If you’re looking for cocktail nuts without lactose, AH Borrelnoten paprika smaak 150 g is one option: Albert Heijn lists this variety as lactose-free. However, that doesn’t make it suitable for everyone, as it also contains peanuts and wheat and may contain various tree nuts. If peanuts or gluten need to be avoided, the varieties we looked at that contain those ingredients won’t be suitable. A lactose-free label also doesn’t prove that a product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
You want to choose a snack based on the specific allergen and exact packaging, rather than a general claim such as ‘free from’. Albert Heijn lists peanuts and wheat for AH Borrelnoten paprika smaak; a lactose-free label doesn’t mean those ingredients are absent.
You also check the ingredients in the crunchy coating and consider crumbs when storing and serving the snack. The product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists wheat in the varieties we looked at.
You’re looking for a clear lactose-free label and distinguishing between lactose intolerance and milk allergy. Albert Heijn lists AH Borrelnoten paprika smaak 150 g as lactose-free; the variety also contains peanuts and wheat and may contain various tree nuts.
First, establish which ingredient someone needs to avoid. Then check the exact packaging and arrange for the snack to be stored and served separately.
| Point to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts and tree nuts | Check peanuts and tree nuts separately in the ingredients list, and look out for warnings such as ‘may contain’. | If peanuts or tree nuts need to be avoided, a lactose-free label isn’t enough. Around 31% of consumers prioritise avoiding peanuts or tree nuts. |
| Gluten in the crunchy coating | Read the full ingredients and allergen information; look out for wheat in the coating, among other things. | If you need to avoid gluten, you’ll also want to know what’s in the crunchy coating. Around 25% of consumers prioritise avoiding gluten. |
| Lactose and milk | Establish whether lactose or milk ingredients need to be avoided. Also check the ingredients in seasonings and flavourings, as well as any warnings. | A lactose-free label may be relevant if you’re avoiding lactose, but it doesn’t tell you whether a product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy. Around 25% of consumers prioritise avoiding milk or lactose. |
| Storage and serving | Keep the packaging and ingredient information to hand, and store snacks for specific dietary needs separately from snacks that may leave crumbs. | If you share snacks at work, you’ll want to keep the chosen variety clearly labelled and separate. Around 19% of consumers prioritise being able to serve snacks separately and safely. |
Albert Heijn lists AH Borrelnoten paprika smaak as lactose-free, but it also contains peanuts and wheat and may contain various tree nuts.
Base your purchase on the specific ingredient someone needs to avoid. Don’t use a general claim such as ‘allergen-free’ for the snack tin.
PLUS Borrelnoten Mild lists milk and celery in its flavourings. Duyvis Borrelnootjes Provencale warns that the product may contain milk and other allergens.
Use the flavour name to choose a taste, not to rule out allergens. Check the information for the exact variety.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, crumbs containing gluten can contaminate a gluten-free product. Without the packaging, it’s also harder to check the ingredients again.
Store snacks for specific dietary needs in a separate, clean place and keep the current packaging to hand.
The Cocktail and Provencale varieties we looked at show that allergens differ between flavours and recipes.
AH Borrelnoten paprika smaak 150 g may be worth considering if you’re looking for an explicit lactose-free label.
Jumbo Borrelnoten Cocktail 300 g is a standard cocktail variety with published ingredient and allergen information.
Lidl directs customers to the packaging for information about food ingredients.
ALDI Nederland lists TRADER JOE'S cocktail nuts in bacon and cheese, poesta and paprika flavours, in 300 g bags.
PLUS Borrelnoten Mild 300 g shows that a mild flavour doesn’t automatically mean a simple ingredients list.
No. Lactose intolerance concerns milk sugar, while a milk allergy concerns milk proteins. Check for milk ingredients and warnings separately, and don’t treat a lactose-free label as proof that a product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre makes the same distinction between lactose intolerance and allergy.
Yes. Stichting Voedselallergie advises reading the full ingredients list every time you buy a product. Check the packaging of the bag you’re actually putting in the office snack tin.
That isn’t suitable if gluten needs to be avoided. The Dutch Coeliac Association explains that crumbs containing gluten can contaminate a gluten-free product. Store the snacks separately and prevent them coming into contact with biscuit crumbs.
Lidl directs customers to the packaging for ingredient information. Check the exact flavour and packaging, and contact Lidl if you have questions about that variety.
According to the NVWA, new rules come into effect on 1 January 2026 governing how and when food businesses warn on labels about possible cross-contamination with allergens. That guidance doesn’t, by itself, establish whether every internal, complimentary office snack tin falls under the same business circumstances.
