Walkers Wotsits Crunchy Really Cheesy Snacks, 140g

Wotsits Crunchy are the crunchier take on the classic Wotsits, and Really Cheesy is the cheese one. This is the 140g sharing bag, which the listing says holds four to five servings. The full product name on the pack is really cheesy flavour corn puffs, and the listing gives Portugal as the country of origin.

The ingredients

According to the printed pack, the puffs are made from corn (maize), a vegetable oil blend (corn oil and sunflower oil, in varying proportions) and a cheese flavour of whey permeate (milk), dried cheese (milk, 6%), salt, cheese seasoning (milk), potassium chloride, yeast extract, lactic acid, a flavour enhancer (disodium 5' ribonucleotides), colours (paprika extract and annatto norbixin) and natural flavouring (milk).

Crunchy

Classic Wotsits melt in the mouth; Wotsits Crunchy are made to crunch. The listing describes them as a crunchy twist on the classic, with the same really cheesy flavour.

Real cheese

Dried cheese makes up 6% of the puffs, with whey permeate leading the flavour and a cheese seasoning and natural flavouring, all from milk. Lactic acid gives the tang of a sharp cheese.

The flavour enhancer

Disodium 5' ribonucleotides are a flavour enhancer that strengthens the savoury taste of the cheese and yeast extract. There is no MSG on the list.

Corn oil and sunflower oil

The oil blend is corn oil and sunflower oil. The label gives 34g of fat per 100g, red on the front of pack scale, and 4.8g of saturates, amber, just under the red line at 5g.

The orange

Paprika extract and annatto norbixin, a colour from the seeds of the achiote tree, give the puffs their bright orange coat. The pack says there are no artificial colours.

Sugars

Sugar itself is not on the list; the 5.8g of sugars per 100g comes mostly from the whey permeate, which is largely lactose, the sugar in milk. That is amber on the front of pack scale.

Numbers per serving

The pack gives 166 kcal (691 kJ), 10g of fat, 1.4g of saturates, 17g of carbohydrate, 1.7g of sugars, 0.3g of fibre, 1.5g of protein and 0.39g of salt for a 30g serving, which it puts at 8% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 7% of the salt.

Numbers per 100g

Per 100g the pack gives 552 kcal (2304 kJ), 34g of fat, 4.8g of saturates, 56g of carbohydrate, 5.8g of sugars, 0.9g of fibre, 5.1g of protein and 1.3g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 34g is red. Saturates at 4.8g are amber. Sugars at 5.8g are amber. Salt at 1.3g is amber.

Corn

Corn, or maize, is the first ingredient, and the corn dough is puffed into the crunchy shapes.

Yeast extract

Yeast extract adds savoury depth behind the cheese. It is naturally rich in glutamates, worth knowing for anyone who avoids them altogether.

Potassium chloride

Potassium chloride sits beside the salt. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium.

Carbohydrate and fibre

The label gives 56g of carbohydrate per 100g, of which 5.8g are sugars; the rest is starch from the corn. Fibre is 0.9g and protein 5.1g per 100g.

No artificial preservatives

The pack says there are no artificial colours or preservatives.

Allergens and diet

The printed ingredients highlight milk, in the whey permeate, dried cheese, cheese seasoning and natural flavouring. The allergy advice on the pack says the puffs may contain barley, gluten, wheat and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians; they are not vegan. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Four to five servings

The pack says it holds four to five servings of 30g. Tip a serving into a bowl rather than eating from the bag.

Made in Portugal

The listing gives Portugal as the country of origin.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place. Clip the bag shut between servings to keep the puffs crunchy.

The pack

The bag in our photograph is a Marvel Avengers: Doomsday promotional edition, with a Marvel character at the top and a line about the film. Below it are the Wotsits name, the word crunchy, really cheesy, a few puffs and the 140g weight. Promotional designs change, so the bag you receive may look different.

Who it suits

A crunchy, really cheesy corn puff suits anyone who likes Wotsits but wants more bite, and the vegetarian statement suits most tables. It is not suitable for anyone avoiding milk.

Serving ideas

Put a bowl out at a party or a film night, beside a cold drink and a plain snack.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the puffs make a bright, cheesy crumb for the top of a macaroni cheese.

Cheesy fingers

The orange coating comes off on your fingers, so keep a napkin by the bowl.

With drinks

A cheesy puff goes well with a cold beer or a cola.

In a lunchbox

Tip a handful into a small pot for a lunchbox, and clip the bag shut.

Other Wotsits Crunchy

We also stock Walkers Wotsits Crunchy Sweet and Spicy in the same 140g bag.

The published listing gives Portugal 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.