Crisps

We are busy people and often 'snack' to keep ourselves going. Crisps are the world's number one snack! Yet, whilst it is a good idea to eat something every three to four hours (as it starves off hunger pains and stops us bingeing), 'snacking' shouldn't mean eating fatty foods… 

The major brands are developing their ranges of low fat crisps to ensure they can offer the same quality as their full fat brothers. See how they compare…

Table 1: Low Calorie Crisps Compared

Product	Chargrilled Chicken Flavour Crinkles, Shapers, Boots*	Salt and Vinegar Lites, Walkers*	Salt and Vinegar Reduced Fat Flavour Crinkles, Boots*
Ranking
Calories Per Bag	20g† pack 96kcal	28g† pack 130kcal	35g† pack   166kcal
Calories Per 100g	482kcal	465kcal	474 kcal
Fat Per Pack	4.8g	5.9g	3.9g
Fat Per 100g	24g	21g	11g
Conclusion	Looked good standing out from the rest, crisp and the right colour! A nice texture and a good taste, chicken and peppery.	We tasted these crisps alongside the full fat salt and vinegar version (465kcal per 100g against 525 kcal). Without exception the panel chose these crisps as the tastier (remember the panel can't see what brands they are testing). A good texture, crunchy and not dripping in grease like their full fat brother.	Looked waffly. Melted in the mouth, a crisp and light texture. A mild salt and vinegar flavour, just right.

Table 2: More Low Calorie Crisps Compared

Product	Lightly Salted Baked Potato Crisps, Count On Us, Marks & Spencer*	Lightly Salted Flavour Golden Lights, Golden Wonder*	Baked Potato and Butter Flavour Bakes, Be Good to Yourself, Sainsbury's*
Ranking
Calories Per Pack	25g† pack 90kcal	21g† pack   95kcal	½ Pack (50g)† pack   176kcal
Calories Per 100g	350kcal	440kcal	351kcal
Fat Per Pack	0.6g	3.9g	1.2g
Fat Per 100g	2.3g	18g	2.3g
Conclusion	These crisps looked a good old-fashioned home made crisp which appealed. The panel agreed they did not taste as good as they looked; not unpleasant but a strong jacket potato flavour which was overpowering after a few.	Looked the least appealing, a watery, artificial crisp. Very bland and with no real taste.	Looked unusual! More like snacks than actual crisps. Overpowering butter taste like eating lumps of butter! Very crunchy, as opposed to a nice crisp texture.

†Retailer's Recommended Portion Size

Crisps can still be your favourite snack. Build a packet into your daily calorie quota. Look out for the low fat options. Our panel will tell you you can't go wrong with Boots Shapers and Walkers Lites. We felt the major brands had some way to go in developing the quality and choice of their ranges. Golden Wonder and Sainsbury's on this occasion let us down.