There’s a saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? And I think it goes best with chips packets! We often buy the chips bag assuming that it’ll be enough, only to be underwhelmed when we open it and find that it is insufficient.
This happens when we don’t know which packet size to choose. So in this article, I did a quick scanning of different chip bag sizes. Included are some tips on how to select the most fitting bag size of chips for any occasion.
Common Chips Bag Sizes
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I’ll start with some of the most common potato chips. As we know, they come in different sizes of packs. Commonly there’re 3 types of bags- personal Size, regular size, and party size chips bag. Below are some quick notes on each of these different bag sizes.
Regular Size Chips Bags
A regular-size or medium size bag of chips is typically 7-10 oz (ounces). It’s difficult to come up with an average weight because it varies from brand to brand.
For instance, a regular bag of Cape Cod chips weighs only 7 oz. Whereas, a regular bag of Lay’s chips is 10 oz.
Personal Size Chip Bags
Next up, there is personal or small bags of chips. It typically weighs 1.5 oz. It’s perfect for a single serving. And these, like regular packs, also have different weights based on different brands and flavors.
Party Size or Family Size Chip Bags
You can also find a party or family-size chips bag. Usually, these bags carry 13 oz of chips. And you guessed right! These bags’ sizes also depend on brands.
For example, the classic party bag size of Lay’s chips is 15.75 oz. While Cape Cod chips are sold up to 30 oz mega size bags.
The Difference Between Family and Party Size Potato Chips Bags
We may think party-size and family-size bags as the same. But no, there is usually some difference in weight between the two sizes. For example - the family size Lay's classic pack weighs 10.5 oz whereas the party size is about 15.8 oz. There is a difference of about 5.3 oz or little over 150 grams.
Standard Chips Bag Size for Different Brands
In this section, I’ve added regular and party bag sizes chart for different chip brands. But before that, take a look at the number of chips that packets of these brands contain per ounce of weight of personal packets. Number of chip per ounce for other pack sizes varies slightly,
Name of Chips Brands | Number of Chips per ounce(Approx.) | Name of Chips Brands | Number of Chips per ounce(Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
Lay’s | 15 | Herr’s | 13 |
Ruffles | 12 | Terra | 18 |
Miss Vickie’s | 12 | Cape Cod | 18 |
Sun chips | 14-16 | Wise Food | 16 |
Doritos | 10-15 |
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Regular size chip bags chart
Chips Brands | Weight in Ounces (oz) | Weight in Grams (g) | Number of Chips (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
Lay’s | 8 oz | 226.8 g | 150 |
Ruffles | 8.5 oz | 241 g | 121 |
Miss Vickie’s | 7 oz | 198.4 g | 84 |
Sun chips | 7 oz | 198.4 g | 107 |
Doritos | 9.25 oz | 262.2 g | 180 |
Herr’s | 7.5 oz | 212.6 g | 97 |
Terra | 6.8 oz | 192.8 g | 123 |
Cape Cod | 7 oz | 198.4 g | 63 |
Wise Food | 7.5 oz | 212.6 g | 120 |
Party size chip bags chart
Chips Brands | Weight in Ounces (oz) | Weight in Grams (g) | Number of Chips (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
Lay’s | 15.75 oz | 446.5 g | 500 |
Ruffles | 13 oz | 368.5 g | 155 |
Miss Vickie’s | |||
Sun chips | 13 oz | 368.5 g | 107 |
Doritos | 15 oz | 425.2 g | 375 |
Herr’s | 14 oz | 396.9 g | 182 |
Terra | 15 oz | 425 g | 270 |
Cape Cod | 14 oz | 396.9 g | 450 |
Wise Food | 15 oz | 425 g | 240 |
Image by Bryce Carithers on Pexels
But these sizes are not always the same. Even within the same brand, the weights can be different. For example, you’ll find regular-size Lay’s chips bag with special flavors that weigh 9.5 oz. This differs from the size mentioned previously (8 oz). The number of chips varies across the same brand depending on the flavor, overall shape and size of individual chip and pack size as well.
This mismatch can be seen in a personal-size chips bag with different flavors too. The classic flavor personal size for Lay's is of 1 oz.
Flavors | Weight in Ounces (oz) | Weight in Grams (g) | Number of Chips (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
Lay’s Oven Baked Original | 1.125 oz | 31.9 g | 20 |
Lay’s Kettle Cooked Jalapeño | 1.5 oz | 42.5 g | 63 |
Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue | 2.87 oz | 81.4 g | 71 |
For Doritos, there's no difference in weight of packs but the number of chips varies. The nacho cheese usually has lower (10 chips) number of chips than the cool ranch flavor pack (15 chips).
You can check out these articles on chips number by Spoon University and Newsday for some more insight.
How to Choose the Right Size
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After all these size charts, the question is how to choose the right size. The answer is, it depends on for whom you are buying.
- If you are buying for yourself, then you know how many chips will be there in personal chips packets. And you can estimate the quantity of the chips for larger packets as well. So suit yourself.
- But if you are buying chips for any group or gathering, you need to think about how many of them you’ll serve. Generally, 1 oz is enough for single servings. So, if regular-size bags are 8 oz, it will be enough for eight servings.
- For some, we seek more. Then perhaps you should add more. And, of course, keep the kids off the regular list. They’ll need 2 or 3 servings all by themselves!
Bottom Line
Finally, the size of your chip bag depends on your snacking needs and preferred flavor, such as potato, corn, tortilla, or veggie chips. The standard size for chip bags in the USA is between 1 and 16 ounces, though larger sizes are also available. Now just pick your chips and start munching!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented potato Chips?
George Speck, a native American chef, invented potato chips in 1853. His chips were originally called Saratoga Chips because he was a chef at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York at that time.
What was the first Potato Chips Brand?
Moon Brand Original Saratoga Chips. It is known as the first potato chips company in the United States. Though George Speck, the man who created potato chips, never officially launched a brand. He used to sell Saratoga chips as takeout at his restaurant.
Are Potato Chips healthy?
Even though we all love chips, they are not healthy. Considering that they have a high-calorie content, little nutritional value, and a lot of salt. However, there are also less salty and healthier chips available in the market. Good health is one of them.
Why is there so much air in the chips bag?
That so much air is nitrogen gas that works as a preservative gas. It’s used to keep the chips fresh and crispy for a long time.
Header Image by The Organic Crave Company on Unsplash
