If your child needs to avoid cashews, don’t choose cashew nuts or cashew paste: both contain cashew. If cashew is suitable for their diet, check for any other ingredient they need to avoid, consider the texture and read the warnings on the exact packaging.
If you’re looking for a lunch without a particular ingredient, such as gluten, milk or peanuts, check exactly what needs to be avoided and read the ingredients and warnings on the packaging. Cashew is itself a tree nut allergen; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists cashews among the allergens.
The form of the cashew is a separate consideration from whether it is suitable for the diet. VieCuri warns that whole nuts are not suitable for young children because of the risk of choking.
If cashew is suitable for your diet, you can choose between unsalted nuts and cashew paste, and select packaging that suits how you’ll use it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes unsalted nuts and 100% nut butter in its Wheel of Five dietary guidelines.
Suitable when: cashew is suitable for the diet and unsalted nuts work well with the lunch.
Consider: unsalted does not mean allergen-free; whole nuts also require you to consider your child’s eating skills.
Suitable when: cashew is suitable and you’d prefer to include it in a lunch as a paste or in ground form.
Consider: a different texture does not remove the risk posed by cashew allergens. Advice on medical introduction is not general lunch guidance.
Suitable when: your child needs to avoid cashew; choose something outside the cashew category.
Consider: another nut or a general free-from label is not automatically suitable; check the relevant allergen and warnings.
First decide whether cashew itself is suitable, then check any other dietary requirements and the texture you’re looking for. After that, consider which packaging best suits how you’ll use and store the product.
| What to consider | What to look for | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Cashew and other nuts | Check which nuts need to be avoided and read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the exact packaging. | If my child needs to avoid cashew or certain other nuts, a cashew product may not be suitable; around 29% of consumers prioritise avoiding cashew or other nuts. |
| Avoiding another ingredient | Read the full ingredients list and relevant warnings. The Dutch Coeliac Association lists the label and the Crossed Grain symbol as useful aids when choosing gluten-free products. | If cashew is suitable but, for example, gluten, milk or peanuts are not, I want to check the packaging for that specific need; around 23% of consumers prioritise avoiding another ingredient. |
| Texture for your child | Consider the product’s form and any warnings; VieCuri warns against whole nuts for young children. | If my child’s eating skills determine the right form, I don’t want to focus on the ingredients alone; around 18% of consumers prioritise a texture suitable for children. |
| Choosing unsalted | Check that the variety is unsalted, and also read the ingredients and allergen information. | If cashew and the texture are suitable, I’m mainly looking for an unsalted addition to lunch; around 18% of consumers prioritise this preference. |
| Packaging and storage | Choose a pack size that suits how much you expect to use and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | If I only use cashew occasionally during the holiday, I want to choose a suitable quantity and place to store it; around 12% of consumers prioritise packaging and convenience. |
A product that avoids one ingredient may still contain cashew or other relevant allergens. Cashew itself is a tree nut allergen.
First establish which allergen needs to be avoided, then check the ingredients and warnings on the exact packaging. Don’t choose a cashew product if cashew needs to be avoided.
Duyvis describes Cashews Original as oven-roasted with no added oil. That alone doesn’t mean the variety is unsalted; according to the product information, a Duyvis Oven Roasted variety contains salt and flavourings.
Consider the preparation method, ingredients and salt content separately. Don’t treat one feature as proof of another.
Whole nuts can pose a choking risk for young children. Grinding nuts or turning them into a paste does not change whether cashew needs to be avoided because of an allergy.
Check the product’s form and warnings before choosing it. Follow medical advice on introducing foods only in the context for which it was intended.
The PLUS list from March 2022 warns that changes to recipes may not be reflected.
Don’t use an old list as proof of what’s in the current packaging; check the latest ingredients and allergen information.
Worth considering for roasted cashew varieties. Duyvis says its Cashews Original are roasted in the oven and made without added oil.
The product range includes unsalted cashew nuts and AH Terra Plantaardig 100% cashew paste.
The product information for Jumbo Unsalted Cashew Nuts Value Pack 500 g describes a specific unsalted variety.
The product name Unsalted cashew nuts makes this retailer relevant if that’s the product type you’re looking for.
The product name Trader Joe’s Roasted and Unsalted Cashew Nuts 250 g describes a specific pack format.
PLUS Unsalted, unroasted cashew nuts, 200 g bag, is a product option for anyone specifically looking for an unroasted and unsalted variety.
The products below are cashew varieties for lunches where cashew is suitable; they are not a guarantee that a product is free from other specific allergens.
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The product information suggests using it with yoghurt, muesli and baked goods, among other things; suitable only if cashew is permitted in the diet.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if cashew needs to be avoided.
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An option if you’re looking for unsalted cashew; the product name specifies roasted, unsalted cashew nuts.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if cashew needs to be avoided.
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A savoury roasted option if you’re not looking for an unsalted variety.
The product information lists salt, gluten, wheat and peanuts. Check the exact packaging if you need to avoid any of these ingredients; the product also contains cashew.
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The product name specifies salted cashew nuts; consider this variety only if salted cashew suits your needs.
Contains salt and cashew and is not an unsalted variety.
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The product information suggests using it as a snack or for baking and cooking, and it comes in a 500 g pack.
This variety contains salt and cashew; check the packaging for allergen information relevant to your diet.
If you suspect a food intolerance or allergy, ask your GP or health visitor for advice. Cashew is not a general allergen-free substitute and should not be included in a lunch if your child needs to avoid it.
No. Lactose intolerance affects the digestion of milk sugar, while a cow’s milk allergy is a reaction to milk proteins. Check the ingredients and warnings against the actual dietary requirement.
The Dutch Coeliac Association recommends checking the label and looking for the Crossed Grain symbol when choosing gluten-free products. The symbol is not a general guarantee about cashew or other allergens.
According to the NVWA, allergens must be clearly and correctly listed on the label. Since 1 January 2026, new rules have also applied in the Netherlands to warnings about allergens that could unintentionally get into food through cross-contamination. These rules apply to food businesses and do not make a product generally allergen-free.
Do not eat Trader Joe’s unsalted cashew nuts 170 g with barcode 2003020120930 and best-before date 23-09-2026. The NVWA warning dated 20 May 2026 mentions possible metal fragments. The warning applies to this specific product; the stated best-before date has now passed.
