If you have a peanut allergy, ordinary peanut-based cocktail nuts are not a suitable choice. Consider another snack, such as popcorn, and check the exact packaging for that too. If you need to avoid gluten or milk, check the ingredients and warnings for the specific variety: for example, the Dutch sales page for Duyvis Cocktail lists wheat, milk and lactose. A vegan label, such as the one shown for the PLUS variety mentioned here, does not in itself prove that a product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
You want something crunchy for movie night, but first you need to establish whether you must avoid peanuts, certain tree nuts or both. Peanuts and tree nuts are different allergens; Stichting Voedselallergie explains that peanuts are legumes. So check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging of every snack.
Your choice depends on exactly what you need to avoid. If you have coeliac disease, the ingredients, any gluten-free claim and warnings about cross-contamination are all relevant; the Dutch Coeliac Society explains how to assess labels. Milk allergy and lactose intolerance are not the same: according to Voedingscentrum, milk allergy involves milk proteins, while lactose intolerance involves lactose.
You’re buying for several people and don’t want to assume that one snack will suit everyone. Ask which ingredients need to be avoided, keep the packaging with the snacks and make sure different snacks don’t get mixed together.
Start with the ingredient that needs to be avoided. Then check the exact variety and keep snacks clearly separate when serving.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts and tree nuts | Check for peanuts, the tree nuts you need to avoid and any warnings on the exact packaging. | If I need to avoid peanuts or certain tree nuts, I won’t choose based on the snack name alone. Around 25% of consumers prioritise avoiding peanuts or tree nuts. |
| Gluten | Check the ingredients, any gluten-free claim and warnings about cereals containing gluten. | If I need to avoid gluten because of coeliac disease, I want to check the specific variety and its labelling carefully. Around 25% of consumers prioritise suitable gluten-free information. |
| Milk and lactose | Work out whether you need to avoid milk ingredients, lactose or both. Also check the warnings and the exact flavour. | If I need to avoid milk ingredients or lactose, I’ll first check which restriction applies to me. Around 25% of consumers prioritise avoiding milk or lactose. |
| Multiple dietary needs | Check the full ingredients list on each pack and make sure the snacks don’t get mixed together when serving. | If I’m buying snacks for several guests, I want to know what each person needs to avoid and keep the packaging with the right bowls. Around 25% of consumers prioritise catering for different dietary needs. |
Peanuts, tree nuts, milk and cereals containing gluten are separate considerations. A snack that meets one dietary requirement may still contain another ingredient you need to avoid.
First identify which ingredient is relevant to you, then check the ingredients and warnings on the exact packaging.
PLUS labels the specific Borrelnoten Oriëntaalse stijl variety as vegan. This shop label does not confirm that it is suitable for someone with a milk allergy, coeliac disease or a peanut allergy.
Use a vegan label to identify a plant-based option. If you have an allergy, also check the full ingredients list and relevant warnings.
Ingredients can vary between varieties, and product information can change. Albert Heijn advises customers to read the current packaging; Stichting Voedselallergie recommends checking the ingredients list every time.
Read the packaging again, even if you already know the brand or another flavour.
Libelle’s 2018 taste test looked at flavour, crunch and colour. AD’s 2024 test was also a taste test; neither type of review establishes whether a snack is suitable for someone with dietary restrictions.
Check that the snack meets your dietary requirements first, then consider taste when choosing between suitable options.
Duyvis describes cocktail nuts as peanuts with a crunchy coating and lists flavours including Cocktail, Provençale, Oriental and Kaas & Mosterd.
The range includes AH Borrelnoten cocktail and snacks from another category, such as AH Zoute popcorn.
Jumbo describes Borrelnoten Cocktail 300 g as peanuts with a crisp batter coating.
PLUS lists Borrelnoten Oriëntaalse stijl in a 300 g bag as vegan.
Lidl sells cocktail nuts and refers customers to the packaging for product information, and to its contact channels for questions.
ALDI lists cocktail nuts under TRADER JOE'S, including Bacon-kaas, Poesta and Paprika in 300 g bags.
This selection of Joybuy products includes popcorn as an alternative to cocktail nuts for movie night. If you have dietary restrictions, always check the current packaging and warnings for the specific variety.
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This sweet popcorn is described as a movie-night snack and an alternative to cocktail nuts.
The product description says that it contains none of the 14 major EU allergens. This is not an independent allergy assessment; if you have an allergy, check the current packaging and any cross-contamination warnings.
The listed ingredients are maize, glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, sunflower oil and sunflower lecithin.
No. Peanuts are legumes and are treated as a separate allergen. Which tree nuts or other ingredients you need to avoid depends on your allergies; don’t assume based on the word ‘nuts’ alone.
No. A milk allergy involves milk proteins, while lactose intolerance involves lactose, or milk sugar. Voedingscentrum explains the difference. So an option that’s suitable for someone with lactose intolerance is not automatically suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
In the Netherlands, the NVWA says a warning about possible cross-contamination must be used when a risk assessment shows that reference values may be exceeded. The NVWA has monitored the new rules since 1 January 2026. Not seeing such a warning does not guarantee that a product is suitable for every person with an allergy.
Keep the packaging with the snacks, check the ingredients on each pack and make sure different snacks don’t get mixed together. Using separate, clearly labelled bowls is a practical way to reduce the risk of mixing, but it doesn’t replace checking the original products.
No. PLUS labels the specific Borrelnoten Oriëntaalse stijl variety as vegan, but that label alone doesn’t confirm that the product is suitable for someone with a milk allergy. Check the ingredients and relevant warnings on the packaging.
