Who is this option relevant for?

Parents who prepare their baby’s breakfast themselves

You’re looking for cashews as an ingredient and want to know how to serve them. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises giving young children nut butter or ground nuts instead of whole nuts.

Parents who consciously choose organic

You want to be able to identify organic certification, but you also check salt, oil and allergens separately. Organic cashew products can vary in composition.

Parents with allergy-related arrangements to follow

You’re taking into account a confirmed allergy or arrangements made by your child’s nursery or school. Check the label and the rules that apply to your child and setting.

What should you look for when buying?

What to consider What to check before buying Who is this important for?
Form and preparation Turn whole nuts into nut butter or ground nuts before offering them. Adjust the texture to your baby’s eating skills. If I want to add cashews to my baby’s breakfast, I make sure my baby doesn’t get a whole nut. Around 29% of consumers prioritise the form and preparation.
Organic certification Check the EU organic logo, the associated control code and the indication of agricultural origin on the actual packaging. If I want to buy organic, I want to be able to check the product’s certification rather than relying on words such as ‘natural’. Around 23% of consumers prioritise organic assurance.
Salt and ingredients Read the full ingredients list. ‘Unsalted’ doesn’t mean no oil has been added; ‘no oil’ on its own tells you nothing about the salt content. If I choose cashews as an ingredient for breakfast, I want to know what else they contain. Around 18% of consumers prioritise a simple composition.
Allergens and arrangements Check the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements. If an allergy has been diagnosed, follow your healthcare professional’s advice. Also check the arrangements at your child’s nursery or school. If my child has a diagnosed allergy or their nursery has specific arrangements, I need to consider the label alongside those arrangements. Around 18% of consumers prioritise allergy-related arrangements.
Pack size and storage Compare the net quantity and preparation involved with how you plan to use the product. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you choose. If I use cashews regularly, I want to choose a pack that suits my needs and can be stored according to the label. Around 12% of consumers prioritise practical use.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming whole organic cashews are suitable for baby-led weaning

    Organic certification, being unroasted or having no added salt doesn’t change the choking risk posed by a whole nut. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole nuts to children under 4.

    For this use, buy whole cashews only as an ingredient that you’ll turn into nut butter or ground nuts before offering them.

    Preparing them yourself means an extra step before the nuts are ready to use.

  • Reading ‘Original’ or ‘no oil’ as ‘unsalted’

    According to the manufacturer, Duyvis Cashews Original has a savoury flavour and contains salt, among other ingredients. So ‘no added oil’ doesn’t mean the product is unsalted.

    Check the preparation method and the full ingredients list separately.

  • Assuming an organic logo means a product is suitable for babies in every way

    Organic certification doesn’t tell you whether a product contains whole nuts, what other ingredients have been added or how allergens are declared.

    As well as the organic label, check the product’s form, ingredients and allergen information.

  • Using the product serving size as a baby’s portion

    A serving size shown on a product page isn’t a feeding plan for babies.

    Don’t use the serving information as advice for your baby; follow appropriate feeding guidance instead.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

The organic varieties reviewed are ingredients for you to prepare, not ready-made baby snacks.

  • The 150 g unroasted variety displays the EU organic logo and control code IT-BIO-009; the product description says the nuts are unsalted and not fried in oil.
  • The 200 g roasted, unsalted variety lists 96% cashews and sunflower oil.
  • The page for the unroasted variety says ‘In store only’. Check current availability with the shop.

PLUS

The organic variety reviewed is sold under the BIO+ product brand.

  • The 200 g unsalted variety lists 99% cashews, sunflower oil and organic origin.
  • The product information says it may contain peanuts and warns of a choking risk for young children. Prepare the nuts before offering them, and assess the allergen information for your situation.

Jumbo

The product pages reviewed describe former organic own-brand varieties.

  • The product information for the 175 g and 150 g varieties lists organic cashews.
  • The pages reviewed say these products are no longer part of the online range; this doesn’t confirm current availability.

Lidl

The Dutch product page uses the name ‘Organic cashews’.

  • The product name is a useful starting point if you’re looking for organic cashews.
  • Before choosing a variety, check its ingredients, organic labelling and preparation form on the packaging.

ALDI

The Trader Joe’s cashews reviewed are roasted and unsalted.

  • The product information lists a 250 g pack and describes the nuts as roasted and unsalted.
  • This product information doesn’t show organic certification. What’s more, unsalted cashews are still not suitable to give to a baby whole.

Duyvis

Based on the product information reviewed, Cashews Original is a savoury snack range, not an organic baby food option.

  • According to the manufacturer, the nuts are oven-roasted without added oil.
  • The ingredients include salt and other flavourings. Here, ‘no oil’ doesn’t mean ‘unsalted’.

Joybuy products

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

When can my baby eat larger pieces using the Rapley method?

According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, your child needs to be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well. Start with mashed food, gradually make it lumpier and stay with them while they eat. This doesn’t change the advice not to give whole nuts to children under 4.

Can I use a peanut butter schedule to introduce cashews?

No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre schedule referred to here is for peanuts and eggs, not cashews. So don’t use the amounts given as a cashew schedule. If you suspect a food allergy, contact your GP.

Which organic labels can I check on the packaging?

Check the EU organic logo, the control code and the indication of agricultural origin. The European Commission says the logo may be used only for products certified as organic by an approved control body. The logo is compulsory for prepacked foods produced in the EU and sold there as organic; don’t automatically apply this rule to all imported products.

What should I look for if my child has a cashew allergy or on the allergen label?

An organic logo or ground form doesn’t remove cashews as an allergen. Read the allergen information on the packaging; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) states that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products. If an allergy has been diagnosed, follow your healthcare professional’s advice.

How should I handle nut-free arrangements at my child’s nursery or school?

Check the arrangements for your child and their setting before sending in a breakfast containing cashews. Deventer Hospital describes a completely allergen-free classroom as an exceptional situation based on medical advice; this clinical guidance doesn’t determine the arrangements that apply at every nursery or school.