Who is this choice relevant to?

Parents looking for lower-fat options

You’re looking for an almond product for your toddler’s snack time and want to know what a fat claim means. Compare the nutritional information for the exact product: unsalted or made without added fat doesn’t mean the same as low-fat.

Parents who want to serve almonds appropriately

The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole nuts to children under 4. Nut butter or finely ground nuts are options to consider as a spread or in a prepared dish.

Parents taking allergies or childcare rules into account

Your choice may depend on allergy requirements or rules at your child’s nursery. Check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging, and ask the nursery what rules apply there.

What should you look for in almonds for toddlers?

Start with how you can serve the product, then compare the nutritional information and any fat claim for the exact product.

What to consider What should you check? Who should give this more weight?
Suitable form Choose nut butter or finely process the almonds; don’t give whole nuts to children under 4. If I want to offer almonds to a child under 4, I look at the form first. Around 36% of consumers in this decision-making context prioritise the way the food is served.
Actual fat reduction Compare the fat content per 100g and read the exact claim. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3g of fat per 100g for a ‘low-fat’ claim. If reducing fat is my main purchasing priority, I want to be able to compare the nutritional information for the product itself. Around 29% of consumers prioritise fat reduction.
Allergens and childcare Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging, and ask the nursery about its local rules. If I need to take allergy requirements or nursery rules into account, I check the label and the rules at that location first. Around 21% of consumers prioritise these requirements.
Preparation and storage Check whether the butter needs stirring and follow the storage advice on the packaging. If I want to keep preparation to a minimum, I look at how the product should be used and stored. Around 14% of consumers prioritise convenience.

Common pitfalls

  • Prioritising a fat claim over the way the food is served

    A lower fat content doesn’t change the advice not to give whole nuts to children under 4. How you serve almonds is a separate consideration.

    Start with nut butter or a finely ground preparation, then check the nutritional information.

  • Assuming ‘no added fat’ means ‘low-fat’

    Duyvis describes Almonds Original as roasted without added oil or fat. This tells you how the product is prepared; it doesn’t, by itself, prove that it’s low-fat.

    Compare the nutritional information for the exact product, and distinguish between a preparation description and a fat claim.

  • Thinking of almond butter as a low-fat or nut-free alternative

    The product pages for Albert Heijn and Jumbo list 54g and 52.1g of fat per 100g respectively for their 100% almond butter. And a different texture doesn’t make the butter free from almonds.

    Choose butter for its suitability as a way to serve almonds, and check the fat content, ingredients and allergens separately.

  • Automatically treating a serving size on the packaging as a toddler-sized portion

    A general serving size listed on a product page isn’t automatically tailored to a toddler’s needs. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against pressuring children to eat.

    Don’t automatically use a listed serving as a child-sized portion, and don’t pressure your child to eat.

Brands and product ranges to consider

Duyvis

Duyvis sells unsalted almonds and Almonds Original, among other products. Note the difference between a description of how a product is prepared and a nutritional claim.

  • Duyvis describes Almonds Original as roasted without added oil or fat.
  • This description of how the product is prepared doesn’t automatically mean the almonds are low-fat. Check the ingredients for the exact product too.

Albert Heijn

The range includes blanched almonds and AH Terra Plant-Based 100% Almond Butter.

  • The AH Terra product page lists almonds as an ingredient.
  • Albert Heijn lists 54g of fat per 100g for the butter and 52g per 100g for the blanched almonds. Neither figure means the product is low-fat.

Jumbo

The product ranges mentioned include 100% Almond Butter and unsalted almonds.

  • Jumbo’s 100% Almond Butter lists almonds as an ingredient and contains 52.1g of fat per 100g.
  • Jumbo’s product page lists sunflower oil in the ingredients for its unsalted almonds and 60g of fat per 100g. So, in this case, unsalted doesn’t mean no added oil.

PLUS

PLUS lists unroasted, unsalted almonds as an option for anyone who wants to prepare the almonds themselves.

  • The product page lists almonds as the only ingredient.
  • The product mentioned contains 50g of fat per 100g. Unroasted and unsalted doesn’t mean low-fat; for young children, the almonds need to be prepared first.

ALDI

ALDI describes Trader Joe’s unroasted almonds as untreated and packed in a resealable pack.

  • The product description mentions resealable packaging.
  • Untreated isn’t a fat claim. Don’t give whole almonds directly to children under 4.

Lidl

Lidl lists almonds as unsalted in its product description.

  • The product description confirms that the almonds are unsalted.
  • Unsalted doesn’t, by itself, say anything about fat reduction. For children under 4, first turn the almonds into butter or grind them finely.

Almond products at Joybuy

The products below are whole almonds. For children under 4, they’re only suitable if you first turn them into nut butter or grind them finely into a dish.

g'woon raw, unsalted almonds, 200 g

g'woon raw, unsalted almonds, 200 g

Suitable for grinding yourself or adding to a dish; the product name describes them as raw, unsalted almonds. Don’t give them whole to children under 4.

View at Joybuy
Anatolia Badem Natural almonds, 500 gr

Anatolia Badem Natural almonds, 500 gr

Could be suitable for grinding yourself or adding to a dish. For children under 4, the almonds must first be ground finely or made into butter.

View at Joybuy
Jia Zhou Yuan Ye Original Almond Kernels, 160 g

Jia Zhou Yuan Ye Original Almond Kernels, 160 g

The product information describes almond kernels for snacking or baking. For children under 4, grind them finely; don’t serve the kernels whole.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can my toddler eat whole almonds if they’re unsalted or low-fat?

No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole nuts or peanuts to children under 4 because of the risk of choking. Choose nut butter or finely ground nuts; a fat or salt claim doesn’t change this advice.

When can a solid product be called ‘low-fat’?

According to the European Commission, the ‘low-fat’ claim can only be used for solid foods containing no more than 3g of fat per 100g. This is a requirement for using the claim, not a dietary target for a toddler.

Does ‘no added fat’ mean the same as ‘low-fat’?

No. Duyvis describes Almonds Original as roasted without added oil or fat; this describes how the product is prepared. If you want to know how much fat the product contains, check the nutritional information for the exact product separately.

How should I use and store almond butter?

Follow the instructions on the packaging for the exact product. Albert Heijn advises stirring AH Terra butter well before use and storing it somewhere cool, dark and dry; Jumbo says to store its 100% Almond Butter in a cool, dry place.

What should I look out for with almond allergens and nursery rules?

Check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging, and ask the nursery what rules apply there. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergens to be clearly distinguished in the ingredients list; almonds are among the types of nuts that must be listed.