When comparing crisps for school-holiday snacks, first check the kcal per 100 g for the exact recipe, then consider how much you’ll serve. For three specific products, Auchan France lists 442 kcal per 100 g for Lay’s Oven Baked Original and 514 kcal per 100 g for Vico La Vicoise Original; Pringles France lists 528 kcal per 100 g for Pringles Original. In this comparison, the oven-baked recipe is lower in calories for the same amount, but you should still check the portion size, ingredients and allergens.
If you’re planning crisps as a holiday snack, compare the kcal per 100 g before considering how much you’ll serve. Product information from Auchan France and Pringles France shows why it’s important to compare specific recipes rather than entire product categories.
For a day out or picnic, the pack weight and stated portion size can help you plan what to take. A smaller pack doesn’t automatically mean fewer calories per 100 g.
If certain ingredients need to be avoided, check the ingredients list and allergen advice for the flavour and pack you’re buying. The information published by Auchan France for Vico La Vicoise Original and by Pringles France for Pringles Original is not the same.
Start by comparing the energy per 100 g, then check the portion size and the label for the recipe you plan to serve.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Calories for the same amount | Compare the kcal per 100 g for each specific recipe. Don’t infer the calorie content from a claim about fat. | If I want to cut calories while eating the same amount of crisps, the value per 100 g matters more than the recipe name. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Serving size | Check the net weight and stated portion size, then decide how much to serve or take with you. | For a day out, I want to prepare portions without relying on an opened pack to control the amount. Portion control is the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and check the “contains” and “may contain” statements on the pack you buy. | If an ingredient needs to be avoided, I check the exact flavour before sharing the pack. This is a priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Flavour and pack format | Compare flavours and pack formats, but don’t use pack size as an indicator of calories per 100 g. | If the snack needs to suit several people and be easy to take out, I might prefer a particular flavour or pack format. Around 14% of consumers put this choice first. |
Lay’s France claims that its Oven Baked range contains less fat. This doesn’t mean there’s an equivalent reduction in calories: Auchan France lists 442 kcal per 100 g for the Original variety.
To compare two recipes, check their kcal per 100 g, then take the serving size into account.
Two stated portions won’t necessarily contain the same amount of crisps. The DGCCRF explains that nutrition information per 100 g makes it easier to compare prepacked foods.
Compare the values per 100 g first, then use the stated portion size to prepare the amount you want.
Auchan France’s product information for Vico La Vicoise Original mentions possible traces of gluten, milk and mustard, as well as production in a facility that also handles peanuts. Pringles France lists wheat flour in Pringles Original.
Check the ingredients and allergen advice on the exact pack before sharing it.
The Pom’Lisse barbecue multipack sold by E.Leclerc contains 6 × 30 g portions, making it easy to prepare separate servings, but its product information lists 526 kcal per 100 g.
Choose a pack format for convenience, and assess the recipe’s energy content separately.
The Oven Baked Original variety is a useful point of comparison for an oven-baked recipe.
La Vicoise Original is an example of classic original-flavour crisps to compare by exact recipe.
Pringles Original is an example of formed crisps sold in a tube.
The barbecue variety sold by E.Leclerc is an example of a pack with individually portioned servings.
This selection features roast chicken-flavour crisps in a 135 g pack. If you’re looking for a lower-calorie snack for the same amount, compare the nutrition information for this flavour with that of the original-flavour recipes mentioned above.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for roast chicken flavour to share. The pack contains 135 g; check the kcal per 100 g and ingredients for this variety before comparing it with original-flavour or oven-baked crisps.
No. A reduction in fat alone isn’t enough to establish a recipe’s energy content. For Lay’s Oven Baked Original, Auchan France lists 442 kcal per 100 g; compare this with the figures for the specific varieties you’re interested in.
Start with the kcal per 100 g, then consider how much you plan to serve. The DGCCRF identifies nutrition information per 100 g as a useful way to compare prepacked foods.
Don’t treat them as a substitute for a varied snack. Manger Bouger’s resources for parents encourage offering a variety of snacks and keeping some foods to smaller amounts or less frequent occasions.
Read the ingredients and allergen advice on the pack of the flavour you’re buying. Auchan France mentions possible traces for Vico La Vicoise Original; Pringles France states that Pringles Original contains wheat flour and may contain milk and soya.