If you want to consume fewer calories from coated peanuts during your night shift, start by deciding how much to take with you, then compare varieties by their energy per 100 g. A smaller portion doesn’t make coated peanuts low in calories: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 133 kcal per 25 g handful, and the threshold for a ‘low-calorie’ claim on solid foods is a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g. The product information available doesn’t provide a comparable basis for identifying one variety as the lowest in calories.
You want to eat coated peanuts during your shift, but decide in advance how much to take with you. Compare energy content and portion size separately. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 133 kcal per 25 g handful.
You take your food with you and want to fit a snack around set mealtimes during your night shift, without replacing a meal with a bag of coated peanuts. Albert Heijn and VGZ recommend keeping mealtimes as close as possible to your usual routine.
You keep an eye on salt or have a food allergy. Check the exact variety and packaging: coated peanuts may contain peanuts, so the allergen information on the label matters. The NVWA explains the rules on allergen information.
If you want to stick with a seasoned, crunchy snack, decide on your portion first, then compare the nutritional values per 100 g. If reducing salt is your main priority, also consider uncoated, unsalted nuts. That’s a different snack choice, but it doesn’t automatically mean fewer calories.
A good fit if: you want to stick with a seasoned, crunchy snack and decide for yourself how much to take with you.
The trade-off: a smaller portion means you eat less, but it doesn’t change the product’s energy content per 100 g.
A good fit if: reducing salt matters more to you than the seasoned coating on coated peanuts.
The trade-off: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 164 kcal per 25 g for unsalted nuts and 133 kcal for coated peanuts, so less salt doesn’t mean fewer calories in this case.
The percentages below indicate the primary purchasing need that may matter to consumers considering coated peanuts for a night shift. They aren’t a measure of a product’s nutritional value.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy content | Compare the energy per 100 g of the exact varieties. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s reference of 133 kcal per 25 g applies to coated peanuts as a category, not to every branded product. | I want to limit the energy I get from a comparable amount of snack. Around 42% of consumers put energy content at the top of their list. |
| Taking a portion with you | Check the pack weight and weigh out the amount you want to take for your break. | I want to measure out my snack in advance, so I don’t treat the whole bag as one portion during my shift. Around 33% of consumers put portion control first. |
| Ingredients and salt | Read the ingredients, salt content and allergen information on the packaging for the exact flavour. | I want to choose a variety that suits my salt preferences or food allergy. Around 25% of consumers look at this first. |
For solid foods, the European Commission sets the threshold for a ‘low-calorie’ claim at a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g. A smaller portion doesn’t change this product threshold, so don’t compare a claim with only the amount you eat yourself.
A ‘low-calorie’ claim refers to the energy content per 100 g of the product, not the amount you eat at that moment.
Compare the values per 100 g, separately from the size of your own portion.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists different energy and salt values for unsalted nuts and coated peanuts. Less salt doesn’t automatically mean fewer calories.
Check energy and salt separately, and don’t use general category information as the nutritional value of a specific branded product.
A 300 g pack, for example, describes the total contents, not the amount you want to eat during one break.
Weigh out your portion in advance and follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the rest.
Ingredients and warnings can vary by flavour and packaging. A general product description doesn’t replace the information on your pack.
Read the current label, including any warnings about possible cross-contamination, before choosing a product.
Duyvis offers coated peanuts and other nut products. The Cocktail variety may suit you if you’re looking for a seasoned, crunchy snack.
The AH own-brand range includes Borrelnoten cocktail, which you can compare with other products if you’re considering this variety.
Jumbo describes its Borrelnoten Cocktail in a 300 g pack.
Lidl lists coated peanuts in its Alesto range.
ALDI’s Dutch product information lists TRADER JOE’S coated peanuts in bacon and cheese, poesta and paprika flavours.
The PLUS own-brand range includes Borrelnoten Ham Kaas in a 300 g pack.
These products are coated peanut varieties for anyone who wants to take a seasoned, crunchy snack along for a night shift. The nutritional values below are only comparable where the amount is explicitly stated.
Image unavailable
A seasoned variety for anyone who wants to take coated peanuts along and measure out their own portion.
The product description lists 51% peanuts. Listed allergens: peanuts, milk, gluten (wheat) and celery; the description notes possible traces of soya, mustard and other nuts.
Image unavailable
A seasoned snack with a crunchy coating for anyone who wants to stick with coated peanuts.
The product description mentions a mild curry flavour and 49% peanuts. Listed allergens: peanuts, gluten (wheat and barley) and soya; the description notes possible traces of milk, nuts and mustard.
Image unavailable
A small pack with onion and garlic flavour; the stated energy content is only useful for comparisons with values based on the same amount.
The product description lists 527 kcal per 100 g. This is above the European Commission’s maximum of 40 kcal per 100 g for a ‘low-calorie’ claim. Listed allergens: peanuts and wheat; the description notes possible traces of milk, nuts, soya and mustard.
Image unavailable
A Provençal variety with onion and garlic flavour for anyone looking for seasoned peanuts with a crunchy coating.
The product description lists 542 kcal per 100 g. This is above the European Commission’s maximum of 40 kcal per 100 g for a ‘low-calorie’ claim. Listed allergens: peanuts and gluten (wheat); the description notes possible traces of milk, nuts, soya and mustard.
For solid foods, the European Commission sets the threshold for a ‘low-calorie’ claim at a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g. Making your portion smaller doesn’t change the product threshold. A ‘reduced energy value’ claim has different conditions, including a reduction of at least 30%.
Don’t describe coated peanuts as low in calories just because you’re eating a small portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 133 kcal per 25 g handful. When choosing a product, compare the energy per 100 g of the exact variety, then decide how many grams to take with you.
You can try to keep mealtimes as close as possible to your usual routine. Albert Heijn and VGZ offer this as general dietary advice; it isn’t a prescribed timetable and doesn’t prove that coated peanuts improve your alertness.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the variety you have. For Borrelnoten Cocktail, Jumbo recommends storing the product in a cool, dry, dark place; for the Duyvis Cocktail large pack described there, HANOS recommends transferring the contents to a light- and airtight container after opening. These instructions don’t set a general storage period for all varieties.
If you have a peanut allergy, don’t choose a product that lists peanuts as an ingredient. The Jumbo Cocktail coated peanuts described here are made from peanuts with a dough coating. Also check the label for warnings about possible cross-contamination; the NVWA gives examples such as ‘May contain X’ and ‘Not suitable for people with an X allergy’.
