For bites that are easy to portion, choose mini tortillas. Large tortillas work well if you plan to cut them up, while chips are best served on the side in a measured portion. Compare the energy per 100 g, then check the figures per piece and with your chosen filling: the size of the base alone doesn’t determine the nutritional value of the finished taco.
If you’re putting together a sharing platter, a mini tortilla gives you a clear portion per piece. Old El Paso states that each of its 28 g Mini Tortillas contains 82 kcal; you’ll also need to factor in what you put on top.
A tortilla explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ meets this requirement. Check the pack you’ll be serving: this label doesn’t mean the tortilla is lower in calories, nor does it tell you about other allergens.
With tortillas or taco shells to fill, you can serve the bases and fillings separately. Decide on portion sizes before serving, especially if you’re using large tortillas.
For drinks on the patio, first choose a format to suit the way you’ll serve the bites. Then compare the nutritional values at the same weight and for the portion you plan to serve.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy per bite | Compare the kcal per 100 g, then check the weight of each base and the amount of filling. | If I want to know the energy in each bite, I need to count the tortilla as well as its filling. Around 40% of consumers would prioritise keeping track of energy intake. |
| Ease of serving | Check the size of the bases and choose a filling that fits the format. | On the patio, I’d rather serve bites that are easy to pick up than a large tortilla with filling spilling out. Ease of handling would be the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients list and allergen information, and look for a ‘gluten-free’ label on the pack if needed. | If a guest has a dietary requirement, I need to choose a suitable base before thinking about the format. This check would be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| A crunchy option | Read the values per 100 g and decide how many chips to serve. | I’d like to add some crunch to the platter without leaving out a large bowl of chips for everyone to help themselves to. Around 10% of consumers would put this choice first. |
They serve different purposes on a platter: a tortilla is the base for a filled bite, while it’s harder to keep track of how many chips people take from a bowl. Auchan’s product listing for Old El Paso Tortilla Strips gives an energy value of 551 kcal per 100 g for this product.
If you’d also like to serve chips, put a measured portion in a small bowl, separate from the tortillas you’ll be filling.
The label describes an ingredient-related feature, not an energy value. Old El Paso states that its Gluten Free tortilla contains 97 kcal per 36 g tortilla.
Choose this option when a gluten-free base is needed, then compare the nutritional values and serving size separately.
A small tortilla may have fewer kcal per piece simply because it weighs less. France’s Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says that values per 100 g make it easier to compare food products.
First compare the bases per 100 g, then use the weight and kcal per unit to plan how many bites to serve.
The ingredients and values shown online may differ from those on the pack you buy. Old El Paso advises customers to follow the information on the packaging if there’s a discrepancy.
Before serving, check the pack again, especially the ingredients and allergen information if a guest has an allergy.
The range includes mini tortillas, gluten-free tortillas and crunchy products. The format and exact product matter more than the brand name alone.
These wheat tortillas for filling let you choose the size of each bite.
Auchan’s 320 g wheat tortillas are another option for filling and portioning on your platter.
This pick is a crunchy option to serve alongside tacos for filling, in a measured portion. Chips aren’t a substitute for the base of a filled bite.
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Serve these tortilla chips on the side if you’d like to add a crunchy option to your platter. The bag contains 160 g; check the packaging for nutritional information per portion and allergen details before serving.
First compare their energy values per 100 g, then check the weight and kcal per tortilla to work out the energy in the portion you’ll serve. France’s Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control identifies the per-100 g declaration as the easiest way to compare products. Then add the fillings to your calculation.
No. The ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t mean it has less energy. Old El Paso states that each of its 36 g Gluten Free Tortillas contains 97 kcal. Compare the values per 100 g and the portion you plan to serve.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the pack you’ll be using, rather than relying solely on a recipe or online product listing. In France, the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on the labels of prepacked foods.
Serve a measured portion in a small bowl, alongside the tortillas and fillings for everyone to assemble. That way, you can offer a crunchy option while keeping track of the chips and filled bites separately.