Only serve cashews to guests who don’t need to avoid them: gluten-free, lactose-free or vegan doesn’t mean a product is free from cashews or other allergens. Albert Heijn labels the varieties reviewed as gluten-free and lactose-free; PLUS labels the unroasted cashews reviewed and the Duyvis sea salt variety as vegan. Always check the exact packaging and allergen warnings before serving the snack.
Start with the ingredients your guests need to avoid. Cashews are themselves a tree nut allergen; a gluten-free, lactose-free or vegan label doesn’t change that. Stichting Voedselallergie advises checking the full ingredients list on the packaging.
If you’re looking for a specific dietary label, check it on the exact variety. Albert Heijn labels the cashews reviewed as gluten-free and lactose-free; these claims don’t automatically address other allergens.
If you’re looking for vegan cashews, you can then choose between unroasted, roasted and seasoned varieties. Albert Heijn and PLUS label the varieties reviewed as vegan; a vegan label doesn’t guarantee that a product is suitable for someone with a specific allergy.
Start with the allergens your guests need to avoid. Then consider the dietary claim you’re looking for and how the cashews are prepared. Finally, work out how you’ll store and serve the snack.
| Concern | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cashews and other allergens | Read the full ingredients list and warnings on the exact packaging; cashews themselves may be an allergen to avoid. | If I need to take someone’s personal list of foods to avoid into account, I first want to know whether cashews and any other potential allergens are suitable. Around 31% of consumers prioritise avoiding cashews or other allergens. |
| Gluten-free | Check the claim on the exact packaging, and keep the snack free from crumbs and shared cutlery when serving it. | If gluten-free is my top priority, I want the choice to remain suitable throughout the get-together, not just when I open the packet. Around 25% of consumers give gluten-free the highest priority. |
| Lactose or milk protein | Find out whether it’s a case of lactose intolerance or a milk allergy; if it’s a milk allergy, check the ingredients and relevant warnings specifically. | I want to know which substance a guest needs to avoid before choosing a product. Around 19% of consumers prioritise avoiding lactose or milk protein. |
| Vegan and preparation method | Check the vegan claim, then see whether the variety is unroasted, roasted or seasoned. | If vegan is my first preference, I then want to choose a flavour and preparation method that works for the get-together. Around 13% of consumers give vegan the highest priority. |
| Storage and serving | Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and use clean utensils for gluten-free portions. | If there’s no specific dietary requirement to prioritise, I mainly want to keep shopping, storage and serving practical. Around 12% of consumers give organising the get-together the highest priority. |
The AH varieties reviewed are labelled gluten-free and lactose-free; this is product information from Albert Heijn, not a general property of cashews. For guests with a food allergy, their list of foods to avoid always comes first, even when a packet displays another dietary claim.
Gluten-free or lactose-free doesn’t mean the product is free from cashews. Warnings about other nuts or peanuts may also be relevant.
Start with the substances the guest needs to avoid and check all the information on the packaging. If they need to avoid cashews, don’t serve them cashews.
You may need to choose a separate snack for that guest and serve it separately.
The 170 g AH variety reviewed is unsalted, but according to Albert Heijn it contains sunflower oil. According to PLUS, the Duyvis sea salt variety contains sunflower oil, sea salt and sugar, among other ingredients.
Compare the ingredients and preparation method for each variety; don’t judge by the words ‘unsalted’ or ‘cashews’ alone.
Gluten can transfer to another snack via crumbs and utensils during preparation or serving. The Dutch Coeliac Association advises preparing gluten-free food separately and using clean cutlery.
Prepare the portion separately and keep the worktop, serving dish and cutlery clean.
Preparing food separately and getting clean serving equipment ready takes extra organisation during the get-together.
The varieties reviewed include Oven roasted cashews salted 125 g and cashews sea salt 125 g.
The selection reviewed includes 170 g roasted unsalted cashews and 500 g unroasted cashews.
Jumbo Unsalted Cashews 200 g is a roasted, unsalted variety reviewed for this article.
Lidl describes unsalted and spicy roasted cashew varieties.
The product description reviewed lists Trader Joe’s roasted unsalted cashews 250 g.
PLUS Unsalted Unroasted Cashews 200 g is an unroasted variety reviewed for this article; PLUS also labels Duyvis sea salt cashews 125 g as vegan.
These Joybuy products are cashew varieties for a get-together. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergen warnings, especially if you’re buying for guests with dietary requirements.
Image unavailable
A good choice for a get-together if you’re looking for cashews labelled Original Flavour.
The product name specifies Large and 160 g. Contains cashews; not suitable for guests who need to avoid them.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’re looking for a salted cashew snack for your get-together.
The product name specifies salted cashews and 150 g. Contains cashews; not suitable for guests who need to avoid them.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’re looking for roasted cashews without salt for your get-together.
The product name specifies roasted, unsalted cashews and 200 g. Contains cashews; not suitable for guests who need to avoid them.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’re looking for cashews with their skins on for a get-together.
The product name specifies purple skin, 180 grade and 500 g. Contains cashews; not suitable for guests who need to avoid them.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’re looking for salted cashews with their skins on for a get-together.
The product name specifies salted cashews with skins and 120 g. Contains cashews; not suitable for guests who need to avoid them.
No. Gluten-free doesn’t mean that cashews are no longer present as an allergen. The AH products reviewed are labelled gluten-free and list cashews as an allergen; also check the warnings on the exact packaging.
Not as your only check. Lactose intolerance relates to milk sugar; a milk allergy relates to milk proteins. For a milk allergy, check the ingredients and relevant warnings against the person’s list of foods to avoid.
This type of warning refers to possible cross-contamination; it doesn’t necessarily mean peanuts have been deliberately added as an ingredient. The NVWA describes cross-contamination warnings as risk information; check whether the substance named is on your guest’s list of foods to avoid.
Prepare the gluten-free portion separately and use clean cutlery and utensils. Keep bread and toast crumbs away from the serving dish; the Dutch Coeliac Association explains how crumbs and shared cutlery can transfer gluten.
Do not eat the Trader Joe’s unsalted cashews 170 g with barcode 2003020120930 and a best-before date of 23 September 2026. On 20 May 2026, the NVWA warned that this specific pack may contain metal fragments; the warning doesn’t automatically apply to other packs.
