Runners planning a savoury snack after training
A protein-containing crisp can be convenient after a run or between meals. Consider what else you will eat when you also want carbohydrate as part of your post-run food.
Who might consider protein crisps?
Runners looking for a smaller pack
An individual pack may be easier to carry than a larger snack. Check its actual portion size and the chosen flavour’s ingredients, particularly if you need to avoid an allergen.
Runners comparing crisps by protein content
Potato, lentil and protein-focused crisps can state quite different amounts of protein per serving. Compare the labelled portions rather than relying on an ingredient or cooking method in the name.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with when you intend to eat the crisps, then compare the nutrition information for the portion you would actually have.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per portion | Compare the pack or serving size alongside its protein content. Applied Nutrition states 15g per 50g bag; Myprotein states 11g per 25g pack. | I want to know how much protein is in the portion I will eat, rather than compare packs of different sizes by their front labels. |
| Timing and carbohydrate | Check carbohydrate as well as protein when planning post-run food. Myprotein states 4.3g carbohydrate per 25g Salt & Vinegar pack; consider the rest of the snack or meal too. | After a run, I may want carbohydrate-containing food alongside a protein crisp. Before a run, I would stick with food and timing I have tried in training. |
| Ingredients and salt | Read the exact flavour’s ingredient list, allergen advice and salt per pack. Myprotein states 1.40g salt per 25g Salt & Vinegar pack and lists soya. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or keep track of salt, the details for the flavour in my hand matter more than a claim about the range. |
| Pack format | Check whether the stated nutrition applies to an individual bag, a serving or a larger pack. Decide how much you intend to carry and eat. | A small bag suits a portable snack; for food kept at home, I can work out a serving from a larger pack. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Treating protein crisps as the main pre-run or race-day food
A protein-focused snack may not provide the carbohydrate you planned to eat around a run. The UK Sports Institute discusses carbohydrate and protein together after running.
Keep race-day food familiar. If you want to eat a particular crisp near a run, try its flavour, portion and timing during ordinary training first.
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Assuming lentil or baked crisps contain similar protein
Walkers lists 1.6g protein per 25g Ready Salted pack, while Tyrrells lists 4.2g per 30g serving of Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps. The portions differ as well as the protein figures.
Compare protein on the nutrition panel for the amount you expect to eat; neither the ingredient name nor the cooking method gives you that figure.
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Applying one flavour’s label to an entire range
Salt and ingredients can differ between products. Myprotein lists soya and 1.40g salt for its 25g Salt & Vinegar pack; Tyrrells lists milk in its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps.
Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens, precautionary statements and salt value on the exact pack before choosing it.
Brands and product lines to compare
Applied Nutrition
Its Protein Chips range includes 50g bags made with pea protein, according to Applied Nutrition.
- Applied Nutrition states 15g protein and 210 kcal per 50g bag.
- Check the chosen flavour’s ingredients and salt value rather than applying one flavour’s details to the whole range.
Myprotein
Its Popped Protein Crisps include an individually portioned Salt & Vinegar variant.
- Myprotein states 11g protein and 92 kcal per 25g Salt & Vinegar pack.
- That pack also states 4.3g carbohydrate and 1.40g salt. Check its soya ingredient and precautionary allergen information.
EatProtein
Its Protein Crisps collection covers several soy-protein crisp flavours.
- EatProtein states 11g protein and under 101 calories per bag for the collection.
- Use the chosen flavour’s pack for its full nutrition and allergen details.
Walkers
Ready Salted potato crisps provide a familiar reference point when comparing protein per pack.
- Walkers states 1.6g protein per 25g Ready Salted pack.
- That figure is lower than the stated protein per pack for the protein-focused crisp examples above; compare the different pack sizes too.
Tyrrells
Its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps offer a lentil-based comparison with protein-focused crisps.
- Tyrrells states 4.2g protein per 30g serving.
- This flavour contains milk and may contain soya and gluten; check the exact pack if those ingredients matter to you.
Joybuy product options
For a crisp-style savoury snack after training, this Joybuy option is a 100g pack of lentil cakes. Use its pack label to decide what portion fits alongside the rest of your food.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes 100g
These lentil cakes are a crisp-style option to consider for a savoury snack after training. The pack is 100g; check its nutrition panel for the portion you plan to eat, along with its ingredients and allergen advice.
Questions about crisps and training
Should I eat protein crisps before a training run?
Do not rely on them as your main pre-run food simply because they contain protein. Check what carbohydrate the pack provides, and try the exact product and timing during training rather than introducing it on race day.
Where do protein crisps fit after a run?
They can contribute protein to a post-run snack. The UK Sports Institute discusses eating carbohydrate and protein after running, so consider the crisps alongside the rest of your food rather than assuming one pack covers both.
Are lentil crisps always as protein-rich as protein crisps?
No. Tyrrells states 4.2g protein per 30g serving of its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps, while Myprotein states 11g per 25g Salt & Vinegar pack. Check the product and portion rather than judging by the word “lentil”.
Can I choose protein crisps if I want a vegan snack?
Check the exact flavour rather than the category name. Myprotein describes its Salt & Vinegar Popped Protein Crisps as suitable for vegans, but they contain soya; Tyrrells Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps contain milk.
How should I check a crisp pack for allergens?
Read the ingredients and any precautionary statements on the exact pack. The Food Standards Agency says prepacked foods must have an ingredients list with allergens present emphasised; flavour names alone are not enough to establish what a product contains.