Potato chips are delicious and addicting, and Lay’s is one of the most popular manufacturers of these crunchy snacks. To appeal to a healthier market, Lay’s introduced Popped Chips, a lower fat, baked instead of fried snack in four delicious flavors.
Lay’s Poppables do not contain prominent gluten-containing ingredients. However, Lay’s does not list them on their gluten-free page, potentially due to cross-contamination. The best gluten-free alternatives to Lay’s Poppables include Popchips Sea Salt Potato Chips, Popcorners Sour Cream & Onion Chips, Mozaics Barbecue Popped Chips, Skinny Pop Cheddar & Sour Cream Chips, and Poptime Truffle Potato Chips.
Let’s explore just what popped chips are and what makes Lay’s chips non-gluten-free. We’ll take a deep dive into all four flavors of Poppables and then present several alternatives for your salty cravings. Let’s dig in!
Contents
- What are popped chips?
- Gluten Contamination
- Lay’s Poppables
- Alternatives to Lay’s Poppables
- Related Questions
What are popped chips?
Ground Potato or Yellow Corn are formed into a chip shape, combined with oil, and then heated in a pressurized chamber until they get puffy and actually pop. Since they are not fried, they are healthier. For the same amount of calories and less fat, you can eat more chips.
If you choose to make popped chips at home, slice potatoes very thin, coat them with oil and bake them in the oven until they are puffy. This is the best way to control the ingredients.
Gluten Contamination
Cross-contamination can occur during the processing unless a manufacturer has an entirely separate facility for gluten-containing and non-gluten varieties. Lay’s states that they clean their equipment between production runs, so they cannot guarantee gluten-free on their Poppables Potato Chips. If you are highly sensitive or have celiac disease, it’s best to try one of the alternatives.
Lay’s Poppables
Flavors:
- Sea Salt & Vinegar Flavor Potato Snacks
- Sea Salt Potato Snacks
- Southwest Ranch Flavored Potato Snacks
- White Cheddar Flavored Potato Snacks
- Honey BBQ Flavored Potato Snacks
Lay’s Poppables Sea Salt Potato Snacks
Ingredients:
- Dried Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil
- Potato Starch
- Sea Salt
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 28 pieces):
- 150 Calories
- 8g Fat (1g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 220mg Sodium
- 17g Carbohydrates (less than 1g Fiber, less than 1g Sugars)
- 1g Protein
- 10mg Calcium
- .2mg Iron
- 170mg Potassium
Lay’s Poppables Sea Salt & Vinegar
Contains Milk Ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Dried Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil
- Potato Starch
- Sea Salt & Vinegar Seasoning
- Maltodextrin (Made from Corn)
- Natural Flavors
- Lactose
- Sea Salt
- Vinegar
- Potassium Chloride
- Sea Salt
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 28 pieces):
- 140 Calories
- 8g Fat (1g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 220mg Sodium
- 16g Carbohydrates (less than 1g Fiber, less than 1g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
- .3mg Iron
- 280mg Potassium
Lay’s Poppables Southwest Ranch Flavored Potato Snacks
Contains Milk Ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Dried Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil)
- Potato Starch
- Sea Salt
- Spices
- Tomato Powder
- Cheddar Cheese
- Milk
- Cheese Cultures
- Salt
- Enzymes
- Onion Powder
- Sour Cream
- Cultured Cream
- Skim Milk
- Maltodextrin (Mae from Corn)
- Potassium
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Whey
- Natural Flavors
- Sugar
- Yeast Extract
- Skim Milk
- Red and Green Bell Pepper Powder
- Buttermilk
- Romano Cheese
- Cow’s Milk
- Cheese Cultures
- Salt
- Enzymes
- Whey Protein Concentrate
- Lactose
- Citric Acid
- Lactic Acid
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 28 chips):
- 150 Calories
- 8g Fat (1g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 180mg Sodium
- 16g Carbohydrates (less than 1g Dietary Fiber)
- 1g Protein
- 20mg Calcium
- .4mg Iron
- 290mg Potassium
Lay’s Poppables White Cheddar Flavored Potato Snacks
Contains Milk Ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Dried Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil
- Potato Starch
- White Cheddar Seasoning
- Whey
- Maltodextrin (Made from Corn)
- Salt
- Cheddar Cheese
- Milk
- Cheese Cultures
- Salt
- Enzymes
- Skim Milk
- Natural Flavor
- Sunflower Oil
- Buttermilk
- Romano Cheese
- Part-skim Cow’s Milk
- Cheese Cultures
- Salt
- Enzymes
- Whey Protein Concentrate
- Dextrose
- Corn Oil
- Yeast Extract
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Spice
- Lactose
- Citric Acid
- Milk Protein Concentrate
- Lactic Acid
- Sea Salt
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 28 pieces):
- 150 Calories
- 8g Fat (1.5g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 17g Carbohydrates (1g Fiber, 1g Sugars)
- 2g Protein
- 20mg Calcium
- .2mg Iron
- 160mg Potassium
Lay’s Poppables Honey BBQ Flavored Potato Snacks
Contains Milk Ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Dried Potatoes
- Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil
- Potato Starch
- Honey BBQ Seasoning
- Sugar
- Salt
- Maltodextrin (Made from Corn)
- Spices
- Onion Powder
- Yeast Extract
- Brown Sugar
- Tomato Powder
- Natural Flavor
- Honey
- Molasses
- Paprika Extracts
- Sunflower Oil
- Garlic Powder
- Citric Acid
- Purified Stevia Leaf Extract
- Sea Salt
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 28 pieces):
- 150 Calories
- 8g Fat (1.5g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 220mg Sodium
- 17g Carbohydrates (1g Fiber, 1g Sugars)
- 1g Protein
- 10mg Calcium
- .3mg Iron
- 170mg Potassium
Alternatives to Lay’s Poppables
Popchips Potato Chips
Popchips come in several varieties, including Popchips Ridges, PopChips Corn Chips, Popchips Puffs, and Popchips Grain Free.
They have zero trans or saturated fats, are non-GMO certified, and are certified gluten-free.
Flavors of Popchips Potato
- Sour Cream & Onion
- Barbeque
- Sea Salt
- Crazy Hot
- Aged White Cheddar
Popchips Sea Salt Flavor
Ingredients in Popchips Sea Salt Flavor:
- Dried Potato
- Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil
- Rice Flour
- Potato Starch
- Sea Salt
- Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 19 chips):
- 100 Calories
- 5g Fat (3g Monounsaturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 140mg Sodium
- 16g Carbohydrates (1g Dietary Fiber)
- 1g Protein
- .1mcg Vitamin D
- .3mg Iron
- 200mg Potassium
Popcorners Snack Chips
Popcorners varieties include Popped-Corn Snack (chips), Flex Protein Crisps (Grain Free), and Flourish Veggie Crisps. They use no nuts, and their products are never fried, plus they are certified gluten-free.
Flavors of Popped Corn Snacks:
- Kettle Corn
- White Cheddar
- Sea Salt
- Spicy Queso
- Sweet Chili
- Sour Cream & Onion
Popcorners Sea Salt
Ingredients in Sea Salt Flavor:
- Yellow Corn
- Sunflower Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 20 Chips):
- 110 Calories
- 5g Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 20g Carbohydrates (1g Dietary Fiber)
- 2g Protein
- 35mg Potassium
Popcorners Sour Cream & Onion
Ingredients in Sour Cream & Onion Flavor:
- Yellow Corn
- Sunflower Oil
- Whey
- Sour Cream
- Skim Milk
- Cultured Cream
- Salt
- Onion Powder
- Sea Salt
- Maltodextrin (made from Corn)
- Cane Sugar
- Natural Flavors
- Yeast Extract
- Garlic Powder
Nutrition Facts (per 1 oz. package):
- 140 Calories
- 6g Fat (.5g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 180mg Sodium
- 19g Carbohydrates (2g Sugars)
- 2g Protein
- 30mg Calcium
- .3mg Iron
- 70mg Potassium
Poptime Popped Potato Chips
Non-GMO, Gluten-free, Kosher, Dairy-free, Cholesterol-free, No Trans Fats, No Preservatives.
Flavors:
- BBQ & Honey
- Jalapeno
- Salted
- Truffle
Poptime Truffle
Ingredients in Truffle Flavor:
- Dehydrated Potatoes
- Sunflower Oil
- Truffle
- Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 23 chips):
- 110 Calories
- 3g Fat (.5g Saturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 110mg Sodium
- 20g Carbohydrates (Less than 1g Dietary Fiber)
- 2g Protein
- 10mg Calcium
- .3mg Iron
- 210mg Potassium
Mozaics Organic Popped Veggie & Potato Chips
Certified gluten-free, Kosher, non-GMO Project verified, Vegan, Low-fat, Corn-free.
Flavors:
- Sea Salt
- Barbecue
- Salsa
Mozaics Barbecue
Ingredients in the Barbecue Flavor:
- Peas
- Green Peas
- Yellow Peas
- Rice Flour
- Potato Flour
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Tomato Powder
- Seasoning
- Cane Sugar
- Tomato Powder
- Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Rice Concentrate
- Malic Acid
- Yeast Extract
- Spices
- Black Beans
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Nutrition Facts (per .75 oz. package – about 17 chips):
- 100 Calories
- 3g Fat
- 160mg Sodium
- 4g Fiber
- 4g Protein
Herr’s Tangy BBQ Popped Chips
Gluten-free. Per the label, it does contain a bioengineered food product.
Flavors:
- Barbecue
- Sour Cream & Onion
- Sea Salted
- Cassava Popped Chips – Chipotle Mango
Herr’s Barbecue
Ingredient in Herr’s Barbecue Flavor:
- Dehydrated Potato
- Potato Starch
- Rice Flour
- Seasoning
- Sugar
- Salt
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Tomato Powder
- Natural Flavors
- Extractives of Paprika
- Spices
- Citric Acid
- Sunflower Oil and/or Canola Oil
- Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
Nutrition Facts (per 1 bag):
- 90 Calories
- 2g Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 18g Carbohydrate (1g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars)
- 1g Protein
- 10mg Calcium
- .2mg Iron
- 130mg Potassium
Skinny Pop Popped Chips
Dairy-free, non-GMO Project verified, certified gluten-free, Peanut-free, tree nut-free, preservative-free, has no artificial flavors, and zero trans-fat. They are also certified vegan, kosher, and are a good source of whole grains.
Flavors:
- Sea Salt
- BBQ
- Cheddar & Sour Cream
Skinny Pop Cheddar & Sour Cream Popped Chips
Ingredients in Cheddar & Sour Cream Flavor:
- Popcorn
- Tapioca Starch
- Sunflower Oil
- Organic White Rice Flour
- Salt
- Yeast Extract
- Onion Powder
- Natural Flavors
- Garlic Powder
- Lactic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Paprika Extract
Nutrition Facts (per 22 Chips):
- 110 Calories
- 5g Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 19g Carbohydrates (2g Dietary Fiber)
- 2g Protein
- 10mg Calcium
- .2mg Iron
- 20mg Potassium
Eatsmart Snacks Veggie Crisps with Sea Salt
While not a popped chip, these snacks are crunchy, delicious, and a great alternative to regular chips. They are certified gluten-free, non-GMO Project verified, and peanut-free.
Ingredients:
- Potato Flour
- Potato Starch
- Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil
- Salt
- Tomato Paste
- Sea Salt
- Spinach Powder
- Potassium Chloride
- Turmeric
- Beet Powder
Nutrition Facts (per 21g bag):
- 100 Calories
- 4g Fat (3g Monounsaturated)
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 15g Total Carbohydrates (less than 1g Dietary Fiber)
- Less than 1g Protein
- 30mg Calcium
- 240mg Potassium
Related Questions
Is Lay’s Poppables Healthy?
It’s all relative. Lay’s Poppables are baked and not fried and thus have lower amounts of fat and carbohydrates than other chips. It’s also essential to stick to the serving size. Chips (and other salty foods) are addicting, and it’s hard to stop. There are healthier versions of popped chips on the market to check out, or stick to eating oven fries you make yourself.
Are Lay’s Poppables Vegan?
The Sea Salt Potato Snacks are vegan. The other three flavors contain milk ingredients such as lactose, whey, and cheese. They also contain natural flavors, which may be from animal or plant sources.
Is Lay’s Poppables Kosher?
While several Lay’s products are kosher, including the Classic Chips, and Kettle Cooked Chips, the Lay’s Poppables are not on that list.
Are Lay’s Poppables Keto?
No, with net carbs of 16g, the inclusion of milk protein concentrate, and MSG-like ingredients, these highly processed chips are not keto-friendly.