Parents who regularly prepare snacks
For a regular snack, it’s not just about finding crisps with less fat. Manger Bouger recommends offering children a variety of snacks and limiting fatty and sugary foods in their everyday diet.
Who are these options for?
People planning to serve crisps for a special occasion
An individual bag or a portion prepared in advance makes it easier to know exactly what will be served. However, you should compare the pack size with the nutritional information for the product you choose.
Families who need to check allergens and childcare guidance
The ingredients list on the pack and the childcare setting’s rules matter just as much as the pack size. If a child has an individual care plan, the arrangements agreed with the setting must also be followed.
What should you check before buying?
First decide whether you’re preparing a regular snack or bringing crisps for an occasion approved by the childcare setting. Then compare the product and the amount the child will actually receive.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Regular snacks | How often they’re planned, and whether the setting already provides a snack. | When a snack is part of every day, I want to offer the child a variety of foods rather than routinely replacing their snack with crisps. This is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Calories and fat | Energy in kcal and fat per 100 g, followed by the energy in the portion served. | If I choose crisps for a special occasion, I want to compare the values for two specific products rather than relying on the “less fat” claim alone. Around 27% of consumers put this comparison first. |
| A snack to take along | The weight of an individual bag, or the amount taken from a larger pack. | When preparing a snack to take with us, I prefer to know how much the child will be given. Portion control is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
| Allergens and childcare guidance | Ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy, as well as the childcare setting’s guidance. | Before taking a product to the setting, I need to make sure it meets the guidance for the child. Around 20% of consumers prioritise these checks. |
Common misconceptions to avoid
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Assuming “less fat” means “fewer calories”
Lay’s states that its Oven Baked product contains less fat, but this comparison alone doesn’t tell you the energy or salt content of the pack you’ve chosen.
Compare the nutritional information for the specific products per 100 g, then work out what that means for the amount you’ll serve.
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Confusing a large pack with an individual portion
A large bag doesn’t determine how much a child will be given. Nor do the values per 100 g tell you, on their own, how much the child will eat.
If the childcare setting allows crisps for the occasion, use a small bag or measure out a set amount into a separate container.
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Assuming plain crisps are suitable for every allergy
Ingredients and “may contain” warnings vary from one product to another. The Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says that allergenic ingredients must be clearly highlighted on the label.
Read the pack you’ve actually bought and confirm the guidance for the child with the childcare setting.
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Packing a second snack without checking what the childcare setting provides
The setting may already provide a snack. Manger Bouger advises against giving children a second snack at the end of the day if they’ve already had one at an activity centre.
Before preparing anything to take along, ask what is served and when.
Brands to compare
Lay’s
The brand offers plain potato crisps, multipacks and an Oven Baked range.
- Lay’s says its Oven Baked Original crisps contain 50% less fat than its regular crisps and the market average. This refers to fat content, not calories.
- For the plain product listed by Auchan, the nutritional information states 513 kcal and 29 g of fat per 100 g. Check the values for the exact product you’re considering.
Vico
Vico lentil crisps are a different type of crunchy snack, not potato crisps.
- Vico says this range contains 40% less fat than regular crisps. That claim doesn’t mean the recipes are lower in calories.
- Check the allergen and “may contain” information for each flavour and on the pack you buy.
Carrefour Classic’
Carrefour Classic’ Plain Crisps offer a potato crisp recipe to compare.
- The Carrefour product listing gives potatoes, sunflower oil and salt as the ingredients.
- The same listing states 540 kcal and 34 g of fat per 100 g. A short ingredients list doesn’t tell you, on its own, how much will be served.
Pom’Lisse / Marque Repère E.Leclerc
The plain crisps listed by E.Leclerc come in a pack of six 30 g bags.
- The pack format makes it easy to check the weight of each bag before preparing a snack.
- E.Leclerc states that this product contains 541 kcal and 31.4 g of fat per 100 g. Individual packaging doesn’t change these values per 100 g.
A crisp option on Joybuy
This flavoured potato crisp product could be considered for an occasional snack, once you’ve confirmed the childcare setting’s guidance. Its 70 g bag shouldn’t be mistaken for a defined individual portion.
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Lay’s Texas BBQ potato crisps, 70 g
For an occasion when the childcare setting allows crisps, this bag offers a Texas BBQ flavour. It contains 70 g, so check how much to serve, along with the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens on the pack you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Are crisps suitable as a regular snack at a childcare setting?
For regular snacks, Manger Bouger recommends offering a variety of foods and limiting fatty and sugary foods in children’s everyday diet. Before taking crisps along, also check whether the childcare setting already provides a snack.
Are oven-baked crisps always lower in calories?
No. A stated reduction in fat for a particular product isn’t enough to establish that it contains fewer calories. Compare the energy in kcal per 100 g on the specific packs, then check the amount you plan to serve.
Is a mini bag better than a large pack?
A mini bag can make it easier to see how much you’re bringing, but it doesn’t change the product’s nutritional values. Check its weight and the corresponding values. If you’re taking a large pack, decide on the portion before you leave.
What should you check if a child has a food allergy?
Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any “may contain” warnings on the pack you buy, then ask the childcare setting for its guidance. The Ministry of National Education says that an individual care plan can be put in place for children concerned in settings where this arrangement applies.