Do not give whole peanuts or nuts to children under 4, advises the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Consider smooth peanut butter with no added salt or sugar as a possible option, and choose a pack size that suits your family’s consumption and the storage instructions. Do not give peanut products to a child with a diagnosed peanut allergy, and check the policy of the relevant childcare setting or school.
You’re looking for a peanut product for a toddler and want to assess its form first. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole peanuts or nuts to children under 4; check the texture of ground products too.
Your household uses peanut butter regularly, and you want a pack size that suits your family’s consumption and the storage instructions. A larger pack isn’t automatically right for every household.
You want to pack a snack for childcare or school and need to consider allergens and the rules at that setting. Thuisarts advises against giving a child a food they have a diagnosed allergy to.
Start with the product’s form and any allergies. Then consider the amount that suits your family’s consumption and how to store the pack.
For shoppers considering a peanut product as a toddler snack, each row highlights one main purchasing question. Checks on product form and allergens are relevant whichever question comes first.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Product form | Check whether the product is smooth or contains pieces. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole peanuts or nuts to children under 4. | As a parent, I want to know first whether the texture is suitable for a toddler snack. Around 36% of shoppers put product form and food safety first. |
| Pack size | Compare the net weight with your household’s consumption and follow the storage instructions on the pack. | When planning supplies for my family, I want to choose an amount that suits our consumption. Around 29% of shoppers prioritise pack size and choosing an amount that suits their needs. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients list and check separately whether the product is smooth and whether salt or sugar has been added. | As a parent, I want to assess the ingredients for myself, rather than relying solely on the ‘natural’ label. Around 21% of shoppers put ingredients first. |
| Allergens and setting | Check the ingredients and allergen warnings; ask the childcare setting or school about its policy. | When a snack is going to childcare or school, I want to take account of any diagnosed allergy and the rules at that setting. Around 14% of shoppers prioritise allergens and the setting’s policy. |
Being unsalted doesn’t change the product’s form. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving whole peanuts or nuts to children under 4.
Assess the product’s form first, then consider the brand or pack size.
‘100%’ doesn’t tell you the texture. Lidl and ALDI offer varieties with and without pieces; peanut butter is still a peanut product.
Check the ingredients, texture and allergen information separately on the specific pack.
A larger pack means more to store at once. The right amount depends on how much your household uses and the product’s storage instructions.
Check the net weight and storage instructions before choosing a pack.
The Jumbo product page lists a 15 g serving and a reference intake for an average adult. This isn’t a recommended amount for a toddler.
Don’t use commercial serving information to work out a toddler’s portion or how many snacks to give them.
These brands are useful points of reference for different product ranges. Ingredients, texture and pack size vary by product and variety.
Duyvis describes its product as unsalted whole peanuts. That doesn’t make it suitable as a snack for children under 4.
AH Terra Plant-Based 100% Natural Peanut Butter is available in a 1 kg pack. The product information lists peanuts as the only ingredient.
Jumbo’s 100% Natural Peanut Butter comes in a 600 g jar, with peanuts as the only ingredient.
Lidl describes its 100% Natural Peanut Butter as coming in a 600 g jar, and its Maribel range includes varieties with and without pieces.
HELAES 100% Peanut Butter is described as available in 350 g and 600 g packs; the range includes natural and crunchy varieties.
PLUS lists 100% Peanut Butter in a 350 g jar and a 1000 g tub. The ingredients listed for these products include peanuts.
The Joybuy product card below is for crunchy peanut butter. Its texture differs from the smooth peanut butter that is the focus for a toddler snack.
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This variety is worth considering if you’re specifically looking at Bonne Maman peanut butter with pieces. For a toddler, its texture differs from the smooth variety used as the starting point here.
The product information lists 79% peanuts, sugar and salt.
Consider a smooth product, and don’t give whole peanuts or nuts to children under 4, advises the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Check the texture of the specific pack; a product with pieces isn’t the same as a smooth variety.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked foods must appear on the label. Check both the ingredients and any warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
No. Thuisarts advises against giving a child the food they are allergic to. A smooth texture or an unsalted recipe doesn’t make peanut butter peanut-free; follow the advice of your child’s healthcare professional.
Check the policy of the relevant setting. For example, OBS De Venen states that peanuts and nuts are not eaten at that school; this rule applies to that school and doesn’t prove there is a nationwide ban.
Choose a net weight that suits how much you use at home, and follow the storage instructions on the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s Storage Guide recommends keeping opened peanut butter in a kitchen cupboard for up to a year; also look out for rancidity or an unusual smell or taste.
