Hula Hoops Original Potato Rings, 6 x 24g

Original is the plain Hula Hoop: potato rings with salt and nothing more. This multipack holds six 24g bags, 144g in total. The full product name on the pack is original salted potato rings, and the pack gives a freepost address for KP Snacks.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the rings are made from potato (potato starch and dried potato), sunflower oil, rice flour, maize flour, salt and potassium chloride. There is no seasoning blend, and sugar and colour do not appear on the list.

What makes a Hula Hoop

The rings are made from a dough rather than a slice: potato starch and dried potato, with rice and maize flour, formed into small hoops and cooked. The dough gives a light, even crunch, and the shape makes each ring easy to pick up, or to wear on a fingertip.

Rice and maize flour

Rice flour and maize flour sit beside the potato in the dough. They help give the rings their light, even texture, which is why the list names three starchy ingredients rather than potato alone.

Sugars

Sugar is not on the list; the label gives 0.5g of sugars per 100g, which comes from the potato itself.

Salt and potassium chloride

The rings are seasoned with salt and a little potassium chloride. Potassium chloride tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium, so it seasons without adding to that figure. The label gives 1.4g of salt per 100g and 0.34g for each bag.

Numbers for one bag

The label gives 120 kcal (501 kJ), 6g of fat, 0.5g of saturates, 16g of carbohydrate, 0.5g of sugars, 0.6g of fibre, 0.7g of protein and 0.34g of salt for each 24g bag. That is about 6% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 9% of the fat and 6% of the salt. Per 100g it is 499 kcal (2087 kJ), 25g of fat, 2.2g of saturates, 65g of carbohydrate, 0.5g of sugars, 2.6g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 1.4g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 25g is red. Saturates at 2.2g are amber. Sugars at 0.5g are green. Salt at 1.4g is amber, near the top of its band.

The least salty Hula Hoop we stock

Original has 1.4g of salt per 100g. Smoky Bacon has 1.5g, Cheese and Onion 1.8g, Salt and Vinegar 2g and BBQ Beef 2.2g, so the plain ring is the one to choose for the least salt.

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 pack says they are suitable for vegetarians; there is no vegan claim 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 pack says there are no artificial flavours or colours and no MSG. Six ingredients, with nothing to colour or flavour them beyond salt, make this one of the shortest lists in our range.

Sunflower oil

The only oil on the list is sunflower oil, a light oil with a neutral taste, and the label gives 2.2g of saturates per 100g.

Who it suits

A plain ring suits younger children, fussy eaters and anyone who wants a snack without a strong flavour. It is the easiest bag to hand out when you do not know what everyone likes.

Six bags for the week

Six bags cover a working or school week with one to spare, each bag a single serving. Pair one with a sandwich, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Sharing fairly

A multipack makes it easy to share fairly: every bag is the same 24g portion, so each child gets the same amount.

Season your own

Plain rings are easy to season at home: shake a pinch of smoked paprika, chilli flakes or garlic salt into an opened bag for a quick party snack.

Serving ideas

Plain rings go with any lunch, and they make a mild dipper for houmous, salsa or a soured cream dip. At a party, a bowl of plain rings sits well beside the flavoured ones.

In the kitchen

Crushed, plain rings make a light, neutral crumb for fish fingers or chicken strips. Add herbs, paprika or grated cheese to flavour the crumb.

Storage and packaging

The pack advises a cool, dry place. The published recycling guidance says the whole packaging can be recycled with carrier bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling.

Other packs

For a bigger box of the same rings, we stock Hula Hoops Original in twelve bags. In the same six bag format there are Hula Hoops Cheese and Onion, Salt and Vinegar, BBQ Beef and Smoky Bacon, and the six bag Variety box holds two bags of original.

Sizes of Hula Hoops Original Potato Rings 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.