Choose a conventional maize snack for its flavour and format, rather than expecting much protein from a small pack: Walkers UK lists 1.2 g per pack for both Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch Pickled Onion. MYPROTEIN UK lists 3.8 g per 21 g bag for its Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn, but its declared values put protein at about 16.7% of energy, below the 20% threshold for a high-protein claim set out on legislation.gov.uk. If protein matters more than a maize base, ASDA Groceries lists 10 g per 35 g serving for The Curators Tangy Cheese Protein Chips, which are made with lentil and soy ingredients.
If protein is the main reason for your afternoon snack, compare grams per portion rather than choosing by the word “protein” on the front. A lentil-and-soy crisp is worth considering if the snack does not have to be maize-based.
If you want popcorn or maize crisps specifically, MYPROTEIN UK lists 3.8 g protein per 21 g bag for Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn, compared with the 1.2 g per pack Walkers UK lists for Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch Pickled Onion. That difference does not, by itself, make the popcorn a high-protein food.
If you plan to eat one bag, compare the figures for that bag. MYPROTEIN UK lists 90 kcal and 3.8 g protein per 21 g bag; Walkers UK lists 123 kcal and 1.2 g protein per 22.5 g Wotsits Cheese pack, and 98 kcal and 1.2 g protein per 20 g Monster Munch Pickled Onion pack.
Start with the portion you expect to eat, then decide whether keeping a maize base matters more than the amount of protein.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per portion | Compare protein in the stated bag or serving, not just per 100 g. MYPROTEIN UK lists 3.8 g per 21 g Protein Popcorn bag; Walkers UK lists 1.2 g per pack for Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch Pickled Onion. | I want to know what the portion I will actually eat contributes, rather than judging a small bag by its per-100-g figure. |
| High-protein claim | For a high-protein claim, legislation.gov.uk specifies that at least 20% of the food’s energy must come from protein. MYPROTEIN UK declares 18 g protein and 430 kcal per 100 g for Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn, equivalent to about 16.7% of energy from protein. | If a high-protein classification is essential to my choice in Great Britain, I need to check the current nutrition declaration rather than assume the product name establishes it. |
| Snack base | Check whether maize is essential. ASDA Groceries lists 10 g protein per 35 g serving for The Curators Tangy Cheese Protein Chips, whose listed base includes lentil flour and soy protein concentrate rather than maize. | I would consider a different crisp base if protein matters more to me than the familiar maize-snack format. |
| Portion and label | Read energy and salt for the intended portion, as well as the per-100-g panel. Check the exact flavour’s current ingredients and allergen statement. | For a single afternoon break, I want to compare the amount I intend to eat and check that the particular flavour suits my dietary requirements. |
A snack can contain added protein without meeting the energy-based threshold for a high-protein claim. MYPROTEIN UK’s declared values for Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn work out to about 16.7% of energy from protein; legislation.gov.uk sets the threshold at 20%.
If that classification matters to you in Great Britain, check protein and energy on the same basis in the current nutrition panel.
A small bag may provide considerably less protein than its per-100-g figure suggests. MYPROTEIN UK lists 18 g per 100 g for Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn, but 3.8 g in its 21 g bag.
Compare protein, energy and salt for the pack or portion you intend to eat; use per-100-g figures when comparing products on a common basis.
Walkers UK lists milk in Wotsits Cheese. MYPROTEIN Protein Popcorn and The Curators Tangy Cheese Protein Chips also have milk- or soya-related ingredients, according to their product information.
Read the current allergen statement for the exact product and flavour, particularly if you need to avoid an ingredient.
Among these examples, MYPROTEIN UK lists 3.8 g protein per popcorn bag, while ASDA Groceries lists 10 g per serving for The Curators’ lentil-and-soy chips. The portions and ingredients differ, so the figures are not an overall judgement about either snack.
Decide whether the maize format or the protein amount is more important before narrowing your options.
Its Sweet and Salty Protein Popcorn offers a maize-kernel option with added whey protein isolate.
Wotsits Cheese and Monster Munch Pickled Onion are maize-based examples for shoppers choosing a familiar savoury snack.
Tangy Cheese Protein Chips provide a crisp-style alternative when a maize base is not required.
Vilgain describes its Organic Protein Corn Chips as a corn-crisp product and a source of vegetable protein.
These Joybuy options keep the choice within corn or maize snacks, from individual bags to multipacks. Compare each product’s current nutrition and allergen label if protein is your deciding factor; the lentil-and-soy alternative discussed above is a different type of snack.
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A 40g corn-puff option if the maize-snack format is your priority. Check the current pack’s protein per portion before choosing it for a protein-focused break.
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A Habanero corn-snack multipack with ten 45g packs. For a tea-break comparison, use the nutrition figures for one pack and check its current ingredients.
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The 80g bag may be more than you intend to eat at one break. Compare nutrition for your intended portion rather than assuming whole-bag figures describe a single serving.
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Six 20g bags offer a portioned savoury maize-snack format. If protein matters more than flavour or format, compare the current per-bag declaration with other choices.
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This multipack contains twelve 16.5g bags for separate snack occasions. Check this pack’s own protein declaration: the 22.5g Wotsits Cheese figures discussed above describe a different pack size.
The criterion set out on legislation.gov.uk is that at least 20% of the food’s energy must come from protein for a high-protein claim. Department of Health and Social Care guidance describes the Great Britain framework following the transfer of responsibilities on 1 January 2021. Check the current nutrition declaration if that specific classification matters to your purchase.
Not on the pack figures considered here: Walkers UK lists 1.2 g protein per 22.5g Wotsits Cheese pack and 1.2 g per 20g Monster Munch Pickled Onion pack. Choose those formats for the snack you want, rather than assuming they will make a substantial protein contribution.
Its Sweet and Salty version falls below that threshold on MYPROTEIN UK’s declared values: 18 g protein and 430 kcal per 100 g equate to about 16.7% of energy from protein. Legislation.gov.uk sets the high-protein claim threshold at 20%; the product provides 3.8 g protein per 21 g bag.
Consider a non-maize option if the ingredient base is flexible. ASDA Groceries lists 10 g protein per 35 g serving for The Curators Tangy Cheese Protein Chips, whose listed base includes lentil and soy ingredients; check the current allergen information if you avoid soya or milk.
Ingredients, nutrition values and allergen information can change when foods are reformulated, as Tesco Groceries notes in its product-information notice. Check the current pack for the exact flavour and size you are buying, especially when protein content or an allergen determines your choice.