Walkers Squares Variety Snacks, 6 x 22g

Walkers Squares are square, ridged potato snacks made from a potato dough rather than a slice, and this variety pack holds six 22g bags in three flavours: two each of Ready Salted, Cheese and Onion, and Salt and Vinegar, 132g in all. Each bag is one serving. The front roundel says 99 kcal per pack.

One base, three flavours

Every bag starts from the same base: potato granules, sunflower oil and potato starch. According to the published listing, Ready Salted adds maltodextrin and salt; Salt and Vinegar adds its flavour, maltodextrin and salt; and Cheese and Onion adds a cheese and onion flavour.

Ready Salted

Ready Salted is the plainest: potato granules, sunflower oil, potato starch, maltodextrin and salt, with no allergen in the list. The label gives 99 kcal (414 kJ) and 0.33g of salt for each bag.

Cheese and Onion

The Cheese and Onion flavour lists whey permeate (from milk), salt, sugar, a flavouring containing milk, rice flour, onion powder, citric and malic acid, whey protein, garlic powder, cheese powder, whey milk powder, annatto and paprika extract colours, maltodextrin and skimmed milk powder. A bag gives 97 kcal (404 kJ) and 0.3g of salt.

Salt and Vinegar

The Salt and Vinegar flavour lists flavouring, citric acid, sugar, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate and disodium guanylate) and potassium chloride. A bag gives 97 kcal (409 kJ) and 0.48g of salt, the most of the three.

Potato dough, not a slice

Squares are made from potato granules and potato starch, pressed into square, ridged shapes and cooked. That gives an even, light snack with a crisp ridge rather than the curl of a sliced crisp.

Per 100g, flavour by flavour

Per 100g the label gives Ready Salted 449 kcal, 19g of fat, 1.6g of saturates, 60g of carbohydrate, 1.3g of sugars, 6g of fibre, 6.5g of protein and 1.48g of salt. Cheese and Onion gives 439 kcal, 17.2g of fat, 1.5g of saturates, 61g of carbohydrate, 3.3g of sugars, 6.4g of fibre, 6.6g of protein and 1.38g of salt. Salt and Vinegar gives 443 kcal, 18g of fat, 1.5g of saturates, 61g of carbohydrate, 3.5g of sugars, 5.5g of fibre, 6.5g of protein and 2.2g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat is red for Ready Salted and Salt and Vinegar and amber for Cheese and Onion, at 17.2g. Saturates are amber for Ready Salted and green for the other two, at 1.5g. Sugars are green for all three. Salt is amber for Ready Salted and Cheese and Onion and red for Salt and Vinegar, at 2.2g.

Numbers for a bag

A Ready Salted bag gives 99 kcal, 4.2g of fat, 0.4g of saturates, 13.2g of carbohydrate, 0.3g of sugars, 1.3g of fibre, 1.4g of protein and 0.33g of salt. That is about 5% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 6% of the fat.

Potato granules

Potato granules are cooked, dried and ground potato. Mixed with potato starch, they make the dough that is pressed into squares.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil in all three flavours.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin, a carbohydrate made from starch, appears in all three flavours and helps the seasoning stick.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight milk in the Cheese and Onion bags; the Ready Salted and Salt and Vinegar lists highlight no allergen. The allergy advice for the pack says the snacks may contain barley, soya, wheat and other cereals containing gluten. 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 each bag.

MSG in one flavour

Only the Salt and Vinegar bags list monosodium glutamate, with disodium guanylate. Ready Salted and Cheese and Onion list no flavour enhancer.

No artificial colours

The listing says there are no artificial colours; the Cheese and Onion colour comes from annatto and paprika extract.

Six small bags

Six 22g bags cover a school week with one to spare, with a change of flavour every day or two. At 22g, each bag is a little smaller than a 25g crisp bag.

Sorting the box

For a shared cupboard: Cheese and Onion contains milk; Salt and Vinegar contains MSG; Ready Salted has the shortest list of the three.

In a lunchbox

A bag of Squares goes beside a sandwich, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit, and the flat squares pack neatly.

For children

Square shapes and three flavours make the box a good one for children who like to choose; the pack itself suggests biting the corners off first.

In the kitchen

Crushed Ready Salted Squares make a light crumb for the top of a macaroni cheese or a fish pie.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place. Keep the bags in the outer pack until needed.

Other sizes

We stock a twelve bag Walkers Squares Variety pack, four bags of each flavour, and Walkers Squares Salt and Vinegar in its own multipack and a 40g bag.

Sizes of Walkers Squares Variety Snacks 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.