Hula Hoops Big Hoops Salt and Vinegar Potato Rings, 45g

Big Hoops are the bigger version of Hula Hoops, the potato rings from KP Snacks, and Salt and Vinegar is the sharp one, which the front of the pack calls sharp salt and vinegar. This is the 45g grab bag, and the listing gives its figures for the whole pack. The pack gives a freepost address for KP Snacks.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the rings are made from potato (dried potato and potato starch), sunflower oil, a salt and vinegar flavour (natural flavouring, salt, citric acid, rice flour, dextrose, sugar, maltodextrin and dried yeast extract), potassium chloride and salt.

Vinegar without vinegar

There is no vinegar and no vinegar powder on the list. The sharp taste comes from the natural flavouring, which leads the seasoning, and citric acid, the acid of lemons, with a little dextrose and sugar to round it.

Potato rings

Hula Hoops are made from dried potato and potato starch, formed into a dough and shaped into hollow rings. Big Hoops are larger rings than standard Hula Hoops, which the pack sums up as bigger hoop, bold flavour.

Salt

At 2g of salt per 100g and 0.9g in the bag, this is the saltiest of the Big Hoops we stock, red on the front of pack scale. Potassium chloride sits beside the salt; it tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium.

No MSG

The listing says no MSG, and none is on the list. Dried yeast extract is naturally rich in glutamates, worth knowing for anyone who avoids them altogether.

Rice flour and maltodextrin

Rice flour and maltodextrin carry the seasoning so the salt and acid spread evenly around each ring.

Numbers for the bag

The listing gives 230 kcal (961 kJ), 12g of fat, 1.1g of saturates, 0.5g of sugars and 0.9g of salt for the 45g bag. That is about 12% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 17% of the fat and 15% of the salt. Per 100g the label gives 511 kcal (2136 kJ), 27g of fat, 2.5g of saturates, 62g of carbohydrate, 1g of sugars, 2.8g of fibre, 3.2g of protein and 2g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 27g is red. Saturates at 2.5g are amber. Sugars at 1g are green. Salt at 2g is red.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the rings may contain cereals containing gluten and milk. The listing says they are suitable for vegetarians; there is no vegan statement and no gluten free claim. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

What the pack leaves out

The listing says there are no artificial colours or flavours, and there is no colour on the list at all.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil on the list, and the label gives 2.5g of saturates per 100g.

A grab bag

At 45g, the grab bag is a substantial snack for one, 230 kcal. It suits a journey, a desk lunch or an afternoon at the match.

The pack

The blue bag carries a yellow grab bag band, the yellow Hula Hoops badge under the line bigger hoop bold flavour, the words big hoops and sharp salt and vinegar in a box, and five big rings around them.

The Hula Hoops range

Standard Hula Hoops come in six bag multipacks of Original, Barbecue Beef, Salt and Vinegar, Cheese and Onion and Smoky Bacon, and in variety packs; Big Hoops are the larger rings in a grab bag.

The order of the seasoning

Ingredients are listed by weight, and natural flavouring leads the salt and vinegar flavour, ahead of the salt and the citric acid. The sharpness is the point of this bag.

Dextrose and sugar

Dextrose and sugar sit in the seasoning to round off the acid. The label gives 1g of sugars per 100g, green on the front of pack scale.

Carbohydrate, fibre and protein

The label gives 62g of carbohydrate per 100g, and with sugars at 1g the rest is starch. Fibre is 2.8g and protein 3.2g per 100g.

The whole pack

The listing gives its figures for the whole 45g pack rather than a smaller portion, so the numbers above are what the bag holds.

With fish

Salt and vinegar is the classic seasoning for fish and chips, and a bag of Big Hoops crushed over a fish finger sandwich does the same job.

Who it suits

A sharp, crunchy ring suits anyone who likes a big snack with a strong salt and vinegar hit. The Salted Big Hoops carry 1.6g of salt per 100g and the Barbecue Beef 1.7g.

Serving ideas

A grab bag goes with a fish finger sandwich, a cheese roll or a cold drink.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the rings make a sharp crumb for fish goujons or the top of mushy peas.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place.

Other Big Hoops

In the same 45g grab bag we stock Hula Hoops Big Hoops Salted and Barbecue Beef.

Other 45g packs of Big Hoops we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.