For a mid-morning break away from home, choose a small bag if you want the packaging to give you a set amount to take with you, with no preparation needed. A standard or large bag can work too if you portion it out before you leave. Either way, distinguish the bag’s net weight from the serving size shown in the nutritional information, and check the ingredients and allergens in the product you choose.
A small bag in its original sealed packaging saves you having to portion out the chips before heading out. Carrefour, for example, stocks a 44 g bag of Doritos tortilla chips. Check that this amount is right for what you want to take with you.
A standard or large bag may suit you if you have time to set aside the amount you want before you leave. The total pack weight is different from the portion you prepare.
Depending on the recipe and pack size, compare the ingredients list, allergen information and nutritional values per 100 g. Checking the label on the exact bag is especially important if you need to avoid an ingredient.
First, decide whether you want to take a sealed bag in its original packaging or prepare a portion yourself. Then check the label for the recipe and pack size you’ve chosen.
| What matters | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount to take with you | Check the bag’s net weight, rather than relying only on the serving size shown in the nutritional information. | If I’m heading out without time to transfer the chips, I want the bag itself to set the amount I take with me. Around 50% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Portions to prepare | Check the total weight and have a suitable container ready if you want to take part of the pack with you. | If I want snacks for several breaks, I can portion out a standard or large bag before I leave, but I’ll need to plan ahead. This would be the priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact bag; compare the nutritional values per 100 g. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or compare two recipes, the flavour on the front isn’t enough: I need to read the label. Around 20% of consumers would put this check first. |
Auchan lists a 170 g bag of plain Doritos with nutritional values shown per 30 g and six servings per pack. So the serving size used on the label isn’t the weight of the pack you’re buying.
If you want to take just one small bag with you, check its total net weight first.
A 150 g or 300 g pack doesn’t become an individual bag just because you plan to eat only some of it during your break.
Before you leave, put the amount you want in a clean, securely sealed container, then follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
The Carrefour Sensation plain 150 g product listing warns that the product may contain traces of soya. The flavour name doesn’t replace the information on the pack.
If an allergen is relevant to you, read the ingredients and precautionary information for the exact product, even if you’re familiar with another flavour from the same brand.
The products reviewed include a 44 g Sweet Chilli bag at Carrefour and a 170 g plain bag at Auchan.
The plain version reviewed comes in a 150 g bag, which you’ll need to portion out if you only want to take some of the chips with you.
E.Leclerc lists a 300 g bag of plain Eco+ tortilla chips, worth considering if you plan to portion them out at home.
These two bags offer different ways to plan your break: take a 60 g bag with you or portion out a 160 g bag in advance. Choose the amount based on how much you actually want to take with you.
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Consider this if you’d rather take a 60 g bag with you than prepare a portion from a larger pack. Check the ingredients and allergens relevant to you on the exact packaging. If you don’t expect to finish the bag during your break, also check whether it can be resealed.
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This 160 g bag may suit you if you can prepare the amount you want to take with you separately, or if you plan to share it. Its total weight isn’t an individual serving; check the allergen information on the exact packaging too.
No. The 170 g bag of plain Doritos listed by Auchan also shows nutritional values per 30 g and states that there are six servings per pack. To find out how much you’re buying, check the net weight on the packaging.
Compare the values per 100 g rather than two servings of different sizes. The DGCCRF says that this format makes it easier to compare prepacked foods. Check the net weight, ingredients and allergens for each product separately.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack. The DGCCRF says that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted; for example, the Carrefour Sensation plain product listing reviewed warns that it may contain traces of soya.
Follow the instructions on the bag you’ve chosen. Auchan says to store the 170 g plain Doritos in a dry place. If you portion out some of the bag, use a clean, securely sealed container for the amount you’re taking with you.