For your Halloween party, check which specific allergen each guest needs to avoid: peanuts, tree nuts, gluten and milk each require a separate check. Peanut-based snacks are not suitable for someone with a peanut allergy. For gluten-free options, check the exact product and its current label, and serve different choices separately.
You’re organising a Halloween party and choosing snacks for guests who need to avoid a specific allergen. Check the ingredients and warnings on the exact product packaging; a peanut-based snack is not suitable for someone who needs to avoid peanuts. The NVWA treats peanuts and tree nuts as separate allergen categories.
You’re looking for a savoury snack for someone who needs to avoid gluten. Pay particular attention to the crunchy coating and flavourings in coated peanuts: the Dutch Coeliac Association says these snacks are usually not gluten-free.
You want to offer several suitable snacks without mixing them all together in one Halloween bowl. Keep the packaging with the snacks and use separate bowls and serving utensils; the Dutch Coeliac Association identifies shared scoops as a cross-contamination risk.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Excluding the right allergen | Check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging for the specific allergen. | If a guest needs to avoid one specific allergen, don’t rely on a general ‘free from’ claim. Around 28% of consumers put avoiding a specific allergen first. |
| Gluten in the coating and flavour mix | Check the current ingredients and gluten-free information for the exact product. | If avoiding gluten is the main concern, you’ll want to know what’s in the coating and flavourings. Around 22% of consumers give gluten-free suitability top priority. |
| Distinguishing milk from lactose | Establish whether the concern is milk protein or lactose, and check the relevant product information. | If a guest needs to avoid milk, don’t confuse a lactose-free label with information about milk allergens. Around 17% of consumers put the distinction between milk and lactose first. |
| Serving snacks separately | Plan separate bowls and serving utensils, and keep the packaging to hand. | If you’re offering different dietary options on one buffet, you’ll want to be able to match each snack to its packaging. Around 22% of consumers consider serving food separately the most important party decision. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare the net contents and follow the storage instructions on the exact packaging. | Once you’ve established which snacks are suitable, you’ll want to match the quantity to your guests and know how to store any leftovers. Around 11% of consumers give quantity and storage top priority. |
A label for one dietary need doesn’t automatically answer questions about other allergens. The NVWA, for example, lists peanuts and tree nuts as separate categories.
Ask each guest which allergen they need to avoid, then check for it separately on the exact packaging.
A flavour name alone doesn’t tell you whether a product contains peanuts, gluten or milk. You need to check both the base and the coating of coated peanuts.
First check the ingredients and warnings for the specific product; only then choose a flavour.
When snacks are mixed together, it becomes less clear which packaging goes with each option. The Dutch Coeliac Association identifies shared scoops as a cross-contamination risk.
Serve suitable options separately, use separate serving utensils and keep the packaging with the snacks.
Separate bowls and serving utensils take extra preparation and table space.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. Albert Heijn therefore recommends checking the packaging before use.
Read the label again every time you buy a product, even if the brand and flavour seem the same.
A brand or shop name doesn’t prove that a snack is free from an allergen; check the information for the exact product.
Duyvis describes its coated peanuts as peanuts with a crunchy coating. The brand is a familiar option in this snack category, not a general allergen-free range.
Albert Heijn sells, among other products, AH Cocktail Party Nuts as its own-brand option.
Jumbo describes its Cocktail Party Nuts as peanuts with a crunchy dough coating.
Lidl has a Dutch product page for coated peanuts, making it relevant here as a supermarket brand.
ALDI lists Trader Joe’s as the brand for coated peanuts in bacon and cheese, poesta or paprika flavours.
PLUS sells, among other products, Mild Party Nuts as its own-brand option.
No. Peanuts and tree nuts need to be checked separately. The NVWA lists them as separate allergen categories. If someone needs to avoid peanuts, check the packaging specifically for information about peanuts.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, coated peanuts are usually not gluten-free. Check the coating, flavourings and current information for the exact product. A snack without a coating may be another option, but check its other ingredients and warnings too.
Not on the basis of a lactose-free label alone. A milk allergy concerns milk protein, while lactose intolerance affects the digestion of milk sugar. For someone with a milk allergy, the information about milk allergens needs to meet their requirements.
Serve snacks in separate bowls with their own serving utensils, and keep the original packaging with each snack. This helps keep the options separate, but it doesn’t change the allergens in the products themselves.
It warns that an allergen may be present unintentionally; it’s not the same as an ingredient that has been deliberately added. Since 1 January 2026, the Netherlands’ precautionary allergen labelling policy has been in force. The NVWA lists wording such as ‘May contain X’ and ‘Not suitable for people with an X allergy’.
