Proper Sea Salt Lentil Chips, 31g

Proper Sea Salt is the lentil chip with nothing to hide: six ingredients, and the only seasoning is salt. This is the 31g bag, a single serving for a lunchbox or a desk drawer. The full product name on the pack is Lentil based chips seasoned with sea salt.

Six ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from lentil flour (30%), potato starch, corn flour, vegetable oils (rapeseed and sunflower), sea salt and salt. That is the complete list. Lentil flour is the largest single ingredient, at 30% a little more than in the flavoured Proper chips, and it gives the chip a mild, slightly nutty, earthy taste that you can actually notice when there is no seasoning to cover it.

Why a plain lentil chip is worth trying

A plain chip shows the base. Taste one and you get the gentle flavour of lentils, the lightness of the starches and a clean salty finish. It is the Proper chip to choose if you want to know what a lentil chip is like before trying the flavours, and the one that goes with any dip.

The lowest salt Proper we stock

Per 100g the label gives 1.62g of salt, the lowest of the Proper chips in our range, though still just above the 1.5g line where the front of pack scale turns red. The 31g bag holds 0.5g. For comparison, the Salt and Vinegar flavour shows 2.83g per 100g on its label.

What the bag adds up to

The label gives, for the 31g bag, 149 kcal (626 kJ), 6.7g of fat, 0.5g of saturates, 19g of carbohydrate, 0.2g of sugars, 0.8g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 0.5g of salt. That is about 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 8% of the salt. Per 100g it is 482 kcal (2021 kJ), 21g of fat, 1.6g of saturates, 61g of carbohydrate, 0.6g of sugars, 2.5g of fibre, 10g of protein and 1.62g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 21g is red, above the 17.5g threshold. Saturates at 1.6g are amber, only just. Sugars at 0.6g are green; nothing sweet is added. Salt at 1.62g is red, just over the line.

Sea salt and salt

The list names both sea salt and salt. Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater and usually comes in larger, flakier crystals; ordinary salt is finer. On a chip the difference is mostly texture and name, since both are sodium chloride, and together they make up the whole seasoning.

Rapeseed and sunflower oils

This bag lists rapeseed oil before sunflower. Both are light, neutral oils, and together they keep the saturates low: 1.6g per 100g on the label, amber on the front of pack scale but only just.

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, which covers vegetarians too, and carries a gluten free claim. 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, potato starch and corn flour rather than sliced, and salted afterwards. The label says the bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere and advises storing it in a cool, dry place. The pack names Proper as the maker.

When to reach for it

A 31g bag of plain lentil chips suits a lunchbox, a gym bag or a desk drawer, and it is the easiest Proper to pair: with a salad, a soup, a wrap or a dip. For a vegan or gluten avoiding diet, going by the pack's statements, it is a simple, reliable single serving.

A good first lentil chip

If you have never tried a lentil chip, start with a plain one. Without a flavour on top, you notice what makes it different from a potato crisp: a lighter, crumbly texture, a mild nutty taste and a clean finish. Once you know the base, the flavoured Proper chips make more sense.

In the kitchen

Crushed, plain lentil chips make a gluten free crumb for coating fish or chicken, or a crunchy topping for soup. With no flavouring of their own, they pick up whatever herbs or spices you add to the crumb.

The packaging

The published recycling guidance says the whole packaging should not be recycled.

Other sizes and flavours

Proper Sea Salt also comes as a five bag multipack of 14g bags and an 85g sharing bag, each with a slightly different ingredients list, so check the label of the size you buy. In the same 31g size we stock Proper Barbecue.

Storage

Keep the bag in a cool, dry place, as the label advises, and finish it once opened.

Sizes of Proper Sea Salt 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.