The best low calorie crisps you can buy in the UK (top 9)
You won't meet too many people who don't love a bag of crisps - the salty crunch just hits the spot in a way that few other snacks can match. The problem with crisps is that they can be seriously high in calories. Take for example a standard bag of Mccoy's, which contains 238kcal. That's a lot of calories for something which we could happily eat 5 of!
Luckily there are lots of low-calorie crisps out there that you can buy, some of which taste just as good as normal crisps. We've rounded up the best low calorie crisps that we've bought and tried, let's get into the list:
Quick overview of top choices
- 1 Chika's wholegrain rice crisps - 114kcal per bag
- 2 Nudie Snacks Cauliflower Crisps - 111kcal per bag
- 3 Eat Real Veggie Straws - 145kcal per bag
- 4 Proper Crisps - 118kcal per bag
- 5 Boundless Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Activated Chips - 99kcal per bag
- 6 Emily Veg Thins Barbecue Tortilla Crisps - 97kcal per bag
- 7 Shore Lightly Salted Seaweed Chips - 123kcal per bag
- 8 Weight Watchers Cheese & Onion Popped Crisps - 82kcal per bag
- 9 Insane Grain Salt & Vinegar - 112kcal per bag
Chika's wholegrain rice crisps - 114kcal per bag
A great and healthier alternative to potato crisps is rice crisps, and these smoky barbecue wholegrain rice crisps from Chika's are both very tasty and low in calories at just 114kcal per bag. The fact that they're baked and not fried helps them to be lower in calories and fat, plus we find that these actually fill us up a bit more than normal crisps, so we don't need more than 1 bag! These are easily the best non potato crisps that we've tried, and we can't wait to try more flavours. Learn more and buy them here - shop.coop.co.uk
Nudie Snacks Cauliflower Crisps - 111kcal per bag
We were seriously skeptical about eating cauliflower crisps, but these crisps from Nudie Snacks are excellent. Not only are they really low in calories at just 111kcal per bag, but they're also totally vegan, free from gluten, and very tasty. You can grab a bag for about 99p, online or in Holland & Barrett. Learn more here - nudiesnacks.co.uk
Eat Real Veggie Straws - 145kcal per bag
You're probably realising by this point in the guide that swapping potato crisps for vegetable crisps definitely helps to save on calories! Luckily, these veggie straws from Eat Real are actually really tasty, and despite only containing 145kcal per bag, they're also really filling too. These crisps are made from all real, natural ingredients, and despite being healthy they also have a slight saltiness which is exactly what we're looking for from our crisps. Learn more and buy them here - tesco.com
Proper Crisps - 118kcal per bag
Of all the lower-calorie crisps we've included in this list, we'd have to say these 2 flavours from Proper Crisps were definitely the best we tried. The flavours were both really tasty (we did prefer the Thai Chilli to the Cheese & Onion, but both were great), but our favourite aspect of these crisps was the texture. They're ridged just like McCoy's, which is exactly how we like our crisps! Each bag contains fewer than 136 calories, plus they're high in fibre which keeps you full. Learn more and buy them here - amazon.co.uk
Boundless Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Activated Chips - 99kcal per bag
If what you really love about crisps is the saltiness, then these crisps from Boundless are a great choice. They're Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar flavour, but you might have also noticed that they're described as "activated chips". All this means is that they're soaked in salt water to reduce the amount of phytic acid, a substance which binds to minerals and makes them less bioavailable. These crisps are really moreish and low in calories, with only 99 calories per bag. Learn more here - weareboundless.co.uk
Emily Veg Thins Barbecue Tortilla Crisps - 97kcal per bag
One of the great things about these healthy crisps is that they're made with lots of different vegetables, so you get a really interesting range of textures. Each pack includes corn, peas, lentils, and beans, which also means they're packed with protein and fibre. And of course, they're low in calories - just 97kcal per bag and lots of flavour, we love these. Learn more here - hollandandbarrett.com
Shore Lightly Salted Seaweed Chips - 123kcal per bag
Seaweed is all the rage at the moment, but we'll be the first to say that it can definitely be hit-and-miss. We have to say though, seaweed is an excellent alternative to potato to make crisps from, as it is both low in calories and crunchy. These lightly salted seaweed chips from Shore only contain 123kcal per bag, and they're delicious. Learn more here - sainsburys.co.uk
Weight Watchers Cheese & Onion Popped Crisps - 82kcal per bag
We're not the biggest fans of some Weight Watchers products, but we have to say that these Cheese & Onion popped snacks are seriously good. We love the crunch and the cheesy flavour is amazing, but the best bit is that they only contain 82 calories per bag. Learn more here - weightwatchers.co.uk
Insane Grain Salt & Vinegar - 112kcal per bag
One of the best things about the Insane Grain crisps was the texture - they're nobbly sticks just like Nik Naks, which we love. The salt and vinegar flavour we tried here was delicious, plus only 112kcal per bag is great. The other added bonus with these is that they contain Vitamin B12 and gut-friendly bacteria, making them extra healthy. Learn more and buy them here - insanegrain.co.uk
So hopefully the above list will help you find low calorie crisps that you enjoy! Let us know what your favourite are.
Finn H
Finn is the editor of You Well and has been writing about travel, health, and more for over 10 years.