Choose cocktail nuts based on the specific ingredient a guest needs to avoid. The Jumbo Cocktail and PLUS Oriental Style products checked list peanuts and wheat; AH Cocktail and Duyvis Cocktail also list milk and lactose (Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn). PLUS describes its Oriental Style product as vegan, but that does not make it free from peanuts, wheat or nuts. Check the packaging for the exact flavour and keep snacks and serving utensils separate.
You want to know which ingredients and warnings are listed on each snack’s label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) says that prepacked products must include allergen information on the label. Also use separate bowls and clean serving utensils.
You’re looking for a crunchy snack to serve with drinks, but don’t want to assume that cocktail nuts are gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Society (NCV) says that cocktail nuts are usually not gluten-free, so check the exact variety and its current packaging.
You want to make a suitable choice without confusing vegan, lactose-free and suitable for a milk allergy. PLUS describes its Oriental Style product as vegan; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between a low-lactose diet and avoiding milk completely for people with lactose intolerance.
First, find out which ingredient or dietary requirement is the deciding factor for your guest. Then check the specific variety and consider how you can serve the snack separately.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts and nuts | Check whether peanuts are listed as an ingredient and look for a warning about the specific nut your guest needs to avoid. | If I’m shopping for a guest with a peanut or nut allergy, I want to check both carefully. Around 20% of consumers make avoiding peanuts or specific nuts their top priority. |
| Gluten | Check the ingredients for wheat and other gluten-containing grains, and look for gluten-free information for the exact variety. | If you’re choosing for someone on a gluten-free diet, you can’t rely on the name or crunchy coating alone. Around 20% of consumers make avoiding gluten their first priority when choosing. |
| Milk and lactose | Ask whether milk, lactose or both need to be avoided, and check the relevant information on the label. | If I’m catering for someone with a milk allergy or who limits lactose, I want to know which of these requirements applies. Around 20% of consumers start their selection by checking for milk or lactose. |
| Vegan | Look for a vegan label on the exact variety and assess the allergen information separately. | For a guest who eats a vegan diet, a vegan label is relevant, but it doesn’t automatically answer questions about allergens. Around 20% of consumers make a vegan option their first priority. |
| Serving separately | Use a separate bowl and clean serving utensils, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | If I’m putting snacks for different dietary needs on the table, I want to prevent them from coming into contact with each other during preparation or serving. Around 20% of consumers make preventing cross-contamination at the buffet their top priority. |
A vegan label relates to animal-derived ingredients, not all allergens. The PLUS variety checked also lists peanuts and wheat, and carries a warning about nuts.
First, note which ingredient your guest needs to avoid, then assess this separately from vegan or other dietary labels. The Dutch Association for Veganism explains what the vegan label means.
Ingredients and allergen information can vary between varieties. Albert Heijn advises customers to check the packaging again, as product information can change.
Check the exact flavour and the packaging you’re buying before serving.
If a variety isn’t suitable after checking, you may need to buy a replacement or make another trip to the shops.
Buying a suitable product doesn’t prevent snacks or crumbs from coming into contact with other products during preparation and serving. The NCV highlights cross-contamination as something to consider.
Use a separate bowl and clean serving utensils, and keep the snacks separate while preparing them.
The 2022 safety warning issued by Albert Heijn on behalf of PepsiCo concerned Duyvis Borrelnoten Provençale 125 g and a specific pack and batch. It was not a general statement about all current Duyvis products.
If you see a warning, check the variety, packaging and batch or best-before details, and follow the instructions. The NVWA publishes safety warnings.
Duyvis describes its cocktail nuts as peanuts in a crunchy coating; the Cocktail variety is available in several pack sizes.
AH Borrelnoten cocktail 250 g is a specific own-brand variety with published ingredient and allergen information.
Jumbo publishes ingredient and allergen information for Borrelnoten Cocktail 300 g.
Lidl lists cocktail nuts on its range page and directs customers to the packaging or its quality department for ingredient information.
ALDI Netherlands lists TRADER JOE’S cocktail nuts in 300 g packs, in bacon and cheese, poesta and paprika flavours.
PLUS describes Borrelnoten Oriëntaalse stijl 300 g as vegan and publishes ingredient information for this variety.
The Joybuy options shown are standard cocktail nuts. All the varieties below list peanuts; some also list wheat, milk or other allergens. Don’t choose them for guests who need to avoid any of the listed ingredients, and always check the information on the packaging.
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Only consider this if peanuts and milk are suitable for your guests’ dietary needs.
The product information lists peanuts and milk, and carries a warning about traces of nuts.
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Only consider this variety for guests who can eat the listed allergens.
The product information lists peanuts, wheat and lupin, and carries a warning about possible traces of nuts.
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Only consider this flavour if peanuts and wheat are not ingredients your guests need to avoid.
The product information lists peanuts and wheat, and carries a warning about possible traces of nuts.
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Only consider this variety if peanuts and wheat are suitable for your guests’ dietary needs.
The product information lists peanuts and wheat, and carries a warning about possible traces of nuts.
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Only consider this variety if peanuts, wheat and milk do not need to be avoided.
The product information lists peanuts, wheat, milk and celery.
No. The NVWA lists peanuts and nuts separately in its statutory list of allergens. Check both entries if the dietary requirement calls for it.
No. When setting its vegan criteria, the Dutch Association for Veganism distinguishes between animal-derived ingredients and unintended traces caused by cross-contamination. If someone has an allergy, also check the allergen information and warnings on the packaging.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a low-lactose diet is usually sufficient, and it is generally not necessary to avoid milk completely. Choose according to your guest’s needs; a milk allergy is a different condition.
Use separate bowls and clean serving utensils, and make sure crumbs or snacks are not transferred from other bowls. This is a practical way to limit contact between snacks, but it does not guarantee that cross-contamination will be avoided.
The new rules on precautionary allergen labelling have applied since 1 January 2026, as explained by the Regulatory Consultation on the Commodities Act. According to the NVWA, a warning must be based on a risk assessment, and a precautionary warning must not appear on the label if the reference values are not exceeded.
