Proper Barbecue Lentil Chips, 31g

The 31g bag of Proper Barbecue is a single serving of smoky lentil chips, sized for a lunchbox or a desk drawer. The full product name on the pack is Lentil based chips with a barbecue seasoning, and the label gives the nutrition for the whole bag.

What is in the bag

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from lentil flour (28%), potato starch, vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower and coconut), corn flour, sugar, salt, natural flavourings, onion, garlic, rice flour, smoked chipotle pepper, tomato and spices.

The base is lentil flour with potato starch, corn flour and rice flour, and none of those contains gluten; the pack carries a gluten free claim. The oils are a blend of rapeseed, sunflower and coconut, and the pack states no palm oil.

Where the smoke comes from

Smoked chipotle pepper is a jalapeño that has been dried and smoked, and it gives both the smoke and a gentle heat. Sugar, listed early, gives the sweetness of a barbecue sauce, tomato gives its fruity base, and onion and garlic give it savour. The spices round it off. It is a warm, smoky flavour with a little heat, rather than a hot one.

What the bag adds up to

The label gives, for the 31g bag, 145 kcal (610 kJ), 6.2g of fat, 0.5g of saturates, 19g of carbohydrate, 1.3g of sugars, 0.8g of fibre, 3g of protein and 0.74g of salt. That is about 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 12% of the salt. Per 100g it is 469 kcal, 20g of fat, 1.6g of saturates, 61g of carbohydrate, 4.1g of sugars, 2.6g of fibre, 9.7g of protein and 2.39g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 20g is red, just above 17.5g. Saturates at 1.6g are amber, only just. Sugars at 4.1g are green, under 5g. Salt at 2.39g is red. The salt in the bag, 0.74g, is the figure to know if you are counting.

Compared with a potato crisp

A lentil chip carries a different balance. Per 100g, this bag gives 9.7g of protein and 20g of fat; the fried potato crisps in our range give roughly 6g to 7g of protein and 29g to 31g of fat. The lentil chip is saltier per 100g than most of them, though, so the comparison cuts both ways.

The oil blend

The oils are rapeseed, sunflower and coconut. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and higher in saturated fat than the other two, but it is a small part of the blend here: the label gives 1.6g of saturates per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale. The pack also states no palm oil.

Lentil flour at 28%

The label gives the lentil flour as 28% of the chip, the largest single ingredient. Potato starch, corn flour and rice flour make up much of the rest, and together they give the chip its light, airy structure.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the chips may contain soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegans and vegetarians, carries a gluten free claim and states no palm oil. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

How the chips are made

The published listing does not say how the chips are cooked. They are formed from a mix of lentil flour and starches, and the barbecue seasoning is applied afterwards. The pack says the bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere and names Proper as the maker.

When to reach for it

A 31g bag suits a lunchbox, a desk drawer, a gym bag or a walk. It is a useful single serving for anyone who needs a vegan, gluten free snack, and the smoky flavour goes with a salad, a wrap or a bean burger.

In the kitchen

A crushed 31g bag makes a smoky, gluten free crumb for one portion of mac and cheese or a baked sweet potato. Add it at the end so it stays crisp.

Who it suits

This bag suits anyone who wants a smoky flavour with only a little heat, and it is a useful single serving for vegan and gluten avoiding diets, going by the pack's own statements. It does not suit anyone watching salt closely: 0.74g in a 31g bag is more than a 45g bag of several potato crisps in our range.

Other sizes

The same flavour comes as an 85g sharing bag and a five bag multipack of 14g bags, which is the size for a child's lunchbox and a smaller portion for anyone counting salt. In the same 31g size we stock Proper Sea Salt, which shows 1.62g of salt per 100g on its label.

Storage

The pack advises a cool, dry place. Finish the bag once it is opened.

Sizes of Proper Barbecue Lentil Chips 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.