figure alone. |
| Packet size | Check the packet weight and per-pack nutrition, then return to per-100g values when comparing different sizes. Walkers lists 5g fat in a 20g Monster Munch Pickled Onion pack. | A single packet suits my elevenses routine, but I also want to understand how its nutrition compares with a larger bag. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen statement and any Free From labelling for the exact flavour and pack. Do not infer suitability from maize being the main ingredient. | If I need to avoid milk, wheat or gluten, I need the specific product’s label to match that requirement. |
Common label-reading mistakes
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Taking “baked” to mean low fat
Walkers describes Wotsits Cheese as baked not fried, but lists 33g fat per 100g. Tesco’s baked Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings list 23.9g per 100g. Both exceed the NHS guide for high total fat.
Use the nutrition panel’s per-100g fat figure to assess the product, whatever its cooking method.
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Comparing only the figures for one bag
An individual packet shows what that portion contains, but packets of different weights do not provide a like-for-like product comparison. Walkers lists 5g fat in a 20g Monster Munch Pickled Onion pack and 25g per 100g.
Use per-pack figures for the amount you plan to eat and per-100g figures to compare products.
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Overlooking salt when comparing fat
A product’s position in a fat comparison does not tell you its salt content. Tesco Groceries lists 1.32g salt per 100g for Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings, while Walkers lists 1.55g per 100g for Monster Munch Pickled Onion.
Compare both nutrients on the same per-100g basis, then check the amount in your intended portion.
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Assuming every maize snack has the same allergens
Flavourings and other ingredients differ between products. The researched Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch products contain milk, despite being maize snacks.
Check the current ingredient and allergen panel for the exact flavour and pack you intend to buy.
Relevant brand references
These named products illustrate different label checks; their inclusion does not mean that every product from the same brand has the same ingredients or nutrition.
Tesco
Tesco Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings are a baked, gluten-free maize snack.
- Tesco Groceries lists 23.9g fat and 1.32g salt per 100g for this product.
- Its fat figure exceeds the NHS guide for high total fat; Free From labelling is not a low-fat claim.
Monster Munch
Walkers Monster Munch Pickled Onion offers an individually packed maize-snack format.
- Walkers lists 5g fat in a 20g pack, making the amount in one bag clear.
- Walkers also lists 25g fat per 100g, above the NHS guide for high total fat. The researched product contains milk and soya.
Wotsits
Walkers describes Wotsits Cheese as a baked-not-fried cheese-flavoured maize snack.
- The baked format may matter if you prefer this type of maize puff.
- Walkers lists 33g fat per 100g for Wotsits Cheese, above the NHS guide for high total fat. It contains milk.
Quavers
Quavers Cheese is an adjacent savoury-snack comparison, rather than a maize-snack option.
- Walkers lists potato starch first in the Quavers Cheese ingredients, helping distinguish it from maize-based snacks.
- Walkers lists 30.8g fat per 100g for Quavers Cheese. It should not be treated as a low-fat maize-snack substitute.
Maize and corn options on Joybuy
These options include crunchy corn snacks, a Wotsits multipack and pouched corn kernels. The pouched products offer a different texture from crisps or puffs; compare the exact product labels if fat content is your deciding factor.
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Love Corn Crunchy Snacks Sea Salt 115 g
For a crunchy sea-salt corn snack at elevenses, compare the nutrition per 100g with the amount you intend to take from this 115 g bag. Product information warns of possible traces of nuts and peanuts.
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Love Corn Habanero 10 x 45g
The 10 x 45g format gives you individual packs for elevenses. Compare fat and salt per 100g before choosing the Habanero flavour; product information warns of possible traces of nuts and peanuts.
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Nong Sao Sweet Corn 220g
Consider this 220g pouched sweet corn if you are open to corn kernels rather than a crisp or puff. Check its nutrition panel and decide how much of the pouch you would eat at elevenses.
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Nongsao Colourful Glutinous Corn 220g
This 220g pouched glutinous corn is an option if whole corn kernels suit your elevenses plans. Its texture differs from a crunchy maize snack, so compare both the format and the nutrition panel before deciding.
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Walkers Wotsits Really Cheesy 12 x 16.5g
This multipack provides individual 16.5g bags if you want a cheese-flavoured maize puff for elevenses. Do not use the bag size or baked wording as evidence of low fat; check this pack’s nutrition and allergen label.
Questions about fat and maize snacks
Does “baked not fried” mean a maize snack is low in fat?
No. Walkers describes Wotsits Cheese as baked not fried but lists 33g fat per 100g. Tesco’s baked Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings list 23.9g per 100g. Check total fat on the nutrition panel rather than using the cooking method as a substitute.
What does the NHS guide call low fat?
The NHS food-label guide calls 3g or less total fat per 100g low and more than 17.5g per 100g high. The per-100g figure lets you compare products even when their packets are different sizes.
Can a small bag still contain a high-fat maize snack?
Yes. Walkers lists 5g fat in a 20g Monster Munch Pickled Onion bag, while the product has 25g fat per 100g—above the NHS guide for high total fat. Use the per-bag figure for the amount you would eat and the per-100g figure to compare products.
Are maize snacks automatically milk-free or gluten-free?
No. Check the exact product’s ingredients and allergen statement. Tesco lists Free From Onion Maize Snack Rings as gluten-free, while the researched Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch products contain milk.