Real Handcooked Strong Cheese and Onion Potato Crisps, 150g

Real make hand cooked crisps with a character on every pack, and Strong Cheese and Onion is the bold one. This is the 150g sharing bag, which the listing says holds six servings. The full product name on the pack is strong cheese and onion flavour hand cooked potato crisps, and the maker on the label is REAL Crisps Limited.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil and a cheese and onion flavour of onion powder, yeast extract powder, salt, dextrose, sugar, whey powder (milk), cheddar cheese powder (milk), cheese powder (milk), citric acid, flavouring (milk), cayenne extract, onion extract, black pepper extract and paprika extract for colour.

Strong

The strength comes from onion twice over, as onion powder leading the seasoning and onion extract later, with yeast extract for savoury depth and two cheeses, cheddar cheese powder and cheese powder. Citric acid sharpens it.

A touch of heat

Cayenne extract and black pepper extract sit near the end of the list. They add a little warmth at the back of the throat rather than any real heat, which lifts the cheese.

Hand cooked

The pack says hand cooked. Hand cooked crisps are fried in batches, which gives a harder, crunchier bite than a continuously fried crisp, with folded, uneven edges.

British and Irish potatoes

The pack says the crisps are made with carefully selected British and Irish potatoes, and the listing says they are produced in the United Kingdom.

No added MSG

The pack says there is no added MSG. Yeast extract, high on the list, is naturally rich in glutamates, worth knowing for anyone who avoids them altogether.

Dextrose and sugar

Dextrose and sugar round the onion. The label gives 2.2g of sugars per 100g, green on the front of pack scale.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil on the list. The label gives 25.8g of fat per 100g, red on the front of pack scale, and 2.8g of saturates, amber.

Numbers per 100g

The label gives 496 kcal (2073 kJ), 25.8g of fat, 2.8g of saturates, 56.6g of carbohydrate, 2.2g of sugars, 7.6g of protein and 1.25g of salt per 100g. The published listing gives no fibre figure.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 25.8g is red. Saturates at 2.8g are amber. Sugars at 2.2g are green. Salt at 1.25g is amber.

Salt

The label gives 1.25g of salt per 100g, amber; the Real Roast Ox carries 1.37g.

Carbohydrate and protein

The label gives 56.6g of carbohydrate per 100g, of which 2.2g are sugars; the rest is starch from the potato. Protein is 7.6g per 100g.

Two cheeses

Cheddar cheese powder and cheese powder both sit in the seasoning, with whey powder and a milk flavouring, so the cheese is layered rather than a single note.

Folded edges

Batch frying lets the slices curl and fold as they cook, so no two crisps look quite the same.

Gluten free

There is no gluten ingredient on the list, and the pack carries a small gluten free roundel.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight milk, in the whey, cheddar cheese powder, cheese powder and flavouring, and the published listing gives no may contain advice. The pack says the crisps are suitable for vegetarians and gluten free; they are not vegan, because of the milk. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Six servings

The listing says the 150g bag holds six servings but gives no figures per serving, so a serving is about 25g. Tip it into a bowl rather than eating from the bag.

Once opened

The pack advises a cool, dry place and says to eat the crisps as soon as the bag is open. The best before date is on a panel on the pack.

Bags of character

Every Real pack carries a character and the line with bags of character. On this one, a rugby player in a leather scrum cap stares out from the bottom corner.

The pack

The green bag carries the white Real name in a frame, the words hand cooked, strong cheese and onion in lime green letters, a small gluten free roundel, the rugby player in his scrum cap and the line with bags of character.

Who it suits

A strong, crunchy cheese and onion crisp suits anyone who finds the usual cheese and onion too mild, and the vegetarian and gluten free statements suit many tables. It is not suitable for anyone avoiding milk.

Serving ideas

Serve the crisps with a pint of bitter, a ham and pickle sandwich or a ploughman's lunch.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a strong cheese and onion crumb for the top of a potato bake or a macaroni cheese.

With drinks

A strong cheese and onion crisp stands up to a hoppy pale ale or a dry cider.

At a party

Put a bowl out beside a plain crisp, so guests can choose strong or mild.

In a sandwich

A handful in a cheese and pickle sandwich doubles the cheese and adds the crunch.

Family owned

The listing describes Real as British made and family owned.

Other Real crisps

In the same 150g bag we stock Real Handcooked Roast Ox.

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.