Only take cashews with you if cashew itself fits your diet. If you have a cashew allergy or need to avoid all nuts, choose a snack without cashew. Then check the ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings on the exact packaging. Unsalted, unroasted or made without added oil does not, by itself, mean that a product is free from allergens.
You’re looking for a snack that fits a gluten-free diet. Check the gluten information and any cross-contamination warnings separately. The European Commission sets conditions for using the term ‘gluten-free’; the Dutch Coeliac Society explains that a cross-contamination warning indicates a possible risk.
You want to know whether you need to avoid lactose or milk protein: lactose-free and suitable for someone with a milk allergy are not the same thing. HagaZiekenhuis explains that lactose and milk protein are different substances. Also check whether cashew itself fits your diet.
You’re taking cashews with you and, once you’ve checked they meet your dietary requirements, you’re considering the salt level and packaging. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging; for savoury nuts, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing them in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container.
First, work out which substance you need to avoid, and give that information more weight than flavour, salt level or convenience. The table highlights the main buying priority for each type of consumer.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding gluten | Check the gluten information and any cross-contamination warning on the packaging. A gluten-free statement does not mean that a product is free from all allergens. | If avoiding gluten is my top priority, I also check for warnings about possible cross-contamination. Around 36% of consumers with dietary requirements or a need for free-from products prioritise avoiding gluten. |
| Avoiding milk or lactose | Work out whether you need to avoid lactose or milk protein, and read the relevant information on the label. | If I avoid milk, I want to know whether I need to avoid lactose or milk protein before choosing. Around 29% of consumers prioritise avoiding milk or lactose. |
| Peanuts and other nuts | Check the information about peanuts and other nuts separately. Cashew is itself an allergen, so a cashew snack is not nut-free. | If I need to avoid peanuts or other nuts, I check that information separately and take cashew itself into account. Around 21% of consumers prioritise checking for these allergens. |
| Packaging and salt level | Choose a pack size that suits how you plan to use the product, and only choose unsalted if that’s your preference. After opening, follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | Once I’ve checked my dietary requirements, I consider the quantity and salt level I want to take with me. Around 14% of consumers make packaging or salt level their deciding factor. |
A statement about gluten or lactose does not tell you whether a product is suitable for someone with a cashew allergy. Cashew is itself an allergen.
Start with the substance you need to avoid and check for it separately on the packaging. Avoid cashews if cashew itself does not fit your diet.
These describe the salt level or how the product is prepared; they don’t confirm that other allergens are absent.
Check whether the product suits your diet separately by looking at the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the exact packaging.
Albert Heijn and PLUS advise customers to check the packaging, as product and allergy information can change.
Check the packaging of the product you’re actually buying. Keep the information if you transfer the cashews to another container for the car journey.
Cashews Original is a savoury, oven-roasted product range.
AH Cashewnoten ongezouten is an option for anyone specifically looking for unsalted cashews.
Jumbo Cashewnoten Ongezouten 200 g is an unsalted variant.
Lidl has a product page for unsalted cashews.
Trader Joe’s cashewnoten geroosterd en ongezouten 250 g is a variant with these preparation and salt-level characteristics.
PLUS Cashewnoten ongezouten ongebrand 200 g is an option for anyone looking for cashews with both these characteristics.
These products are cashews for anyone looking for a snack to take on the go. The information for each variant lists details such as ingredients, salt level or preparation method. Always check that the exact packaging suits your diet. A product name or preparation detail on its own does not confirm that it is suitable for someone with an allergy.
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An option if you’re looking for a pack of cashews that, according to the product description, is ready to eat.
The ingredients are listed as 100% cashew kernels. The product description recommends resealing the pack after opening.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if you have a cashew allergy or need to avoid all nuts.
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An option to consider if you’re looking for a savoury cashew snack and the ingredients suit your diet.
The product description lists 98% cashew, sunflower oil and 1% salt. The pack contains 150 g.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if you have a cashew allergy or need to avoid all nuts.
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An option if you’re looking for a roasted, unsalted variant and cashew fits your diet.
The product name states that these cashews are roasted and unsalted; the pack contains 200 g. The product information lists cashew as an allergen.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if you have a cashew allergy or need to avoid all nuts.
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A larger pack to consider if you’d like to take cashews to share and the ingredients suit your diet.
The product description lists cashews with purple skin and salt in a 500 g pack; it also says that the nuts are ready to eat.
Contains cashew and is not suitable if you have a cashew allergy or need to avoid all nuts.
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An option if you’re looking for oven-roasted cashews and the listed allergens fit your diet.
The product description says they are oven-roasted without added fat or oil, and that the 125 g pack contains 4–5 servings.
The product information lists gluten, wheat and peanuts. Don’t choose this variant if you need to avoid any of these allergens. It also contains cashew.
No. Cashews themselves contain a tree-nut allergen. A statement about, for example, gluten does not change that. Don’t choose a cashew snack if you need to avoid cashew.
No. Lactose is milk sugar; a milk allergy involves milk proteins. HagaZiekenhuis also explains this distinction: a lactose-free statement does not, by itself, prove that milk protein is absent.
Check the label for the allergens that are relevant to your diet. According to the NVWA, allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products. Examples include cereals containing gluten, peanuts, nuts and milk.
Since 1 January 2026, new Dutch rules have applied to how and when businesses warn about allergens that could accidentally end up in food. The NVWA monitors compliance with these labelling rules. A warning or other statement is not a general assurance to consumers that a product is allergen-free.
Do not eat Trader Joe’s Cashewnoten ongezouten 170 g if the barcode 2003020120930 and best-before date 23-09-2026 match the NVWA warning about possible metal fragments. The warning applies to that specific pack and not automatically to other ALDI cashews.
