Proper Sea Salt Lentil Chips, 5 x 14g

The plain Proper lentil chip in small bags: five 14g bags of Proper Sea Salt, 70g in total, each 68 kcal on the label. It is the simplest of the Proper chips in the smallest of their bags, which makes it a natural lunchbox snack. The full product name on the pack is Lentil chips seasoned with sea salt.

Five ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from lentil flour (30%), potato starch, vegetable oils (sunflower and rapeseed), corn flour and salt. That is all. Lentil flour leads, which gives the chips a mild, nutty background, and the starches give a light, airy crunch. None of the base ingredients is a gluten containing cereal, and the pack carries a gluten free claim.

A different recipe from the 31g bag

The three Sea Salt sizes we stock are not identical. This multipack lists salt only, where the 31g bag lists sea salt and salt; the oils here are sunflower then rapeseed, where the 31g bag lists rapeseed first; and the 85g bag lists sunflower oil alone. The labels differ a little too: this pack gives 1.84g of salt per 100g, the 31g bag 1.62g.

A small bag

The Walkers and McCoy's multipack bags we stock hold 25g; this bag holds 14g, a little over half. That suits a young child, a small snack between meals, or a portion for anyone who likes plain chips but wants to keep the amount down. Five bags cover a school week.

Numbers for one bag

The label gives 68 kcal (283 kJ), 2.9g of fat, 0.4g of saturates, 8.9g of carbohydrate, 0.1g of sugars, 0.1g of fibre, 1.4g of protein and 0.26g of salt for each 14g bag. That is about 3% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 4% of the salt. Per 100g it is 482 kcal (2023 kJ), 20.8g of fat, 3g of saturates, 63.6g of carbohydrate, 1g of sugars, 0.7g of fibre, 9.7g of protein and 1.84g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 20.8g is red. Saturates at 3g are amber. Sugars at 1g are green. Salt at 1.84g is red. In a 14g bag, the salt comes to 0.26g.

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.

Salt in context

A 14g bag carries 0.26g of salt, about 4% of an adult's daily reference intake. The per 100g figure, 1.84g, is red on the front of pack scale, but the small bag keeps the actual amount modest, which is the practical advantage of buying salty snacks in small bags.

Why plain suits a lunchbox

A plain chip goes with every sandwich filling, has no heat, no strong smell and no sharp acid, and is the least likely flavour to be left uneaten. For a child who is wary of new foods, a plain lentil chip is also an easy first step away from potato crisps.

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, then salted. The label says the bags are packaged in a protective atmosphere, and the pack names Proper as the maker.

For lunchboxes and classrooms

A plain, vegan chip with a gluten free claim is one of the easier snacks to share in a class where children have different diets, with the usual reminder that anyone with an allergy should read the pack. With no strong flavour, it goes with any sandwich filling, from cheese to jam.

Sunflower and rapeseed oils

This multipack lists sunflower oil then rapeseed oil. Both are light, neutral oils, and the label gives 3g of saturates per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale. No palm oil is used, as the pack states.

In the kitchen

A crushed bag makes a plain, gluten free crumb for one portion of fish goujons or a topping for a bowl of soup. Add herbs to the crumb to give it flavour: dried thyme and lemon zest for fish, smoked paprika for chicken, or a pinch of chilli for a warmer crust.

The packaging

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 sizes and flavours

Proper Sea Salt also comes in a 31g bag and an 85g sharing bag. In the same five bag format of 14g bags we stock Proper Barbecue, Salt and Vinegar and Prawn Cocktail.

Storage

The published listing gives no storage advice for this multipack; keep the bags in a cool, dry place and finish each bag 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.