Choose a protein-focused crisp-style snack if protein per bag is the main reason for packing it: Applied Nutrition lists 15g per 50g bag and Myprotein lists 11g per 25g bag, whereas Walkers Ready Salted lists 1.6g per 25g pack and Seabrook Sea Salted 1.9g per 31.8g bag. Lentil crisps offer another savoury route, but check the portion, salt and allergens whichever type you choose; a snack eaten before exercise also needs to fit its timing.
The useful distinction is whether you want protein from the portion you carry, a snack timed around exercise, or simply a familiar crisp-style crunch.
If protein is the reason for choosing a savoury snack, compare the amount in the pack you will eat. Protein-focused crisp-style products and ordinary potato crisps can have very different per-pack figures; ingredients, salt and allergens matter too.
Timing changes what to check. For a snack 60 to 90 minutes before exercise, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises including carbohydrate and protein while keeping fat minimal. Read the portion label rather than assuming a crisp-style snack fits those conditions.
If savoury crunch still leads the decision, a lentil crisp is an alternative to compare with potato crisps. Tyrrells lists 3.9g protein per 30g serving of its Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps; they are not potato crisps, and that flavour contains milk ingredients.
Start with the portion you will pack, then check whether its ingredients and nutrition fit when you intend to eat it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per portion | Compare the protein in a bag or serving, not just per 100g. Applied Nutrition lists 15g per 50g bag of Protein Chips Original; Myprotein lists 11g per 25g of its Popped Protein Crisps. | I want the snack I actually carry to make a noticeable contribution to my protein plan, rather than choosing it for a protein-themed name. |
| Snack type | Check whether the product is a potato crisp, lentil crisp or another crisp-style snack. Walkers lists 1.6g protein per 25g pack of Ready Salted; Tyrrells lists 3.9g per 30g serving of Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps. | Familiar potato-crisp flavour and texture may matter more to me than protein. If I try a lentil alternative, I want to know what I am switching to. |
| Workout timing | For a snack 60 to 90 minutes before exercise, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. Check the intended portion against those features. | If I eat shortly before training, I need a snack that fits the timing and my tolerance, not one chosen solely for its protein figure. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the exact flavour’s ingredient and allergen statements. Myprotein lists soya protein ingredients in its Popped Protein Crisps; Tyrrells lists milk ingredients in Sour Cream & Onion Lentil Crisps. | Before putting a new flavour in my bag, I want to check whether its ingredients work for me. |
| Salt and portion size | Compare salt for the amount you expect to eat. Myprotein lists 1.40g per 25g serving of its Popped Protein Crisps; Seabrook lists 0.4g per 31.8g bag of Sea Salted potato crisps. | A protein figure alone will not settle my choice; I also want to see the salt and serving size on the same label. |
Walkers lists 1.3g protein per 22g pack of Oven Baked Sea Salt, compared with 1.6g per 25g pack of Ready Salted. A product name or cooking style does not tell you how much protein is in your portion.
Read the protein figure for the pack you intend to take, especially when comparing packs of different sizes.
Myprotein lists 11g protein and 1.40g salt per 25g serving of its Popped Protein Crisps. Its ingredient information also lists soya proteins and a possible presence of other allergens.
Check the nutrition and allergen information for the exact flavour when changing products or flavours.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust gives different snack guidance according to exercise timing and duration. Its advice for a snack 60 to 90 minutes beforehand includes carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat; a protein figure on its own does not establish that fit.
Decide when you will eat the snack, then compare the portion’s carbohydrate, protein and fat information with what you need for that session.
These examples illustrate how products within and beyond the potato-crisp category differ; the figures apply to the named products and portions, not every flavour a brand makes.
Familiar potato-crisp and baked-crisp options with separately stated pack nutrition.
Offers a lentil-crisp alternative alongside its potato crisps.
Lightly Salted is a conventional potato crisp made with potatoes, vegetable oils and sea salt.
Sea Salted is a crinkle-cut potato crisp with nutrition stated per bag.
Pipers describes its range as potato crisps made with sourced flavourings.
These lentil cakes and other crunchy snacks offer alternatives to conventional potato crisps. Check each pack’s protein per portion if protein is your main reason for choosing one; this selection is not a comparison of the protein-crisp bags discussed above.
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Consider these lentil cakes if you want a change from potato crisps. Check protein for the number of cakes you expect to eat, along with the pack’s allergen information.
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A Marmite-flavoured crunchy snack to consider when you want something other than potato crisps. Compare protein and salt for the portion you plan to pack, and check the allergen label.
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These savoury thins are another crunchy alternative, rather than potato crisps. If protein matters, use the pack’s serving information to compare them with the snack you would otherwise take.
The named single bags provide considerably less protein than the named protein-focused crisp-style snacks: Walkers UK lists 1.6g per 25g pack of Ready Salted and Seabrook lists 1.9g per 31.8g bag of Sea Salted, while Applied Nutrition lists 15g per 50g bag of Protein Chips Original and Myprotein lists 11g per 25g of Popped Protein Crisps. Compare the exact bags you are considering rather than assuming every product in either category has those figures.
Start with protein in the portion you will eat, then read the serving size, salt, ingredients and allergen statement for that flavour. A per-100g protein figure alone can make it difficult to judge what a smaller bag contributes.
They are not an automatic match for a pre-workout snack. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises that a snack 60 to 90 minutes before exercise include carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. Check the product’s portion information against that advice and consider when you will eat it.