Kettle Honey Dijon Mustard Potato Chips, 130g

Honey and mustard is a classic pairing, sweet against pungent, and Kettle Honey Dijon Mustard puts it on a thick, hand cooked chip. This is the 130g sharing bag, which the label suggests serves five. The full product name on the pack is Hand Cooked Potato Chips with Honey Dijon Mustard Seasoning.

Real mustard, real honey

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from select potatoes, vegetable oils (rapeseed and sunflower, in varying proportions), sugar, honey powder, yeast extract, potato maltodextrin, spirit vinegar powder, natural flavourings, salt, sea salt, citric acid, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika extract for colour, Dijon mustard (mustard seeds, vinegar and salt) and capsicum extract.

Both halves of the name are on the list. Honey powder, dried honey, sits second in the seasoning after sugar. The mustard comes twice: mustard powder, and Dijon mustard itself, made from mustard seeds, vinegar and salt. That is worth knowing if you have tried mustard flavoured crisps that contain no mustard at all.

How it tastes

Sugar and honey give the sweetness first. Then the mustard brings its pungency, the nose tingling heat that comes from compounds released when mustard seed is ground and wetted, softened here by the sweetness. Spirit vinegar powder and citric acid add the sharpness of a honey mustard dressing, and a little capsicum extract adds a gentle warmth. Onion, garlic and yeast extract give a savoury base.

Mustard: the allergen to note

Mustard is one of the 14 major allergens in the UK, and the published ingredients highlight it here, in the mustard powder and the Dijon mustard. Anyone with a mustard allergy must avoid this flavour. No other allergen is highlighted, and the published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the chips are suitable for vegetarians and carries a gluten free claim. No vegan claim is made; honey is not usually considered vegan. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Hand cooked

The chips are cooked in batches, which gives Kettle its harder, crunchier bite and its curled, golden slices. The pack says they are hand cooked and made with British potatoes. A thick, crunchy chip suits a strong seasoning like this one, which would overwhelm a thin crisp.

Numbers per 100g

The label gives 512 kcal (2138 kJ), 28.1g of fat, 3.1g of saturates, 56.4g of carbohydrate, 3.1g of sugars, 4.7g of fibre, 6.2g of protein and 0.44g of salt per 100g. The pack suggests five servings, so a serving is about a fifth of the bag.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 28.1g is red. Saturates at 3.1g are amber. Sugars at 3.1g are green, even with sugar and honey leading the seasoning. Salt at 0.44g is amber, towards the bottom of the band.

How hot is it

Mustard heat is different from chilli heat. It rises through the nose rather than burning the tongue, and it fades quickly. With sugar and honey ahead of it on the list, expect a gentle mustard warmth rather than the kick of a spoonful of English mustard. The capsicum extract adds only a little.

Why honey and mustard work together

Mustard is sharp and pungent; honey is sweet and soft. Together they balance, which is why honey mustard is a classic glaze for ham and sausages and a common salad dressing. On a crisp the sweetness arrives first and the mustard follows, so the flavour builds rather than hitting all at once.

What carries the seasoning

Yeast extract adds a savoury depth under the sweet and sharp flavours, and potato maltodextrin, a mild powder made from potato starch, carries the seasoning so it spreads evenly over each chip. Spirit vinegar powder brings the vinegar of a mustard dressing without making the chips damp.

Serving the bag

Honey mustard goes with ham, sausages and cheese. Serve the bag beside a ham salad, a plate of cocktail sausages, a pork pie or a cheeseboard with a sharp Cheddar. A cold lager or a dry cider cuts through the sweetness.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the chips make a sweet mustard crust for pork chops or chicken thighs: brush the meat with a little Dijon, press on the crumbs and roast. They also make a crunchy topping for a potato salad.

Storage and packaging

The pack advises a cool, dry place away from bright light. The published recycling guidance says the whole packaging can be recycled with carrier bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. The pack names Kettle Foods Ltd as the maker.

Other Kettle flavours

In the same 130g bag we stock Kettle Brie and Caramelised Onion, Mature Cheddar and Red Onion, Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Lightly Salted and Sea Salt and Crushed Black Peppercorns.

Other 130g packs of Kettle Chips 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.