Potato crisps or chips

No. Crisps are thin, crunchy slices of potato sold in packets; chips are the thicker pieces of potato you’d usually serve hot with fish or a pie.

Slice potatoes very thinly, rinse off the surface starch and dry them thoroughly. Toss with a little oil, spread in a single layer and bake at 180°C for about 15–20 minutes, turning halfway; take them out when golden.

Fold the top over and seal it with a clip, or transfer the crisps to an airtight container. Keep them somewhere cool and dry; moisture quickly makes them lose their crunch.

They’re a familiar side for a sandwich, and a crisp sandwich is a simple British favourite: put the crisps between slices of buttered bread just before eating so they stay crunchy.

A small 25 g serving is a useful guide—roughly one small packet. That provides 125 kcal; the NHS Eatwell Guide advises having foods high in fat, salt and sugar less often and in small amounts.

The baked version listed has 449 kcal per 100 g, compared with 500 kcal per 100 g for these crisps. Check the packet too, as products and serving sizes differ.

Keep an eye on them towards the end of cooking: thin slices can darken quickly. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking starchy foods such as potatoes to a golden yellow colour rather than brown.