Start with the ingredient a colleague needs to avoid, then check both the ingredients list and the allergen warning. Gluten-free or unsalted does not mean nut- or peanut-free. Nuts are only suitable if the nuts included and any cross-contamination warnings meet the dietary needs of the people eating them. Choose a suitable alternative for anyone else, and keep different snacks clearly labelled and separate.
You stock the communal snacks and want to distinguish between gluten-free or lactose-free options, nuts that are present and possible cross-contamination with peanuts. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, pre-packed products carry allergen information on the label.
You’re looking for a snack that suits the ingredient you need to avoid. A general free-from claim or a product description such as unsalted is no substitute for checking the ingredients and allergen information.
You want to hand out snacks that are easy to identify and limit contact between different products, while keeping the ingredients and allergen information available with the stock.
First, establish which ingredient is relevant to the people eating the snacks. Then consider separate serving, the ingredients and how much you can store at the office.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Particularly relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing something suitable for the dietary need | Establish which ingredient needs to be avoided, then read the full ingredients list and allergen warning. | If I avoid gluten or lactose, I also want to know which nuts are in the mix and what warnings apply. Around 38% of consumers put dietary suitability first. |
| Serving snacks separately | Check the warnings on every pack and keep snacks with different allergen profiles clearly identified and separate. | For a shared snack bowl, I want to be able to hand out snacks separately so they don’t get mixed up. Around 31% of consumers give limiting the risk of mixing the highest priority. |
| Clear ingredients information | Compare the actual ingredients and warnings. Words such as vegan, plain or unsalted don’t tell you the full allergen profile. | I want to be able to see the ingredients at a glance, without taking a short list as proof that cross-contamination is impossible. Around 16% of consumers start with clear ingredients information. |
| Packaging and storage | Check the pack size, portions, storage instructions and expected office consumption. | For the office supply, I want an amount that suits consumption and can be stored properly after opening. Around 15% of consumers prioritise managing stock. |
A mix described as gluten- and lactose-free may still contain a range of nuts and carry a peanut warning.
Consider each claim in relation to the specific ingredient it refers to, and check the rest of the allergen information too.
Contact with hands or utensils can bring products into contact with each other; the original packaging won’t automatically prevent this once it has been opened.
Keep snacks with different allergen profiles clearly identified and separate, and keep the packaging information with the stock.
Separate storage and serving require extra organisation at the office.
The Jumbo Unsalted Nut Mix reviewed contains peanuts and nuts. AH Plain Mix is vegan, but also contains nuts.
Use these product descriptions for what they mean, and assess allergens separately.
Albert Heijn listed the Duyvis Walnut multipack as discontinued. That applies to that specific listing and doesn’t mean the pack is unavailable everywhere.
Check which pack is actually available to order before planning how to serve it.
If the pack you want isn’t available, an alternative size may require you to adjust your serving plans.
The Unsalted Nutmix Walnut is an option to consider if you’re looking at individual portions of nuts and the nuts included are suitable for the people eating them.
AH Plain Mix Unsalted, 175 g, is a specific example for people avoiding gluten or lactose who can eat the nuts it contains.
Jumbo Unsalted Nut Mix, 200 g, is worth considering if you want to check whether a nut mix contains peanuts.
Lidl’s Alesto range includes nuts and dried fruit; the Dutch brand page mentions Way To Go cashews, among other products.
The 500 g Trader Joe’s Unsalted Nut Mix mentioned is a larger pack for people who can eat the ingredients.
PLUS Unroasted and Unsalted Nut Mix in a 500 g stand-up pouch is worth considering if you can eat the ingredients and manage a larger stock.
These products are for people who can eat the ingredients listed and are looking for portions of nuts or a separate snack alternative for the office. Check the product information on the pack for each person eating them.
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Only suitable if walnuts are right for the people eating them; the product information lists walnuts as an ingredient and allergen.
The description mentions individual packs. The product name gives the weight as 128 g.
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For a stock where all the nuts listed are suitable; the product information lists hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and cashews.
The pack is 500 g and may contain traces of peanuts and other nuts. The description advises resealing the pack securely after opening.
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Only consider this alternative if chestnuts are suitable for the people eating them; the product information lists chestnut as an allergen.
The description states that it contains 100% chestnut kernels, individually packed portions and kernels that are ready to eat. The product name gives the weight as 400 g.
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Only suitable if the nuts listed are right for the people eating them; the product information lists walnuts, almonds, cashews and hazelnuts.
The description mentions 30 individual 25 g sachets and lists tree nuts as allergens. This is a mix of nuts and fruit.
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A separate snack alternative to assess in light of the specific dietary need; the product description lists okra and rice bran oil as ingredients.
The description states that it contains 98% okra and 2% rice bran oil, gives a portion size of 25 g and describes it as gluten-free. This alone says nothing about other allergens.
No. Albert Heijn describes AH Plain Mix Unsalted as gluten-free, but the mix contains almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and Brazil nuts, and may contain peanuts and other nuts. Check the full product information for the ingredient the person needs to avoid.
No. The Food Allergy Foundation describes peanuts as legumes rather than nuts, but that doesn’t automatically make them suitable for everyone. Check the individual’s dietary needs and the product information.
Treat a warning about a named allergen as relevant when choosing a product, and check which allergen it refers to. Since 1 January 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority has specified the wording ‘may contain a named allergen’ and ‘not suitable for people with an allergy to that allergen’. The warning must be based on a risk assessment.
No. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the production date is the key consideration, and safe stock with older labels may still be sold under the transitional conditions described. So an older wording does not, by itself, prove that a label is prohibited.
Keep products with different allergen profiles clearly identified and separate, preferably in their sealed packaging, and make sure the ingredients information is available. The Dutch Bakery Centre describes transfer via utensils and hands in bakeries; in an office, storing products separately is a practical precaution, not a guarantee that cross-contact is ruled out.
