Who is this advice for?

Parents who need to avoid a specific substance

You’re looking for a snack that meets a particular dietary need. Compare the specific ‘free from’ claim with the ingredients and allergen warnings. Cashew nuts are not an option if your child has a cashew allergy. Stichting Voedselallergie and Jeroen Bosch Hospital provide information about nut allergies and avoiding nuts.

Parents of young children

You want the snack’s form to be suitable for your child. VieCuri Medical Centre warns that whole nuts are unsuitable for young children because of the risk of choking. Ground cashews still contain cashew.

Families who portion snacks in advance

You compare pack sizes and storage advice to prepare snacks for the school holidays. A pack containing several portions is not automatically divided into individual child-sized portions; follow the instructions on the packaging and portion out what you need yourself.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, work out which substance your child needs to avoid and whether cashew is suitable for their diet. Then consider the snack’s form, ingredients and how much you want to portion out.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this important for?
Avoiding a substance Read the ingredients, the specific ‘free from’ claim and the ‘may contain’ warning on the exact packaging. If you need to avoid a particular substance, don’t rely on the term ‘free from’ alone; around 40% of consumers put dietary suitability first.
Snack form for young children Check that the form is suitable for your child’s age and eating skills; whole nuts are unsuitable for young children. Anyone choosing a snack for a young child should consider the risk of choking and choose an appropriate form; around 30% of consumers prioritise this consideration.
Salt and flavour coating Compare the ingredients and salt content; ‘no added oil’ does not mean ‘unsalted’. If you’re looking for an unsalted snack for regular days out during the holidays, you’ll want to distinguish added salt from the preparation method; around 20% of consumers look at ingredients first.
Pack size and portioning Compare the net weight and follow the storage and resealing instructions after opening. If you portion snacks in advance, you’ll want to know how much will be left over and how to store the pack; around 10% of consumers start by looking at packaging and practical costs.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘free from’ means free from all allergens

    A specific claim, such as ‘gluten-free’ or ‘lactose-free’, does not mean a product is free from cashews, peanuts or other nuts. The AH variety reviewed is labelled gluten-free and lactose-free, but contains cashew and may contain other nuts and peanuts.

    Check which substance you actually need to avoid, then look for it in the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packaging.

  • Confusing a mild flavour with a suitable form for young children

    Whole cashews can pose a choking risk for young children, whatever their flavour. Grinding them does not remove the cashew allergen.

    If cashew is suitable for your child’s diet, choose a form that matches their age and eating skills. Use a medical introduction plan only in the circumstances and with the guidance for which it is intended.

  • Assuming ‘no added oil’ means unsalted

    The Duyvis Oven roasted cashews salted variety reviewed is roasted without added oil or fat, but does have salt in its flavour coating.

    Assess the preparation method, flavouring ingredients and salt content separately.

  • Treating a multi-portion bag as one child-sized portion

    The AH pack reviewed contains 170 grams, while the Jumbo and PLUS varieties contain 200 grams. You’ll need to portion out the amount you want yourself; a serving size shown on a pack is not automatically age-specific advice.

    Portion out what you need in advance and reseal the rest according to the storage instructions. This takes extra effort and could leave you with some unused product.

Brands and varieties compared

Duyvis

The varieties reviewed differ in factors such as salt and flavour coating.

  • Duyvis describes Cashews Original as roasted without added oil.
  • The 125-gram Oven roasted cashews salted variety reviewed contains salt and may contain wheat, peanuts and various types of nuts. This applies to this variety and not necessarily to all products from the brand.

Albert Heijn

The 170-gram AH Cashew Nuts Unsalted variety reviewed lists specific dietary claims.

  • The product page says it is gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan; the ingredients are 96% cashew nuts and sunflower oil.
  • The product contains cashew and may contain peanuts and various other nuts. These ‘free from’ claims are information supplied by the retailer, not a general allergy approval.

Jumbo

The 200-gram Jumbo Unsalted Cashew Nuts variety reviewed is a baked, unsalted option.

  • The product page lists 99% cashew nuts and sunflower oil.
  • The allergen information warns that the product may contain nuts and peanuts. ‘Unsalted’ does not mean the product is suitable for anyone with a nut or peanut allergy.

Lidl

Lidl lists unsalted cashew nuts among the products available at the specified supermarket.

  • The product listing describes the variety as unsalted.
  • ‘Unsalted’ is not a ‘free from’ guarantee. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packaging.

ALDI

ALDI lists TRADER JOE’S Roasted Unsalted Cashew Nuts, 250 grams.

  • The product listing confirms that this variety is roasted and unsalted and contains 250 grams.
  • A separate NVWA warning applies to a 170-gram pack with specific identifying details; that warning does not automatically apply to the 250-gram variety.

PLUS

The 200-gram PLUS Unsalted Unroasted Cashew Nuts variety reviewed is unroasted.

  • The ingredients list includes cashew nuts.
  • The product page warns that the product may contain peanuts. A short ingredients list is not a general claim that a product is free from allergens.

Cashew nuts at Joybuy

These cashew nut products from Joybuy are for shoppers who can check the ingredients, any added ingredients and allergen information against their dietary needs.

Jiazhouyuanye Original Flavour Large Cashew Nuts 160 g

Jiazhouyuanye Original Flavour Large Cashew Nuts 160 g

A good choice if you can eat cashew and are looking for a product made with cashew alone.

The ingredients list states 100% cashew kernels; the pack contains 160 g. Keep the pack sealed after opening. Contains cashew and is not suitable for anyone with a cashew allergy.

View at Joybuy
g'woon Cashew Nuts Roasted and Unsalted 200 g

g'woon Cashew Nuts Roasted & Unsalted 200 g

A good choice if you can eat cashew and are looking for roasted, unsalted cashew nuts.

The pack contains 200 g and the ingredients list includes cashew nuts. Store in a cool, dry place and seal the pack securely after opening. Contains cashew and is not suitable for anyone with a cashew allergy.

View at Joybuy
Verse Klassenoten Salted Cashew Nuts 150 g

Verse Klassenoten Salted Cashew Nuts 150 g

A good choice if salted cashew is suitable for your diet.

The pack contains 150 g. The ingredients list includes cashew, sunflower oil and 1% salt. Contains cashew and added salt; not suitable for anyone with a cashew allergy or if you’re looking for unsalted cashew nuts.

View at Joybuy
Be&Cheery cashew nuts with purple skin, grade 180, 500 g

Be&Cheery cashew nuts with purple skin, grade 180, 500 g

A good choice if cashew and added salt are suitable for your diet and you want a 500 g pack to portion out.

The nutrition information lists 1.2 g of salt per 100 g. Contains cashew and added salt; not suitable for anyone with a cashew allergy or if you’re looking for unsalted cashew nuts.

View at Joybuy
Xue Ji Chaohuo Salted Cashews with Skin 120 g

Xue Ji Chaohuo Salted Cashews with Skin 120 g

A good choice if cashew and salt are suitable for your diet and you want a 120 g pack to portion out.

The nutrition information lists 0.9 g of salt per 100 g. Contains cashew and added salt; not suitable for anyone with a cashew allergy or if you’re looking for unsalted cashew nuts.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

If I suspect a cashew allergy, can I start by trying small amounts at home?

Don’t use a medical introduction plan as a self-guided experiment. The plan from VieCuri Medical Centre is intended for infants and young children when a paediatric dietitian or paediatrician does not expect a reaction.

Are whole cashew nuts suitable for young children?

Whole nuts are not suitable for young children because of the risk of choking, as VieCuri Medical Centre explains. Grinding them does not remove the cashew allergen.

Do ‘gluten-free’ or ‘lactose-free’ labels mean cashew nuts are free from other allergens?

No. These are specific product claims, not a general allergy approval. The AH variety reviewed is labelled gluten-free and lactose-free, but contains cashew. Also check the ingredients and allergen information for any substances you need to avoid.

What does ‘may contain’ mean on packaging?

This warning indicates that an allergen may be present unintentionally, for example because of cross-contamination during production. It is different from an ingredient that has been deliberately added. From 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) will oversee the new Dutch rules for these warnings on prepacked products.

What should I do with cashew nuts covered by the ALDI warning?

Do not eat the affected pack. On 20 May 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) issued a warning about 170-gram packs of TRADER JOE’S unsalted cashew nuts, with barcode 2003020120930 and best-before date 23-09-2026, because they may contain metal fragments. The best-before date has passed; that does not make any remaining pack covered by the warning safe. The warning applies to this specific pack.