Selection of Crisps for 10 Children ...

[NotQuiteCockney]

That's what I've been ordered to provide for Friday's school Xmas party.

I'm okish about crisps, if they're simple. DS1 is 4, so a bit of salt won't do him any harm.

But a "selection"? Doesn't that imply little bags of E-number-ridden scary-flavoured crisps?

Could I just bring in a big bag of pretzels, and a big bag of plain nice crisps? I could just ask, but what if they say "no"?

(Yes, I know, the other parents bringing in food won't be working with the same concerns. I'm sure DS1 will eat some scary stuff. That's fine, it's just one day. But I'm not buying scary stuff.)

I'd take cheddars and quavers tbh

meaning .. bugger what anyone else thnks take what you would give your child .. noone will know who brought what

I agree - I wouldn't buy crap either and you can interpret the crisp order however you like, as long as there are savoury snacks for 10 children, you have done your bit.

I don't know what cheddars are. Those little cheesy cracker things? And quavers seem a bit scary to me.

I don't give my kids any crisps at all. Well, some tortilla chips sometimes, but those aren't nice unless served warm with melted cheese, and some guacomole on the side.

you could always buy the baby organix ones - very little salt but nice flavours (go down quite well with tinies but not at all with teenagers IME!)

what about erm, twigletts?

oo funny harpshichord

Quavers have less than 0.2g sodium per pack and no artificial colours

Would Kettle Chips (or equivalent) just be too poncey?

a health shop should have healthier low salt low fat crisps or crisp-alternatives
(although might be expensive)

The only ones without MSG are those teddy bear shaped ones that you can get in the supermarket. And good old ready salted of course.

I tried giving Baby Organix ones to DS1 once, in his lunch. He hated them.

Twigletts are an idea, I hate marmite, but I think DS1 might not. They're not gross, are they?

Do Quavers have MSG? I'm a bit sensitive to it (maybe ... I've read the debunking stuff, and am less convinced, but that's a whole other story). I do remember liking them at one point. But I thought they were totally rubbish, I guess I put them in the same category as skips etc.

I like Kettle Chips, or equivalent. But I think most of their flavours are not child-friendly. The flavours are just too strong. I can't see the four-year-olds going mad for the Salt and Balsamic Vinegar crisps ...

Our health food shop has a lot of mixed-root-vegetable crisps, which are lovely ... might go over ok.

I guess I'll get a couple big bags of different things ...

M+S do organic apple crisps which are made with the grand total of

apples
sunflower oil.

They are bloody delicious! They also do crinkle cut salt free potato crisps.

Meant to say, I think quavers are a bit scary because they don't resemble anything that is real food. They may only have potato or corn or whatever in them, but it has been seriously messed about with until it is no longer recognisable. I have a problem with so-called 'food' that bears no resemblance to anything real.

Oooh, FAZ, those sound good. I'll look for them.

Yeah, I actually prefer crisps with the potato skins on. Chips ditto.

Tesco Finest lightly salted crisps. Easily enough in a big bag for 10 kids, and not very salty

Preztels are no diiferent to crisps - they are v salty. I try to buy Organix crisps too but they are expensive, especially if you are catering for 10.

But it's only once a year. Kids should be allowed to go overboard once in a while!

Pretzels are salty, but they don't have scary flavours or colours.

I really don't mind DS1 having a bit of salt, or a bit of fat, it's the flavours and colours that scare me.

The best ones are Pom Bears. Potato, veg oil and pretty much nothing else. Available in all supermarkets. Very yummy AND they look like little smiling teddybears so very popular with 5 year olds! Alternatively I think hula hoops are the next least worst thing.

Ignore the selection comment, if you don't want to bring crap, don't bring crap!

ps pom bears come in big packets of 12. sorted!

or you could do home made popcorn and don't put any salt or sugar on it.

It's funny, isn't it- I think of Hula Hoops as being worse than most crisps even though I'm not that much of a purist about food. It's the MSG and flavour enhancers that I don't like, coupled with the reconstitutedness (nice word ) of them.

Yeah, I'd describe them as "extruded". Because that's what they are. Either way, I'm not really comfortable with the weird-shapes thing. I guess the Baby Organix ones, and the teddy bears, all fall into that category too.

well, my bugbear is MSG! so I sometimes buy the pompom bears. They are quite nice, actually.

They don't look gross, really. No colour.

But I'm not mad for the cute-shaped-food thing, either.

Everyone has their own issues ...