Picnickers looking for protein in the crisp packet
If the savoury side needs to contribute protein, the amount per packet matters. Walkers lists 1.6g in a 25g Ready Salted packet, compared with 11g in Myprotein’s 25g Popped Protein Crisps pack.
Who is choosing picnic crisps?
People packing a snack alongside lunch
A smaller pack may be easier to fit alongside other picnic food. Myprotein lists 11g protein and 92 kcal per 25g pack; Applied Nutrition lists 15g protein and 210 kcal per 50g bag.
Shoppers checking dietary suitability
Ingredients and allergen statements differ by product and flavour. Check the current packet before sharing snacks with someone who avoids particular ingredients.
What should you check on the pack?
Start with the amount you expect to eat, then compare protein and energy on that same serving basis. Treat dietary suitability as a separate check for each flavour.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per packet | Read the protein amount and packet weight together. Applied Nutrition lists 15g per 50g bag; Myprotein lists 11g per 25g pack. | I want the packet I actually eat to contribute protein to lunch, rather than choosing by a protein-sounding name. |
| Portion and energy | Compare energy on the same per-pack basis: Applied Nutrition lists 210 kcal for 50g, and Myprotein lists 92 kcal for 25g. Check the rest of the picnic before choosing a portion. | A smaller side fits my lunch better than a larger bag, even if the larger bag contains more total protein. |
| Lentil or potato crisps | Tyrrells lists 3.9g protein per 30g serving of its lentil crisps; Walkers lists 1.6g per 25g Ready Salted packet. The serving sizes differ, so compare the amount you plan to eat. | I like lentil crisps, but I still want to know how much protein my serving provides. |
| Allergens and labels | Read the exact flavour’s ingredients, allergen declarations and precautionary statements on the current pack. Myprotein’s Salt & Vinegar Popped Protein Crisps contain soya and may contain celery, egg, milk and mustard. | Before I share a picnic snack, I need to check whether that particular flavour suits everyone eating it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming lentil crisps supply the same protein as a protein-crisp pack
Tyrrells lists 3.9g protein in a 30g serving of its lentil crisps. That is a different per-serving amount from the 11g and 15g listed for the Myprotein and Applied Nutrition packs.
Compare protein grams for the portion you will pack, not the base ingredient or a separate reduced-fat claim.
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Comparing per-100g figures without checking packet size
A per-100g figure standardises labels, but it does not tell you the protein in a smaller individual packet.
Check packet weight, protein and energy together before choosing between a side portion and a larger snack.
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Assuming every flavour in a range suits the same diet
Myprotein’s Salt & Vinegar Popped Protein Crisps contain soya and carry precautionary statements for other allergens. KETTLE Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream contains milk ingredients despite being labelled vegetarian and gluten-free.
Read the current flavour-specific pack before buying for someone with an allergy or a dietary restriction.
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Letting the crisps stand in for the whole picnic lunch
Protein grams in a snack do not describe everything else in the meal. The NHS Eatwell Guide discusses protein foods alongside fruit and vegetables and starchy foods.
Plan the other picnic foods as well as the crisp packet, rather than judging the lunch by one label figure.
Brand and range references
Walkers
A conventional potato-crisp option when a familiar crisp packet is the picnic side.
- Walkers lists 1.6g protein per 25g Ready Salted packet.
- The Ready Salted page says the product is made in a factory that also handles milk, wheat, gluten, barley, soya, celery and mustard.
Tyrrells
Its lentil crisps offer a different option from conventional potato crisps.
- Tyrrells lists 3.9g protein per 30g serving for its Sour Cream & Onion lentil crisps.
- Compare that serving amount with a dedicated protein-crisp pack if protein in the picnic portion is your main concern.
KETTLE Chips
A conventional crisp range with dietary labels that need checking by flavour.
- KETTLE labels Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians.
- That flavour lists 6.3g protein per 100g and contains milk ingredients.
Seabrook
A conventional crisp option whose flavour-specific nutrition and ingredients matter when packing for others.
- Seabrook labels its Cheese & Onion crisps gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians.
- The 31.8g bag lists 2.0g protein and contains milk ingredients.
McCoy's
A potato-crisp choice to assess by its own flavour and serving label.
- McCoy's lists 6.6g protein per 100g for its Salted flavour.
- The Salted product information says it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
A conventional crisp range with brand-level dietary statements.
- REAL states that its range is vegetarian and gluten-free.
- For a protein-led choice, compare the nutrition panel on the exact packet you intend to bring.
Joybuy picnic snack options
This lentil-cake option is a savoury picnic snack to consider alongside crisps; check its packet if dietary suitability is important.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes 100g
A 100g pack of lentil cakes for a savoury picnic side rather than a conventional crisp packet. Check the current pack’s milk declaration and dietary-suitability information before sharing, particularly with anyone avoiding milk.
Picnic crisp questions
Is protein per 100g enough to choose a picnic crisp?
No: check the protein in the portion you expect to eat. Applied Nutrition lists 15g per 50g bag, while Myprotein lists 11g per 25g pack, so packet size changes the per-pack comparison.
Do lentil crisps always provide a substantial amount of protein?
The lentil ingredient alone does not tell you the amount in a serving. Tyrrells lists 3.9g protein per 30g serving of its lentil crisps; check the label of the flavour and portion you plan to pack.
Which suits a smaller picnic side: the 11g or 15g protein pack?
Myprotein’s 25g Popped Protein Crisps pack is the smaller of these two examples, listing 11g protein and 92 kcal. Applied Nutrition’s 50g Protein Chips bag lists more protein at 15g, alongside 210 kcal; choose with the rest of your lunch in mind.
Can protein crisps make up the whole picnic lunch?
A protein figure on a crisp packet does not describe the balance of the whole lunch. The NHS Eatwell Guide includes protein foods, fruit and vegetables, and starchy foods when describing an overall eating pattern, so consider what else you are packing.
How should I check allergens before sharing crisps?
Read the current packet for the exact flavour, including its ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. Myprotein’s Salt & Vinegar Popped Protein Crisps contain soya and may contain celery, egg, milk and mustard; the Food Standards Agency explains that a ‘may contain’ statement signals possible unintentional allergen presence.