For a protein-focused afternoon snack, consider a protein-based crisp alternative rather than assuming familiar potato crisps qualify: manufacturers list 5.1g to 6.9g protein per 100g for the sampled conventional crisps, while legislation.gov.uk states that a “high protein” claim requires at least 20% of a food’s energy to come from protein. If potato-crisp flavour and texture matter more, choose by the exact pack and compare protein, salt and ingredients; Myprotein UK lists 11g protein and 1.40g salt per 25g pack for its Popped Protein Crisps.
If protein is the reason for your afternoon snack, compare the amount in the pack you would eat, not just a crisp-like name or appearance. Myprotein UK lists 11g protein per 25g pack for its Popped Protein Crisps; conventional potato crisps are a different starting point.
If you want a crunchy snack between meals, decide whether you want sliced-potato crisps or are open to another recipe. Check protein and salt per pack alongside the ingredients, particularly when comparing different pack sizes.
A snack brought from home and food provided by a school are not automatically governed by the same requirements. The Department for Education’s school-food guidance concerns food provided in state-funded schools in England; check the applicable setting and school policy before deciding what to supply.
Start with why you want the snack—protein or the familiar potato-crisp experience—then compare the exact flavour and pack you intend to eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Compare protein per 100g and per pack. Legislation.gov.uk requires at least 20% of a food’s energy to come from protein for a “high protein” claim; grams of protein alone do not establish that qualification. | I’m choosing this snack for protein, so I want to know what the portion I’ll eat provides, rather than relying on the product name. |
| Snack type | Check the main ingredients and whether the product is a conventional potato crisp or a protein-based alternative. Compare portions on the same basis. | Potato-crisp flavour and texture may matter more to me than protein, or I may be happy to try a different crisp-like snack. |
| Salt and allergens | Read salt per pack as well as per 100g. Check the exact flavour’s ingredient and allergen statements; Myprotein UK lists soya protein concentrate in its Popped Protein Crisps. | If I usually finish a whole bag, its per-pack salt figure is the useful comparison. I also need to check whether the ingredients suit me. |
| School setting | Identify the UK nation, whether the food is school-provided or brought from home, and the current school policy. England’s school-food requirements and its HFSS retail-promotion rules have different scopes. | If this snack is for school, I need an answer for that particular setting—not a blanket rule about every packet of crisps. |
A few grams per 100g do not, by themselves, show that protein supplies the required share of the food’s energy. Legislation.gov.uk sets that share at a minimum of 20% for a “high protein” claim.
Compare the nutrition panel with the claim’s energy-based criterion, and check protein per pack if you are choosing the snack for the amount you will eat.
Myprotein UK lists soya protein concentrate, potato starch and potato flakes for its Popped Protein Crisps. That ingredient mix differs from conventional sliced-potato crisps and matters when checking allergens.
Read the ingredient and allergen information for the exact flavour rather than choosing by its crisp-like appearance alone.
A higher protein figure does not tell you the salt content. Myprotein UK lists 1.40g salt per 25g pack for its Popped Protein Crisps, while salt figures for the sampled potato crisps differ by product.
If you eat a whole pack, compare per-pack salt figures and take account of different pack sizes.
Department of Health & Social Care guidance on HFSS retail promotions applies to businesses operating in and selling to England. Department for Education guidance separately addresses food provided in state-funded schools in England.
For a school snack, check which nation and food setting apply, then consult the current school requirements and policy for the product concerned.
These figures describe the named products, not every flavour or pack sold by each brand.
Walkers lists both conventional potato crisps and an Oven Baked range.
Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted is a conventional potato crisp.
The sampled Lightly Salted product is a potato crisp.
Seabrook gives both per-bag and per-100g nutrition for its Sea Salted crisps.
Pipers Anglesey Sea Salt is a potato-crisp option for shoppers comparing flavours.
The sampled Jalapeño Pepper product is a conventional potato crisp.
This lentil cake is a savoury alternative to conventional potato crisps for an afternoon snack. Check its pack nutrition if protein is your deciding factor.
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Consider this 100g pack if you are open to a lentil cake rather than a potato crisp for your afternoon snack. Compare the pack’s protein per serving, salt and allergen information before choosing it for a specific dietary need.
The sampled conventional crisps from Walkers, Tyrrells, KETTLE Chips, Seabrook, Pipers and REAL are not high-protein options. Their manufacturers list 5.1g to 6.9g protein per 100g; legislation.gov.uk requires at least 20% of a food’s energy to come from protein for a “high protein” claim. Check the exact product rather than assuming every flavour has the same nutrition.
Compare protein and salt in the portion you plan to eat, then read the ingredients and allergen statement for the exact product. Myprotein UK lists 11g protein and 1.40g salt per 25g pack for its Popped Protein Crisps, which contain soya protein concentrate.
No: those descriptions address preparation or fat, not the share of energy supplied by protein. Walkers UK describes Oven Baked Sea Salt as having 50% less fat than regular potato crisps and lists 5.9g protein per 100g; assess any high-protein claim separately against the energy-based criterion.
No blanket UK conclusion follows from England’s HFSS retail-promotion guidance. The Department for Education says England’s school-food guidance covers food and drink provided in state-funded schools, while Department of Health & Social Care HFSS promotion guidance concerns businesses operating in and selling to England. Check the nation, whether the snack is school-provided or brought from home, and the school’s current policy.