Parents who want to pack an individual snack pack
You’re looking for a pack with individual portions, not just a larger bag that’s convenient to carry. Check that the weight per pack and the school’s rules suit your needs.
Which pack suits you?
Parents who want to choose the amount themselves
You want to weigh out a portion at home from a larger pack. If so, check the ingredients and follow the storage instructions once the pack is open.
Parents who want to check permission and safe eating first
You’re checking whether cashews are allowed at school and whether your child can safely eat whole nuts. These considerations come before choosing between an individual pack and a larger one.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check whether cashews are allowed at school and are suitable for your child to eat safely. Then consider individual portions, ingredients and how much preparation is involved.
Individual unsalted packs
A good fit if: you want to pack a small, individually wrapped snack and 25 g suits your choice. Lidl lists Way To Go! Unsalted Cashews in a multipack of 3 × 25 g.
Consider: you’re limited to the weight in each pack; Lidl says this product is only available in store.
Weighing out your own portions from a larger pack
A good fit if: you want to choose the amount yourself. Examples include AH Unsalted Cashews, 250 g, and PLUS Unsalted, Unroasted Cashews, 200 g.
Consider: you’ll need to portion them in advance and store the rest according to the pack instructions. AH lists sunflower oil as well as cashews; PLUS lists cashews as an ingredient and warns that the product may contain peanuts.
A salted variety for a savoury flavour
A good fit if: you specifically want a sea-salt variety and the school’s rules and your child’s circumstances allow it. Duyvis Cashew Nuts Sea Salt is listed in a 125 g pack.
Consider: this isn’t a small individual pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists unsalted nuts as a possible snack.
No cashews if they need to be avoided
A good fit if: the school excludes cashews or your child needs to avoid them due to an allergy.
Consider: a different pack size doesn’t change the fact that the product contains cashews. For children under 4, Amsterdam UMC recommends nut butter instead of whole nuts because of the risk of choking; this advice doesn’t make nut butter suitable if there’s an allergy or a school ban.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Permission and safe eating | Check the school’s rules and consider whether whole nuts are suitable for your child. | If you first need to find out whether cashews are allowed and can be eaten safely, check this before choosing a pack. Around 33% of consumers consider permission and safe eating their top priority. |
| Pack and amount | Check the weight of each individual pack and decide how much to give your child. | If you’re looking for a small pack or want to adjust the amount yourself, check what’s actually in each pack. Around 27% of consumers consider portion format and amount their top priority. |
| Ingredients and preparation | Check the exact pack to see whether the variety is unsalted, and read the ingredients list. | If you’re looking for unsalted cashews, don’t rely on a product’s preparation description alone. Around 27% of consumers consider ingredients their top priority. |
| Portioning and storage | Allow time to weigh out portions in advance and follow the storage instructions after opening. | If you’d rather use a larger pack, consider how much preparation and storage it involves. Around 13% of consumers consider these practicalities their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming an individual pack means the school allows nuts
A sealed pack still contains cashews. A school may not allow nuts to be eaten on its premises.
Check your school’s rules before buying snack packs.
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Assuming every multipack contains small portions
For the Way To Go! variety checked, Lidl lists 3 × 25 g. The AH 3-pack consists of separate 170 g products; it isn’t a set of three small snack packs.
Check the weight of each individual pack and decide separately how much to give your child.
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Confusing ‘no added oil’ with ‘unsalted’
Duyvis describes Cashews Original as oven-roasted with no added oil. That doesn’t in itself mean the variety is unsalted.
Check the exact variety and ingredients list; if you want an unsalted option, make sure it’s specifically labelled as such.
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Assuming a snack pack means it’s suitable for eating on the move
A pack is designed to take the nuts with you, not to suggest that they should be eaten while walking or playing.
Make sure your child eats calmly while seated and stay nearby, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Brands and varieties to consider
Lidl
Lidl lists Way To Go! Unsalted Cashews in a multipack of 3 × 25 g.
- The product information specifies individual 25 g packs.
- According to Lidl, the variety checked is only available in store; 25 g is not a personal portion recommendation.
Albert Heijn
AH lists 250 g of unsalted cashews to portion yourself, as well as a separate online 3-pack of 170 g products.
- For the 250 g variety, Albert Heijn specifies a portion size of 25 g and ten portions.
- For this variety, Albert Heijn lists 96% cashews and sunflower oil; the 3-pack doesn’t contain small individual portion packs.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists unsalted cashews in several larger pack sizes, including 130 g, 200 g and 500 g.
- The listed sizes give you options for portioning them at home.
- These aren’t separate small school portions, and the pack sizes alone don’t tell you what amount is right for your child.
ALDI
ALDI lists TRADER JOE'S Roasted Unsalted Cashews in a 250 g pack.
- The product information describes a larger pack of roasted, unsalted cashews to portion yourself.
- Check the exact pack and the latest ingredients and allergen information; a warning for a different variety doesn’t automatically apply to this pack.
PLUS
PLUS lists unsalted, unroasted cashews in a 200 g bag.
- The ingredients list includes cashews.
- PLUS warns that the product may contain peanuts, so a simple ingredients list doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for everyone with an allergy.
Duyvis
Duyvis lists products including Cashews Original and 125 g Cashew Nuts Sea Salt.
- Duyvis describes Cashews Original as oven-roasted with no added oil; this is the manufacturer’s own product description.
- The sea-salt variety isn’t a small individual pack. A description of how a product is prepared doesn’t prove that it’s unsalted.
Cashews at Joybuy
These are packs of cashews that you can portion yourself for a lunchbox. Check the variety and ingredients for each product.
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Jiazhouyuanye Original Flavour Large Cashew Nuts 160g
The description lists cashew kernels as an ingredient and says the nuts are ready to eat.
Pack weight: 160 g. The description says to reseal the pack after opening.
Check the school’s rules and whether whole cashews are suitable for your child.
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g'woon Cashew Nuts Roasted & Unsalted, 200 g
The title specifies roasted, unsalted cashews; the larger pack is an option if you want to weigh out portions yourself.
Pack weight: 200 g. The description says to keep the pack closed after opening.
Check the school’s rules and whether whole cashews are suitable for your child.
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Duyvis Dry Roasted Cashews, 125 g
According to the description, this variety is salted, so it’s suitable if you’re specifically looking for a savoury flavour, but not if you want an unsalted option.
Pack weight: 125 g; the description lists 4–5 portions, not separate small school snack packs.
The product description lists gluten, wheat and peanuts as allergens. Check the latest information on the pack.
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Verse Klassenoten Salted Cashew Nuts, 150 g
The description says these are salted cashews; if you choose this variety, you can weigh out an amount yourself.
Pack weight: 150 g. The product information lists sunflower oil and salt as ingredients.
Check the school’s rules and whether whole cashews are suitable for your child.
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Three Squirrels Purple-Shell Cashews, 500 g
The description says these are salted cashews; you’ll need to weigh out a lunch portion from this family-size bag.
Pack weight: 500 g. The product information lists salt as an ingredient.
Check the school’s rules and whether whole cashews are suitable for your child.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 3-pack mean you get three small portions for school?
No, it depends on the product. For the Way To Go! variety checked, Lidl lists 3 × 25 g; the AH 3-pack consists of separate 170 g products. So check the weight of each individual pack.
Is a 25 g pack automatically the right amount for every child?
No. Lidl lists 25 g as the weight per pack, and Albert Heijn gives 25 g as the portion size for a different pack; this information doesn’t determine what’s suitable for every child. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a handful of unsalted nuts as a possible snack.
Can my child take cashews to school?
Check your school’s rules and the allergen information on the pack. For example, OBS De Venen says that peanuts and nuts may not be eaten anywhere on the school premises; this is a local school policy, not a nationwide ban. An individual pack doesn’t override school rules or an allergy.
Is it safe to eat cashews on the move?
A pack designed for taking with you isn’t advice to eat while walking. Make sure your child eats calmly while seated and stay nearby, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For children under 4, Amsterdam UMC recommends nut butter instead of whole nuts because of the risk of choking; older children can choke too.
Which ALDI cashews were affected by the NVWA warning?
The NVWA warning issued on 20 May 2026 concerned TRADER JOE'S Unsalted Cashews, 170 g, with a best-before date of 23-09-2026. Do not eat the affected pack because it may contain metal fragments. The warning doesn’t automatically apply to other ALDI varieties, such as the 250 g pack.