Crisps

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Mick F
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Crisps

Post by Mick F »

1. Why are plain crisps called Ready Salted when other flavours don't mention salt in their names?
You don't get Cheese and Onion "ready salted".

2. Why are crisps so salty these days irrespective of branding or favour?
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: Crisps

Post by PDQ Mobile »

Mick F wrote: 16 Jun 2021, 8:09pm 1. Why are plain crisps called Ready Salted when other flavours don't mention salt in their names?
You don't get Cheese and Onion "ready salted".

2. Why are crisps so salty these days irrespective of branding or favour?
You are simply not old enough.(joke)
There was a time when the salt came separate in a little blue twist bag.
So "ready salted" denotes the removal of said bag.

I heard/read somewhere they are one of the unhealthiest things one can eat.

And(2) the salt supposedly and its likely true, makes them "moreish" and of course you buy more drink because they make you thirsty
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Mick F
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Re: Crisps

Post by Mick F »

I remember the little blue bag very well ................ as you know! :D

The points are, as I stated.
Why are plain crisps Ready Salted, and not all the myriad of other flavours?
Why are crisps (of any flavour) so salty these days?

Smith's Crisps etc had a blue bag of salt, but even when you added it, they weren't nearly as salty as crisps these days.

Golden Wonder crisps?
Did they have a blue bag?
From what I remember, they were never as salty as Walkers Ready Salted these days.

Are their any statistics regarding "modern" salt content in packets of crisps versus the old days?
Mick F. Cornwall
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simonineaston
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Re: Crisps

Post by simonineaston »

Not old enough... I'm so old I can recall (or at least, I think I can...) that crisped potatoes with their optional salt came in cardboard boxes. I didn't live there at the time but I like this piccie of the Smiths crisps factory in Bristol...
where they made crisps
where they made crisps
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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simonineaston
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Re: Crisps

Post by simonineaston »

There's a great little potted history of the UK's crisp makers here !
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
thirdcrank
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Re: Crisps

Post by thirdcrank »

I think PDQ has it right.

This morning on my daily walk for a newspaper, a moblile car-valet was blocking the footway outside our local pub, working on the landlord's car which was on the car park. On my return leg a few minutes later a large truck marked "SCRATCHINGS" was blocking the parts the valet couldn't reach. I briefly surmised that this must be some car bodywork repair specialist but of course it was delivering pork scratchings and a whole range of other salt-laden snacks intended to make drinkers thirsty.

"Ready salted" is just another "flavour." Which may be why some .. er .. old salts find them extra salty.
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661-Pete
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Re: Crisps

Post by 661-Pete »

At school I used to often skip school dinner (which was disgusting) but buy a bag of 'Smiths' in the tuck shop. Then I used to eat the crisps and when they were finished, if still hungry, I'd untwist the blue paper and eat the salt too - bit by bit. The other kids would laugh at me if they noticed.

Don't ask me what I understood by 'healthy eating' back in those days.... :oops:
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VinceLedge
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Re: Crisps

Post by VinceLedge »

You can still get the plain crisps with a packet of salt in them, usually available in supermarkets in 6 packs.
I like them without the salt, you can actually taste potato!
Shame they don't sell just without the salt!
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simonineaston
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Re: Crisps

Post by simonineaston »

I went through a phase of thinking myself most amusing when buying plain crisps in a pub and when asked "wot flavour?" replying "potato flavour, please".
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Tangled Metal
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Re: Crisps

Post by Tangled Metal »

I'm afraid I only eat walkers salt and vinegar. Can't stand any other brand or flavour. However the walkers do change their recipe every now and then. I have been eating them so long that I spot the changes when they happen. There was a slight change a few years ago.

I believe that often when you see a change to the pack detail there's likely to be a change to the flavour as well. Could be wrong. For example when British got more prominent there was a change. Something about less oil a change when they added something about their potatoes a slight change.

I could be wrong but I think that's got some truth because I'm not that discerning with flavour so if I spot a change it must be obvious.

BTW I can't eat pringles salt and vinegar. It dissolves the skin inside my mouth!!! I'm not joking. It turns the skin on the inside of my lips and mouth a cloudy white then it comes off in big strips. Actually scary how acidic it is. What is that doing to your insides?
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al_yrpal
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Re: Crisps

Post by al_yrpal »

Crisps, Whiskey and Cheese, my bellys enemys... Love them all but go straight on the belly.
Crisps, almost any sort will do, but, I never pay more than £1 for a large bag.
Walkers owned by Coca Cola.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Tangled Metal
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Re: Crisps

Post by Tangled Metal »

I did once see a graphic of who owns it favourite snacks. Obviously American image bit many were sold here and the companies sell here too. Apparently something like 80 favourite and well known snacks were owned by 10 or 8 companies with a few owning most of them. Not all were food companies. Detergent composite like is it Unilever own quite a few big snack names.

I once got bigger than I wanted to at about 30. Still in the edge of OK BMI but I wanted to lose weight. So I cut out 3 packs of crisps and a few chocolate bars, exercised more cardiovascular way and lost 2 stones in as many weeks. Kept it at the same weight i ended at for over 10 years. Wasn't water loss neither. In my mind that illustrates the damage such junk foods can do to me, how cutting back can have a big effect.
philvantwo
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Re: Crisps

Post by philvantwo »

Walker's owned by PepsiCo.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Crisps

Post by al_yrpal »

philvantwo wrote: 17 Jun 2021, 8:04am Walker's owned by PepsiCo.
Thats even worse! Have you seen their Chief Exec, her aim is that everything we eat and drink must be provided by PepsiCo! We will all end up looking like Bunter :lol:

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
merseymouth
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Re: Crisps

Post by merseymouth »

Hi all, The mention of the horrible crepe that are "Crisps" sets me off on a rant!
Many reasons why? To answer one question -no, Golden Wonder never had a separate salt twist/packet, produced as to go.
Flavours? O for the days when a box of crisps was a box of crisps, Hobson's Choice. Stock control was simple, one metal tin of packets, the tin being re-cycled, minimal waste. When I had to deliver the ruddy things I cursed them. One day I was taking the regular delivery of such to the Canadian Pacific offices in the Royal Liver Building. As they weigh next to nowt one would carry then in stacks of eight, two wide, four up.
I stepped out from behind the van just as the wind channelled between the tall buildings - whoosh, six boxes were off to Bootle! Never saw them again.
But my biggest gripe is the road miles that the beggars stack up! Back when stuff was local, products stayed regional, Golden Wonder, made near Widnes, covered most of our region, Walker, Leicester base, had their turf, Corby area made one brand (forget which) , very regional.
But brand loyalty took over, pushed by ads from muppets like that overpaid ex-footballer, have left us shuttling the muck the length and breath of the planet.
Back to packaging, think of the sheer waste of a ruddy Pringles tube? Daft!
Only two so called food items elevate my BP, "Crisps" and "Salads", a total waste of nutrition!
Off to the quiet zone, jig-saw duty to bring it down. TTFN MM

* Hi Al, Yarroo! Off to scrump tuck.
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