Dips: the perfect accompaniment to a BBQ or a night in front of the telly but what is often thought of as a healthy snack, can contain hidden fat and calories!
What are the best dips for your diet? Dips are the perfect accompaniment to a BBQ or a night in front of the telly and are often the first thing to be laid out when you've got friends over. But what is often thought of as a healthy snack, can contain hidden fat and calories.
We've chosen 20 of the most popular dips and compared them both on flavour and nutritional value.
All nutritional values are per 100g, to measure them all equally.
Which of these dips is your favourite? Did the results shock you? Let us know in our comments section below…
Asda Chosen by You Taramasalata
Rating for calorie-counters: 1/10
Cal: 524kCal - highest amount of calories!
Fat: 56.5g
Sat fat: 9.3g
Sugar: 0.9g
Salt: 1.0g
Price: 95p for 200g for Asda
Verdict: With the highest calorie rating, Asda’s Chosen by You Taramasalata dip should be saved for dinner parties.
Waitrose Essential Onion and Garlic Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 1/10
Cal: 458kCal
Fat: 47.0g – highest level of fat!
Sat fat: 7.0g
Sugar: 3.1g
Salt: 0.7g
Price: £1.10 for 230g at Waitrose
Verdict: This is another dip to save for special occasions or when you’re trying to impress guests as it has seriously high levels of both fat and saturated fat, and that’s before you even consider what you’re dipping into it with.
Sabra Houmous Extra
Rating for calorie-counters: 2/10
Cal: 341kCal
Fat: 31.0g
Sat fat: 2.4g
Sugar: 0.4g
Salt: 1.0g
Price: £1.90 for 200g at Sainsbury’s
Verdict: While this dip has more than 100 calories less than Waitrose Essential Onion and Garlic dip, it still has a really high level of fat. We still recommend only buying this one once and a while though.
Nando's Perinaise
Rating for calorie-counters: 2/10
Cal: 331kCal
Fat: 31.1g
Sat fat: 2.7g
Sugar: 7.9g
Salt: 1.0g
Price: £1.87 for 250g at Asda
Verdict: Bringing a little bit of Nando's goodness home, this dip is an all round winner if you want to impress. It can be used to dip or a sauce, which in our book makes it a kitchen cupboard essential. Even if we only use it occasionally…
Waitrose Essential Sour Cream & Chive Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 3/10
Cal: 327kCal
Fat: 32.6g
Sat fat: 10.2g - highest sat fat!
Sugar: 2.4g
Salt: 0.5g
Price: £1.10 for 230g at Waitrose
Verdict: While Waitrose Essential Sour Cream & Chive Dip has slightly fewer calories, its fat and saturated fat content is seriously high (the latter is twice as much as the Nando's dip).
Sainsbury's Roasted Red Pepper Houmous
Rating for calorie-counters: 4/10
Cal: 317kCal
Fat: 27.2g
Sat fat: 2.6g
Sugar: 2.6g
Salt: 0.8g
Price: £1.30 for 200g at Sainsbury’s
Verdict: The calorie count is still pretty high for this dip, but the saturated fat, sugar and salt is much lower, so this one that doesn’t have to be relegated to the odd BBQ.
Sainsbury's Basic Houmous
Rating for calorie-counters: 4/10
Cal: 305kCal
Fat: 25.9g
Sat fat: 2.6g
Sugar: 0.8g
Salt: 0.9g
Price: 85p for 200g at Sainbury’s
Verdict: Great price point for those on a budget, but not such a good calorie count for those watching their weight. We recommend opting for raw carrots, cucumber and peppers to dip into this houmous to give it a slighter healthier appeal.
Unearthed Pomegranate Houmous
Rating for calorie-counters: 4/10
Cal: 297kCal
Fat: 24.2g
Sat fat: N/A
Sugar: N/A
Salt: 0.7g
Price: £1.49 for 170g at Waitrose
Verdict: Fed up of the classic chickpea houmous? Why not try a pomegranate flavoured one instead. While it doesn’t look great calorie wise, it's worth considering that there’s barely any saturated fat or sugar.
Walkers Doritos Nacho Cheese Dip
Cal: 231kCal
Fat: 20.2g
Sat fat: 3.3g
Sugar: 3.3g
Salt: 1.0g
Price: £1.98 for 300g at Asda
Verdict: The movie night favourite – while Doritos delicious cheesy dip isn’t going to help us lose weight any time soon, it’s perfect for an indulgent night-in (once in a while).
Asda Chosen By You Sour Cream & Chive Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 5/10
Cal: 210kCal
Fat: 19.3g
Sat fat: 7.4g
Sugar: 3.4g
Salt: 0.5g
Price: 95p for 200g at Asda
Verdict: We had high hopes for this Sour Cream & Chive Dip; unfortunately it doesn’t bode well with our diet. Both the calorie and fat contents are in double figures and that’s before you even consider bread or things to dip.
Yarden Kosher Aubergine in Mayonnaise
Rating for calorie-counters: 6.5/10
Cal: 185kCal
Fat: 18.0g
Sat fat: 1.0g
Sugar: N/A
Salt: 1.5g
Price: £1.80 for 250g at Tesco
Verdict: If you want to wow dinner guests then this is the dip to do it with. The unusual yet delicious flavour is a great alternative to the more traditional houmous and chive dips.
Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself Soured Cream & Chive Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cal: 176kCal
Fat: 14.6g
Sat fat: 4.0g
Sugar: 3.6g
Salt: 0.4g
Price: £1.10g for 250g at Sainsbury’s
Verdict: By opting for this Soured Cream and Chive Dip you are, without a doubt, being better to yourself than if you were to buy Asda’s version. Not only is it lower in calories and saturated fat, but we also think it wins on the taste front too.
Asda Chosen by You Guacamole
Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cal: 173kCal
Fat: 16.1g
Sat fat: 4.7g
Sugar: 0.6g
Salt: 0.8g
Price: £1.50 for 170g at Asda
Verdict: If you don’t have time to mush up avocados yourself, then Asda’s Chosen by You Guacamole is a cheating chefs best friend. Pour into a bowl, chop up some carrots and peppers and no one will ever know…
Asda Reduced Fat Onion & Garlic Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cal: 162kCal
Fat: 13.0g
Sat fat: 4.7g
Sugar: 2.8g
Salt: 0.6g
Price: 95p for 200g at Asda
Verdict: Compared to Waitrose’s version, Asda’s fairs much better in terms of calories, fat and salt. Plus it’s cheaper! If you’re a fan of Onion & Garlic dip, this is most certainly the one to add to your trolley.
G'Nosh Black Bean Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cal: 144kCal
Fat: 7.3g
Sat fat: 0.9g
Sugar: 7.6g
Salt: 0.7g
Price: £2.49 for 150g at Ocado – Most expensive!
Verdict: Admittedly this is the most expensive dip we tried and might not be the most family-friendly, however it is one of the healthier options and goes well with toasted pitta bread.
Sainsbury's Tzatziki
Rating for calorie-counters: 8/10
Cal: 129kCal
Fat: 10.4g
Sat fat: 4.4g
Sugar: 2.9g
Salt: 0.5g
Price: £1.10 for 230g at Sainsbury’s
Verdict: You can definitely afford to indulge in some bread to dip into Sainsbury’s tzatziki. Plus it has incredible flavour – we have been known to try and palm it off as our own…
Glorious! Caribbean Mango Salsa
Rating for calorie-counters: 4/10 (based on the sugar content)
Cal: 86kCal
Fat: 0.8g
Sat fat: Nil
Sugar: 16.8g Highest sugar content!
Salt: 0.6g
Price: £1.59 for 170g at Ocado
Verdict: Fruity yet spicy, this dip will have people coming back for more and it’s a great option if you’re having friends over. However, while this dip looks good calorie wise it has the highest amount of sugar in the entire edit.
Patak’s Meena’s Signature Mint Raita Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 9/10
Cal: 80kCal
Fat: 4.5g
Sat fat: 2.9g
Sugar: 4.9g
Salt: 1.0g
Price: £1.39 for 190g at Ocado
Verdict: While this one might not be a winner with the whole family, it’s good to bear in mind if you’re hosting a themed dinner party or want to try something different as the calorie count and salt content is one of the best in our round up.
Discovery Squeezy Guacamole Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 9/10
Cal: 79kCal
Fat: 5.6g
Sat fat: 3.5g
Sugar: 3.7g
Salt: Trace
Price: £2.09 for 290g at Tesco
Verdict: Discovery’s Squeezy Guacamole is a great option for those watching their weight. The plastic bottle makes it a perfect choice for a picnic too.
Sainsbury's Mild Salsa Dip
Rating for calorie-counters: 10/10
Cal: 31kCal
Fat: 0.1g
Sat fat: Nil
Sugar: 3.8g
Salt: 1.1g
Price: £1.30 for 300g at Sainsbury’s
Verdict: A winner on the calorie front, this is the one to buy in bulk if you’re on a diet, but still want to dip with tortilla chips.
Where to next?
- Best and worst yogurts for your diet
- Best and worst sauces for your diet
- All our best and worst food round-ups
