Sunbites Lightly Salted Wholegrain Crisps, 95g

Sunbites are wholegrain chips from Walkers: a dough of four whole grains, formed into rippled squares and seasoned. Lightly Salted is the plain one, with sea salt and a light seasoning. This is the 95g sharing bag, which the label says holds three to four portions of 25g. The full product name on the pack is Lightly Salted Flavour Wholegrain Snack.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from wholegrains (whole corn, whole wheat, whole brown rice flour and whole oat flour, 83%), sunflower oil, a seasoning (sea salt, natural flavourings, salt, sugar, spices and citric acid) and sugar.

Four whole grains

The pack says the chips are 100% wholegrain, made with rice, wheat, corn and oats. Wholegrains make up 83% of the recipe, and a wholegrain keeps its bran and germ, which is where most of its fibre is.

Whole corn first

Whole corn is the first grain on the list, and it gives the chips a gentle sweetness and a toasted flavour like a tortilla chip.

Oats and wheat

Whole wheat and whole oat flour bring a nutty, bready flavour. Both are cereals containing gluten, which is why the chips are not suitable for anyone avoiding it.

Brown rice

Whole brown rice flour lightens the dough and adds a crisp snap.

Lightly salted

Sea salt leads the seasoning, with salt, natural flavourings, a little sugar, spices and citric acid. The label gives 0.89g of salt per 100g and 0.22g in a 25g portion.

Only natural flavours

The listing says the chips are made with only natural flavours.

The ripples

The chips are formed into rippled squares, which gives them more surface for the seasoning and a firmer crunch than a flat chip.

Numbers for a portion

The label gives 119 kcal (498 kJ), 5.3g of fat, 0.5g of saturates, 15g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 1.7g of fibre, 1.8g of protein and 0.22g of salt for a 25g portion. That is about 6% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 8% of the fat and 4% of the salt.

Numbers per 100g

Per 100g the label gives 476 kcal (1993 kJ), 21g of fat, 2g of saturates, 61g of carbohydrate, 3.7g of sugars, 6.6g of fibre, 7.3g of protein and 0.89g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 21g is red, saturates at 2g are amber, sugars at 3.7g are green and salt at 0.89g is amber.

Fibre

The whole grains give 6.6g of fibre per 100g and 1.7g in a 25g portion; the front of the bag carries a round fibre badge.

The same as the six pack

The 95g bag holds the same Lightly Salted recipe as the six bag multipack of 25g bags, with the same nutrition table.

Sugar

A little sugar is in the seasoning and again at the end of the list. The label gives 3.7g of sugars per 100g, green on the front of pack scale, and 0.9g in a portion.

Citric acid and spices

A little citric acid and spices round off the seasoning, so the salt does not taste flat.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil on the list, the second ingredient after the grains.

Protein

The four grains give 7.3g of protein per 100g and 1.8g in a 25g portion.

Carbohydrate

The label gives 61g of carbohydrate per 100g, mostly starch from the four grains, and 15g in a 25g portion.

Fat and saturates

The label gives 21g of fat and 2g of saturates per 100g, and 5.3g of fat and 0.5g of saturates in a portion.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight wheat and oats, both cereals containing gluten. The allergy advice says the chips may contain barley, milk and soya. The listing says they are suitable for vegetarians; no vegan or gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Recycled plastic

The listing says the bags are made using 50% recycled plastic, sourced using an ISCC certified mass balance approach.

A sharing bag

Three to four 25g portions make this a bag for two or three people, a film night or a bowl on the table. The listing advises finishing an opened bag within three days.

Packed in a protective atmosphere

The listing says the chips are packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil until the bag is opened.

With dips

The plain seasoning suits a houmous, a tzatziki or a tomato salsa, and the rippled chips are sturdy enough to scoop.

Who it suits

Lightly Salted Sunbites suit anyone who likes a grainy, wholegrain chip with a light seasoning. They are not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the chips make a grainy topping for a soup or a salad.

Other Sunbites

We stock Lightly Salted in a six bag multipack of 25g bags too, and Sunbites Sweet Chilli in a 95g sharing bag, a six bag multipack and a 28g bag.

Sizes of Sunbites Lightly Salted Wholegrain 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.