Fewer calories don’t make potato crisps a suitable complementary food for a baby: the Healthy Start network recommends avoiding added salt in complementary foods. The salted crisp varieties covered here are therefore not suitable for baby-led weaning. For adults in the household, however, energy, fat and salt per 100 g can be useful figures for comparison.
When a baby eats finger food independently as part of baby-led weaning, whether it’s suitable as a complementary food matters more than the snack’s calorie count. The Healthy Start network recommends avoiding added salt in complementary foods; finger food and purées can be offered together.
If you’re comparing potato crisps for adults, you can check the nutritional information and ingredients without assuming they’re suitable as complementary foods. Allergen information on the pack you buy is important too.
When choosing finger food for a baby, selecting suitable complementary foods comes before any calorie comparison. Crisp nutrition figures are only useful for comparing snacks intended for adults.
| What matters | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Complementary foods and added salt | Choose finger food that’s right for your baby’s age and stage of development; for packaged products, check the ingredients list for added salt. | When my baby eats finger food independently, I don’t want to choose a salted snack as a complementary food; this is the main concern for around 56% of consumers. |
| Energy and fat for adults | For crisps intended for adults, compare energy and fat using the same measure, preferably per 100 g. | I want to compare nutrition figures for an adult snack without then offering it to my baby; this comparison takes priority for around 22% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and pack information | Check the specific variety’s ingredients list, salt content and allergen labelling on the pack. | If particular ingredients or allergens matter to my household, I need the information on the pack I’m actually buying; this is the main concern for around 22% of consumers. |
An oven-baked snack may have different fat and energy values from classic crisps and still contain added salt. For complementary feeding, the fat content doesn’t tell you whether the ingredients are suitable.
Choose suitable complementary foods for your baby instead of crisps. Compare energy and fat only when the snack is intended for adults.
Portion sizes can vary between products, so nutritional information per portion isn’t always directly comparable.
First compare energy, fat and salt per 100 g, then take into account how much is actually eaten.
EDEKA notes that information on its product page may differ from the packaging. The labelling on the variety you buy is what matters.
Before serving, check the ingredients, salt content and allergen labelling directly on the pack.
The information below relates to a specific variety in each case, not the brand’s entire range. The salted varieties mentioned are not suitable as complementary foods.
Crunchips Salted is the Lorenz variety featured here.
Chipsfrisch Hungarian is a seasoned potato crisp variety.
Chips Ready Salted is the salted variety featured here.
Ridged salted crisps are an example from this range.
A lower calorie count alone doesn’t make potato crisps suitable as a complementary food. The Healthy Start network recommends avoiding added salt in complementary foods; the crisp varieties featured here contain added salt.
Baking in the oven doesn’t tell you whether the ingredients are suitable. A salted oven-baked snack listed by REWE contains 450 kcal, 13 g fat and 0,82 g salt per 100 g; added salt remains the key factor when choosing complementary foods.
Check the ingredients list, nutrition information per 100 g and allergen labelling for the specific variety. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety explains that the 14 substances and products that most commonly cause allergies or intolerances must be listed in the ingredients list.
No. According to the Healthy Start network, finger food and purées can be offered together. With complementary foods made up entirely of pieces, nutrient intake depends on the food offered and the child’s choices; the network recommends individual advice from a paediatric practice.