Pringles Sour Cream and Onion Crisps, 40g

The 40g tube puts Pringles Sour Cream and Onion into a single serving: a short tube of stackable crisps that fits a lunchbox or a bag and keeps every crisp whole. The label gives nutrition per 100g, and the tube itself is about the size of a generous handful.

The crisp

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from dehydrated potatoes, sunflower oil, wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, a sour cream and onion seasoning, maltodextrin, an emulsifier (E471), salt and a colour, annatto norbixin. The potato and flour dough is pressed into the Pringles saddle, so every crisp is the same size and shape.

The seasoning, and how it differs from the big tube

The seasoning lists wheat starch, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate), onion powder, dextrose, sunflower oil, salt, modified maize starch, flavourings (milk), maltodextrin, sugar, sweet whey powder (milk), sour cream powder (milk), glucose syrup powder, acids (citric and malic) and milk proteins.

Compared with the 165g tube we stock, the order is different and so are some of the parts. Here wheat starch and the flavour enhancers lead, the acids are citric and malic without the lactic acid of the large tube, and there is no oat fibre. Salt also appears twice, in the seasoning and again in the crisp itself, which shows in the figures: 1.2g of salt per 100g here against 0.62g for the 165g tube.

What the tube adds up to

Per 100g, the label gives 517 kcal (2160 kJ), 29g of fat, 2.9g of saturates, 56g of carbohydrate, 2.1g of sugars, 3.5g of fibre, 6.3g of protein and 1.2g of salt. Worked out for the 40g tube, that is about 207 kcal, 11.6g of fat, 1.2g of saturates, 0.8g of sugars and 0.48g of salt. Against an average adult's reference intake, that is about 10% of the day's energy, 17% of the fat and 8% of the salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 29g is red. Saturates at 2.9g are amber. Sugars at 2.1g are green. Salt at 1.2g is amber, in the upper half of its band.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight cereals containing gluten, from the wheat flour and wheat starch, and milk, from the flavourings, whey, sour cream powder and milk proteins. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians. They are not vegan, because of the milk, and not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Why a small tube works

A tube protects crisps from being crushed, which matters most in a lunchbox or a bag. It also closes again: if you do not finish the 40g in one go, the lid keeps the rest fresh until later in the day. For a child's lunchbox, the tube is sturdier than a bag.

How a Pringle is made

The crisps are formed from a dough of dehydrated potato with wheat, corn and rice flours. The emulsifier helps the fat and dough combine evenly, and every crisp is pressed into the same curved shape, which gives the even, crumbly snap. The seasoning is applied to the formed crisps, and the tube is packed in a protective atmosphere, according to the label.

Two acids instead of three

The 165g tube lists lactic acid among its acids, the acid behind the cultured tang of real sour cream. This 40g tube lists citric and malic acid only, and it leans on the sour cream powder for the cultured note. The difference is small in the eating, but it is one of several reasons the two sizes are not the same recipe.

A lunchbox size

At about 207 kcal, the tube is a larger portion than a 25g bag of crisps and a smaller one than a sharing bowl. It suits an adult's lunch or a long journey; for a young child, half the tube with the lid back on is a sensible portion, and the rest keeps for later.

When to reach for it

Sour cream and onion is a mild, creamy flavour with no heat, which makes this tube a good side for a sandwich, a wrap or a salad. It suits a picnic, a train journey or a desk lunch, and it is a mild flavour with no heat.

In the kitchen

A crushed 40g tube is enough to top a small fish pie or a single potato bake with a creamy, oniony crunch. Add the crumbs near the end of cooking so they stay crisp.

Other sizes and flavours

For sharing and for less salt, the 165g tube of Pringles Sour Cream and Onion is the one to buy. In the same 40g size we stock Pringles Original. For the flavour with heat, Pringles Hot Kickin' Sour Cream comes in a 160g tube.

Storage

Store the tube in a cool, dry place, with the lid on if any is left.

Sizes of Pringles Sour Cream and Onion Crisps 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.