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What are the healthier crisp choices?
We analysed 66 packets of crisps – from premium brands like Kettle Chips and lentil-based alternatives to popular lunchbox favourites – to reveal the healthier choices
Award-winning senior researcher/writer with 25 years' experience writing about wellbeing, covering everything from indigestion remedies to insect repellents.
We are a nation of crisp lovers, often opening a bag to eat at lunch time or in front of the TV at night.
As well as traditional potato crisps and reconstituted snacks such as Quavers, this burgeoning market now includes lentil chips, veggie straws and other plant-based options aimed at the health-conscious searching for a guilt-free crisp experience. But are these 'healthy' options quite what they seem?
Which? conducted an audit of 66 popular crisps and snacks across the board, including these 'healthy-looking' options.
Using the government’s Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM), the official scoring system used to determine whether foods are high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS), and applying a University of Oxford equation to turn it into a 'scaled score' out of 100, we've gauged whether the crisps 'pass' as a healthier option – or whether they 'fail' (scoring 62 or lower out of 100).
Read on to find out what we discovered – and be prepared for some surprising findings.
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36 out of 66 crisp products (55% or just over half) were 'fails' and therefore deemed unhealthy.
Slightly fewer got a 'pass' (30 out of 66, or 45.5%), with the highest scoring 74 out of 100, and an additional nine scoring 70 or above.
20 out of the 66 were 'healthy-positioned' crisps, such as lentil chips, veggie straws and vegetable crisps, but 8 of these were 'fails'.
Kids' favourite Pom-Bear Original failed with 54 out of 100, and a popular cheese snack came at the bottom.
Expert view: choosing the healthiest crisps
Shefalee Loth is a public health nutritionist with 20+ years at Which? and the NHS, delivering evidence-based food and nutrition insights
'We all know crisps aren't the healthiest snack, but our audit shows some can be a much healthier option than others. However, it is concerning to see that many childhood favourites are actually some of the least healthy options on the shelf.'
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Highest scoring crisps: 72-74 out of 100
These five represent the top tier of the 66 products we looked at, healthier because of how they maximise beneficial nutrients while minimising negative ones such as salt.
Product
Saturated fat (per 100g)
Salt (g)
Sugars (g)
Fibre (g)
Protein (g)
NPM score* (out of 100)
Kettle Chips lightly salted
2
0.7
0.4
5
6.5
74
Holland & Barrett carrot & beetroot chips lightly sea salted
0
0.24
49.2
21.5
9.6
72
Simply Roasted sea salt & cider vinegar
1
0.81
1.1
5.7
6.7
72
Tyrrells Lentil Crisps sour cream & onion
1.8
0.76
3.1
7.3
14
72
Tyrrells Lentil Crisps sweet chilli & red pepper
1.6
0.58
4.9
7.2
13
72
Table note: saturated fat, salt, sugars, fibre and protein values are per 100g. * NPM 2004/5 score, scaled to give a value out of 100, using University of Oxford equation.
Kettle Chips lightly salted (74 out of 100)
These skin-on potato crisps secure top place in our analysis by perfectly balancing negative nutrients with solid fibre and protein, as well as keeping overall calories and saturated fat low. They tie for the lowest sugar in the entire dataset (0.4g per 100g) and feature low salt levels (0.7g per 100g) that undercut most competitors. Great news if you are a fan of traditional crisps.
Holland & Barrett carrot & beetroot chips lightly sea salted (72 out of 100)
Made with dried vegetables without any oils being added, these crisps are unique in benefiting from zero saturated fat. Despite being lightly salted, they have a low salt profile (0.24g per 100g).
The reason they score so well is that they achieve a maximum 'positive' score for fruit, vegetable and nut (FVN) content and fibre (21.5g per 100g, which is the highest in the entire dataset), thereby counterbalancing the high natural sugar content.
Simply Roasted sea salt & cider vinegar (72 out of 100)
These potato crisps are labelled as '50% less fat' and our analysis revealed that they contain just 1g of saturated fat per 100g – the second lowest out of all 66 crisps. This is likely to be helped by them being 'oven-roasted rather than oil-fried' like many other traditional crisps.
Leaving the potato skins on also boosts the product's nutritional profile by delivering a decent level of fibre (5.7g per 100g).
Tyrrells Lentil Crisps sour cream & onion (72 out of 100)
Using lentil flour as a base ingredient naturally maximises positive points for both protein (14g per 100g) and fibre (7.3g per 100g), which are higher than most of the other lentil crisps we looked at.
Combined with naturally low sugar (3.1g per 100g) and low salt (0.76g per 100g), this strong nutritional profile keeps negative points to a minimum to secure a higher score.
Tyrrells Lentil Crisps chilli & red pepper (72 out of 100)
These crisps also use a lentil flour base to secure a score of 72 out of 100, with similarly rich protein and fibre levels (13g and 7.2g per 100g, respectively).
As well as gaining 'positive points' for these, negative factors, including saturated fat, salt, and sugar, are kept at moderate levels, preventing large deductions from the NPM score.
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Other passes: 64-70 out of 100
The next 25 crisps listed are passes, with scaled scores ranging from 70 to 64 out of 100.
Although 64 is a technical pass for HFSS regulatory purposes, it is also close to the 'fail' mark of 62 or below – if you're choosing a crisp product with health in mind, the higher the number, the better.
Crisps are listed in the table in order of descending NPM scaled score, and where scores are identical, they are also in alphabetical order.
Sainsbury's Taste The Difference mixed root vegetables crisps
3.3
1.07
14
9.8
6.3
64
Tesco Finest root vegetable with sea salt crisps
2.9
0.88
26.4
10.5
5.6
64
Walkers crispy roast chicken
2.2
0.65
1.6
4.6
6.1
64
Walkers seriously salt & vinegar
2.3
0.63
1
4.5
5.8
64
Walkers supreme prawn cocktail
2.2
0.65
2.3
4.5
5.9
64
Table note: saturated fat, salt, sugars, fibre and protein values are per 100g. * NPM 2004/5 score, scaled to give a value out of 100, using University of Oxford equation.
Lowest scoring crisps: 20-36 out of 100
Out of the 66 crisps we looked at, 36 of them (55% or just over half) were 'fails', ranging from 62 out of 100 (the 'fail' point) down to a really unhealthy 20.
There were four that were deemed the most unhealthy – here's why they did so badly.
Product
Saturated fat (g)
Salt (g)
Sugars (g)
Fibre (g)
Protein (g)
NPM score (out of 100)*
Mini Cheddars Original
14.4
2.4
4.6
2.6
10.3
20
Proper Chips barbecue lentil chips
2.9
2.55
4.5
0.9
9.5
36
Skips
2.9
2.2
6.5
1.2
5.2
36
Wotsits Really Cheesy
4
1.96
6.6
1.1
5.5
36
Table notes: saturated fat, salt, sugars, fibre and protein values are per 100g. * NPM 2004/5 score, scaled to give a value out of 100, using University of Oxford equation.
Mini Cheddars Original (20 out of 100)
The worst performer of all the crisps we analysed contains very high saturated fat (14.4g per 100g) compared to other products. It also has high salt (2.4g) and low fibre (2.6g), which means that even though it has decent protein levels (10.3g), there’s not enough positives to outweigh the negatives.
Proper Chips barbecue lentil chips (36 out of 100)
Despite a lentil flour base that contributes decent protein, a low fibre content (0.9g per 100g) fails to offset the 4.5g of sugar per 100g and the high salt level of 2.55g per 100g. These high sodium levels trigger significant negative points in the NPM calculations, ranking this product as the joint second worst of all the crisps we looked at.
Skips (36 out of 100)
Skips ranks poorly due to its low fibre (1.2g per 100g) and low protein (5.2g per 100g), which fail to offset its high negative points. It ranks second-highest in calories, sixth-highest in salt and eighth-highest in sugar (6.5g per 100g) among the 66 packets we analysed.
Wotsits Really Cheesy (36 out of 100)
Marketed as 'Baked not fried,' these crisps are a categorical fail in the NPM. They are the most calorific of the entire dataset (546 calories per 100g), as well as being high in sugar (6.6g per 100g), high in salt (1.96g per 100g), and the second-highest in saturated fat (4g per 100g). Positive nutrients, such as fibre and protein, are simply too low to make up for these negatives.
Eat Real Quinoa Chips sundried tomato & roasted garlic
1.6
1.95
4.7
4.1
8.7
48
Eat Real Veggie Straws tomato, kale & spinach
1.6
1.89
1
4.4
8.5
48
Kettle Chips sea salt & balsamic vinegar
2.4
1.6
1.3
4.2
4.3
48
Walkers French Fries ready salted
1.4
2.5
1.1
5
5
48
McCoy’s Ridge Cut sizzling king prawn
2.7
1.5
3.8
4
6.3
50
Tyrrells sea salt & cider vinegar
2.3
1.8
2.3
6.3
6.4
50
Walkers French Fries cheese & onion
1.4
2.18
3.5
5
5
50
Kettle Chips sea salt & crushed black peppercorns
2.6
1.3
0.5
4.6
5.3
52
Walkers Crisps glorious cheese & onion
2.4
1.2
2.6
4
6.6
52
Walkers Crisps legendary ready salted
2.5
1.3
0.4
3.9
6.4
52
Walkers Squares cheese & onion
1.5
1.83
4.5
5.5
6.5
52
Walkers Squares salt & vinegar
1.5
1.83
4.5
5.5
6.5
52
Pom-Bear Original
2.6
1.3
2
5.6
3.7
54
Pringles Original
3
1
0.8
4.1
6.2
54
Pringles Texas BBQ sauce
2.9
1.1
3.9
4.1
6.3
54
Tyrrells Veg Crisps balsamic vinegar & sea salt
2.8
1.6
22.3
9.7
5
58
Tyrrells Veg Crisps beetroot, carrot & parsnip with sea salt
2.9
1.1
23.5
11.3
5.1
62
Table notes: saturated fat, salt, sugars, fibre and protein values are per 100g. * NPM 2004/5 score, scaled to give a value out of 100, using University of Oxford equation.** Values when enclosed salt sachet is used, per 100g. If salt not used, scaled score is 68 out of 100.
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Crisps and the 'health halo': what we found
A health halo is a marketing tool that can make you think a food is completely healthy, even if it isn't.
For example, 'linguistic health haloing' occurs when a wholesome ingredient, such as 'lentil' or 'veggie', is used in a product's name, giving the impression that it is a nutritious alternative to conventional potato crisps.
Our Which? research found that three 'lentil chip' products, two 'quinoa chips' products and one 'veggie straw' product were NPM fails of 48 out of 100 or below. They had salt levels ranging from 1.84g to 2.55g per 100g, which puts them all in the 'red' for salt content under the traffic light system.
One of the brands – Proper Chips – has two ‘fails’, including one of the lowest-scoring products (Proper Chips barbecue lentil chips, 36 out of 100). However, on its website, the company says, ‘Snacks that aren’t just better for you, but better than anything.’
Another tactic is nutritional masking, where a positive claim is focused upon with the effect that it distracts from the fact that the product is otherwise not that healthy. For example, Tyrrells Veg Crisps balsamic vinegar & sea salt state they are 'high in fibre', but they are also an NPM 'fail' with 58 out of 100. Others mention 'No MSG' or 'Cooked with 100% sunflower oil', such as Hula Hoops Original salted (48 out of 100).
Another example of this is saying 'Baked not fried' – read on to find out more.
In our analysis, we found that ‘baked’ isn’t necessarily a guarantee of healthy crisps, while ‘fried’ doesn’t necessarily mean an unhealthier product.
For example, Mini Cheddars Original say: 'Baked. Never fried!' on the packaging, and Monster Munch and Wotsits say ‘Baked not fried’, even though they're all NPM 'fails'. However, Twiglets, Sunbites and Walkers Oven Baked range are examples of healthier baked goods out of everything we looked at.
When it comes to frying, companies such as Tyrrells use a special centrifuge (spinning) technique to remove excess oil, resulting in some fried products that achieve a pass.
Another cooking technique used is 'popping' under heat and pressure rather than frying, which helps to reduce the fat and calorie content – for example, Popchips, which was a 'pass' at 66 out of 100.
Even so, don't assume that light and airy means healthier – for example, Skips, Quavers and Wotsits may melt in the mouth but they are calorie-dense and have little positive nutritional value to shout about.
An industry practice identified in our analysis is the use of 'under 100 calories' front-of-pack stickers on individual multipack bags. By reducing bag weights to between 13g and around 20g, manufacturers of brands like Skips, Quavers, Wotsits, French Fries and Monster Munch, successfully keep single-serving calorie counts low.
Although this aligns with historical public health guidance on portion control, it risks prompting consumers to focus entirely on energy density while overlooking a product's fundamentally poor HFSS score.
When a snack scores between 36 and 40, as these ones do, reducing the portion size helps limit calorie intake, but it does nothing to improve the nutritional quality of the food you are eating.
Nutrition markers: salt, sugar, fat and fibre
Here's an easy-to-read table of UK traffic light nutrition labelling thresholds – as well as standard fibre guidelines – to help you instantly see what counts as low, medium or high levels per 100g of food.
Nutrient
Low (green)
Medium (amber)
High (red)
Total fat
3g or less
3.1g-17.5g
17.6g or more
Saturated fat
1.5g or less
1.6g-5g
5.1g or more
Sugars
5g or less
5.1g-22.5g
22.6g or more
Salt
0.3g or less
0.31g-1.5g
1.51g or more
Fibre
Less than 3.0g (Low)
3g-5.9g (Source)
6g or more (High)
Meal deal and lunchbox crisps
Included in the dataset of 66 crisp products are several perennial meal deal options. There are also popular products parents give their kids, which is why we were surprised by some of the fails.
Children's party staple, Pom-Bear Original, failed with an NPM of 54, because they are high in calories and contain almost zero fibre, as did Mini Cheddars Original, which bottomed out with 20 out of 100 from very high saturated fat (14.4g per 100g) compared to other products, as well as high salt and low fibre.
Other family favourite fails include Wotsits Really Cheesy (36), Quavers (36), Skips (36), Walkers French Fries ready salted (50) and Walkers ready salted crisps (52).
Meal deal crisp fails include Pringles Original (54), various Monster Munch flavours and McCoy's Ridge Cut salt & malt vinegar (44).
On a more positive note, some varieties of these favourites pass, including Pringles sour cream & onion (64), plus a number of traditional Walkers crisp flavours achieve a pass of 64 (roast chicken, salt & vinegar, prawn cocktail and smoky bacon).
Despite the original iteration failing, KP Snacks also make two other Pom-Bear varieties that pass, namely BBQ (68 out of 100) and cheese (64 out of 100).
If you want more information than you're getting from a calorie label, look for the front-of-pack traffic light labels to easily spot the healthier greens and ambers over the high-salt and high-fat reds.
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Crisps: how our scoring works
NPM scores are calculated by taking into account both positive/beneficial ingredients such as fibre and protein, and less beneficial ones including saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories. It also factors in FVN – fruit, vegetable and nut – content.
Once we had these figures, an official NPM tool calculated a final raw score indicating either a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ for HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) purposes, which we were then able to turn into a scoring system from 0 (least healthy) to 100 (most healthy).
On a scale of 1 to 100, a ‘pass’ (denoting ‘healthy’) is anything from 63 to 100, and the higher the score, the healthier the food. Anything 62 or less is a ‘fail’. This threshold is particularly significant in the crisps and snacks category, where over half the products fall into the 'fail' range, highlighting the challenge of achieving an optimised nutritional balance.
It is worth noting that a newer version of the model, NPM 2018, has been officially published by the UK government and will introduce changes, such as stricter thresholds for energy density and fat. However, it's not yet at the stage where it can be applied. Our use of the 2004 NPM aligns with the UK's current regulatory standard. It is a mathematical assessment of nutrient balance per 100g, which ensures a transparent level playing field for objective, category-wide comparison.
