Golden Wonder Tomato Ketchup Crisps, 6 x 25g

Tomato ketchup is one of the sweeter British crisp flavours, and Golden Wonder's version puts sugar first in the seasoning. This multipack holds six 25g bags, 150g in all, and the pack says each bag is one serving. The full product name on the pack is tomato ketchup flavour potato crisps, and the pack names Golden Wonder Ltd of Corby, Northamptonshire, as the maker for Great Britain.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, vegetable oils (rapeseed and sunflower in varying proportions) and a tomato ketchup seasoning of sugar, salt, flavourings, a flavour enhancer (monosodium glutamate), wheat flour (fortified with calcium carbonate, iron, niacin and thiamin), citric acid, tomato powder, yeast extract and paprika extract for colour.

Sweet first

Sugar leads the seasoning, as it does in a bottle of ketchup, so the first taste is sweet. Even so, the label gives 3g of sugars per 100g and 0.8g in a bag, green on the front of pack scale.

Then the tomato

Tomato powder gives the fruity tomato note, and citric acid the sharpness of the vinegar in a real ketchup. Flavourings, monosodium glutamate and yeast extract fill in the savoury depth behind.

Wheat flour

Wheat flour carries the seasoning, and it is why these crisps contain gluten. UK white flour is fortified by law with calcium, iron, niacin and thiamin, which is why those four appear in brackets.

MSG and yeast extract

The flavour enhancer is monosodium glutamate, and yeast extract is naturally rich in glutamates too. Anyone who avoids MSG should read the list; all four Golden Wonder six pack flavours we stock use it.

The colour

The red colour comes from paprika extract, a natural colour from sweet peppers. It adds colour rather than heat, and there is no chilli on the list.

Numbers for one bag

The pack gives 132 kcal (549 kJ), 7.8g of fat, 0.7g of saturates, 13.4g of carbohydrate, 0.8g of sugars, 0.8g of fibre, 1.5g of protein and 0.35g of salt for each 25g bag. That is about 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 11% of the fat and 6% of the salt. Per 100g it is 526 kcal (2195 kJ), 31.2g of fat, 2.8g of saturates, 53.7g of carbohydrate, 3g of sugars, 3.3g of fibre, 5.9g of protein and 1.38g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 31.2g is red, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.8g are amber. Sugars at 3g are green. Salt at 1.38g is amber, in the upper part of its band.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight wheat, a cereal containing gluten, in the wheat flour. The published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the crisps are suitable for vegans, which covers vegetarians too; they are not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

What the pack leaves out

The pack says there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The colour is paprika extract.

The oils

The crisps are fried in rapeseed and sunflower oils, in varying proportions. The label gives 2.8g of saturates per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale.

The slice

The crisps are classic thin slices of potato, fried and seasoned, with a crisp, clean snap.

Salt across the range

At 1.38g of salt per 100g, Tomato Ketchup sits in the middle of the Golden Wonder six packs we stock: above Cheese and Onion at 1.23g and Beef and Onion at 1.32g, below Salt and Vinegar at 1.68g.

The pack

The red bag carries the Golden Wonder name with the line more punch per crunch around it, a crisp beside the figure 6 and the words tomato ketchup.

Six bags

At 25g, each bag is one serving, 132 kcal. Six bags cover a school or working week with one to spare.

Who it suits

A sweet, tangy crisp suits children and anyone who likes ketchup on everything, and the vegan statement suits a plant based lunchbox. It is not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten or MSG.

For children

The sweet flavour and small 25g bags suit a children's party or lunchbox; check the wheat and the MSG first.

Serving ideas

Tomato ketchup crisps belong in a bacon or sausage sandwich, a cheese toastie or a burger bun, and beside a bowl of chips.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a sweet, tangy crumb for chicken goujons or the top of a baked bean gratin.

Storage and packaging

The pack advises a cool, dry place.

Other Golden Wonder flavours

In the same six bag format we stock Golden Wonder Cheese and Onion, Beef and Onion and Salt and Vinegar, and there are two sixteen bag boxes, Variety and Meaty.

Other 6 x 25g packs of Golden Wonder we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.