Ollie Cooper, The Money Team
It’s hard to balance eating nutritious food that feels good without spending a lot.
In this series, which ends today after digging into yogurt, bread, pasta, fruit juice and plant-based milk, we’ve tried to find the healthiest options at the supermarket for the best value.
Suna van Kampen, Founder Tonic health, who went viral on social media for food reviews in search of healthy choices, has given his opinion over the past six weeks.
And for the final installment in the series, we’re looking at the nation’s favorite snack: chips.
The series is not meant to identify the obviously healthiest option, but to help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.
We’re obsessed people: in the UK, we receive six billion packages a year.
Sunna has three easy tips for finding delicious options for your body…
1. Learn the fat facts
“Typical chips can be oil sponges and contain more than 30% fat from low-quality vegetable oils that have been fried,” says Sunna.
“We’re looking for those who buck the trend and stay away from fat.”
So, he says, aim for chips that contain less than 15% fat.
2. Increase your meal times
“While crisps aren’t exactly salad, some can offer more nutritional value than others,” says Suna.
“Check labels for options that have more fiber or protein.”
It helps you feel fuller for longer and also keeps your digestive system happy.
3. Portion control
“It’s easy to demolish a whole bag in one sitting – however, many brands offer multi-pack bags that provide portion control, usually around 25g per bag,” says Sunna.
Sticking to them helps manage calorie intake and prevents overeating.
Great picture
“Small changes may not seem like much right away, but if you eat one bag a day with lunch, we’re talking about two liters of oil eliminated from your diet for a year,” says Suna.
“It’s not about the right to eat chips every day (have it as an occasional treat), but it’s an indication of how quickly small changes add up overtime.”
The good news is that Sunna’s recommendations are all priced similarly to their popular, fattening competitors—so you don’t have to make a bigger investment to reap some of the health benefits.
We have included prices for the brands standard multipacks at Tesco – correct at time of writing.
Walkers Oven Baked – £1.95 for a six pack
“At around £1.95 for a pack of six, these chips are baked rather than fried, reducing the fat content to 13%, so it’s a great option.”
Popchips – £2.25 a pack of five
“These only have a 13% fat content because they’re cooked rather than fried, so it’s a great way to reduce fat without compromising on crunch.”
And for some uncomfortable options…
ProperCorn Popcorn – 2 pounds per six pack
Often described as a “healthy, light option”, Sunna says ProperCorn is “actually not the best option on the market at 17.4% fat”.
That said, you get “double the fiber of standard chips at 10.9g per 100g”.
At just £2 in a pack of six, it’s good value too.
Snack A Jacks – £2.20 in a pack of five
“With just 8.3% fat per 100g, it’s a great option at £2.20 a pack of five.”
Penn State Baked Pretzels – £1.50 for a 175g bag
Now the winner of Sunna.
“The German classic is a great option with only 4.6% fat per 100 grams,” he says.
One downside is that they’re not available in portioned bags, so beware of the whole 175g bag for £1.50.
Do you want another option at all?
“If you want to be healthier, consider switching to nuts, seeds, or even dry cheese snacks,” says Suna.
“Yes, it’s higher in calories, but it’s also higher in healthy fats and more satisfying, which will limit the chance of overeating.”
A nutritionist’s point of view– begining Dr. Laura BrownSenior Lecturer in Food, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Teesside…
“Baked instead of fried chips is definitely a step forward, as is offering popcorn,” he says.
“We also need to take care of the amount of protein and fiber found in the products. For example, lentil and pea snacks are gaining popularity due to their high protein and fiber values, so the focus should be on looking for other ingredients. than potatoes, oil and salt.
“I also feel that ‘crispy’ based snacks made in air fryers are becoming more and more popular. This may include wrapping wholemeal flour with a small amount of oil added and placed in an air fryer for added flavor with paprika and other spices.
“Also, air-frying buckwheat makes for a super-tasty protein- and fiber-rich snack.” “They are cheaper than crisps and less greasy because no oil has to be added.”
Read more in this series…