Only serve cashews to participants who can eat them, and check ‘free from’ claims for each specific substance. Gluten-free or lactose-free does not mean a product is free from cashews, peanuts or other nuts. Whole nuts are not automatically a suitable snack for children during an Easter egg hunt: plan a calm time to eat and follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice to have children eat while sitting down.
You’re looking for a product with a claim that suits your diet. Albert Heijn labels the variants reviewed as gluten-free and lactose-free. These claims don’t mean the cashews are suitable for everyone with a food allergy.
You want to check whether cashews, peanuts or other nuts are an issue for each participant. Stichting Voedselallergie explains that nut allergies can involve different types of nuts.
You’re considering the type of snack and when it will be eaten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns against giving whole nuts to children and advises that children eat calmly while sitting down.
First, establish which dietary needs and allergens are relevant to the participants. Then consider the snack format, flavour and packaging. Choosing a product for one participant doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for someone else.
| What to consider | What should you look for? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Specific ‘free from’ claim | Check the exact variant and whether its packaging includes the relevant claim. | If I avoid gluten or lactose, I want to see that specific claim rather than assume other allergens are absent. Around 31% of consumers prioritise a specific ‘free from’ claim. |
| Cashews, peanuts and other nuts | Read the ingredients and check for any warnings about possible presence. | For participants with a food allergy, I want to check which nuts are relevant for each person. Around 31% of consumers prioritise checking allergens. |
| A safe time to eat | Consider the child’s age and eating skills. Have children sit down calmly and stay nearby. | If children are taking part, I want to avoid them eating whole nuts while walking around. Around 25% of consumers prioritise serving food safely to children. |
| Flavour and packaging | Check whether the nuts are seasoned, unroasted or unsalted, and follow the storage instructions for that variant. | Once dietary suitability has been checked, I also want to know which flavour and packaging will suit the occasion. Around 13% of consumers prioritise flavour and practicality. |
Cashews are an allergen themselves, so they may not be suitable for a participant.
Name the specific substance someone avoids and check the packaging for that person.
A product with cashews as its only ingredient may still carry a warning about the possible presence of peanuts, for example.
Read both the ingredients list and the precautionary warnings on the current packaging.
Whole nuts can pose a choking risk for children. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises having children eat calmly while sitting down.
Plan a separate time to eat, choose a snack format that’s suitable for the child and stay nearby.
The AH Verfijnde Cashews Ongezouten product page says that this variant has been discontinued. The information on that page doesn’t prove that a variant with the same name, or a replacement, has the same ingredients.
Check the exact packaging you plan to serve again.
The unsalted 170 g and 250 g variants reviewed are labelled gluten-free and lactose-free.
Duyvis Cashews Original is a seasoned variant. According to Duyvis product information, it contains 98% cashews and a seasoning mix.
The variants reviewed include unsalted cashews in 200 g and 130 g packs.
The variant reviewed is PLUS Cashewnoten ongezouten ongebrand 200 g.
The Dutch product page reviewed lists unsalted cashews.
The ALDI product page reviewed lists TRADER JOE'S Cashewnoten geroosterd en ongezouten 250 g.
These Joybuy products are cashew variants for participants who can eat cashews. Before serving, check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging of the exact variant.
No image available
An option for those who can eat cashews and are looking for an Original Flavour variant.
The product name specifies Large and a pack size of 160 g.
No image available
An option for those who can eat cashews and are looking for salted cashews.
The product name specifies a pack size of 150 g.
No image available
An option for those who can eat cashews and are looking for roasted, unsalted cashews.
The product name specifies a pack size of 200 g.
No image available
An option for those who can eat cashews and are looking for cashews with purple skin.
The product name specifies 180 grade and a pack size of 500 g.
No image available
An option for those who can eat cashews and are looking for salted cashews with skin.
The product name specifies a pack size of 120 g.
No. A gluten-free claim says nothing about milk protein. Lactose-free doesn’t mean suitable for someone with a milk allergy either: lactose intolerance relates to milk sugar, while a milk allergy is a reaction to milk protein.
No. Stichting Voedselallergie states that allergens in nuts remain stable when heated. Roasting therefore won’t remove cashew allergens.
Whole nuts can pose a choking risk for children. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises having children eat calmly while sitting down. So plan a separate time to eat, choose a suitable snack format and stay nearby.
Not necessarily. The ingredients list describes the ingredients; a warning may indicate the possible unintentional presence of an allergen. If someone has a food allergy, check both statements.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products. Since 1 January 2026, new rules have applied in the Netherlands on how and when businesses must warn about the unintentional presence of allergens due to cross-contamination.
