Who is this relevant to?

Calorie-conscious lunchtime snackers

You want to enjoy peanuts alongside your sandwich and estimate the energy your portion provides. Compare equal quantities and weigh out your portion in advance.

Snackers looking for low-salt options

You’re mainly keeping an eye on the salt content and ingredients. A variety with less energy per gram isn’t automatically the one with the least salt.

Lunch snackers on the go

You’re looking for peanuts you can take with you and portion out at home. Check the pack weight and how to store the product once opened.

What to consider when choosing

First compare the energy per 100 g, then decide on your portion; check the salt and ingredients for the exact variety.

What to consider What to look for Who might find this more important?
Energy in your portion Compare kcal per 100 g and weigh the amount you’ll eat alongside your sandwich. If I have peanuts with a shop-bought sandwich, I want to know how much energy my weighed portion adds. Around 42% of consumers prioritise calories per lunch portion.
Salt content Check the salt per 100 g and read the ingredients for the exact variety. I’d rather choose a low-salt variety, even if it doesn’t have the lowest energy value. Around 33% of consumers make low salt their top priority.
Taking them with you and portioning them out Check the pack weight and follow the storage instructions once opened. When I’m out and about, I want to be able to divide the contents into lunch portions at home and reseal the pack securely. Around 25% of consumers prioritise convenience when taking and portioning snacks.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Assuming unsalted means low in calories

    The AH product page lists AH Unsalted Peanuts as containing 620 kcal and 0 g salt per 100 g. Salt content and energy are different product characteristics.

    Check both the energy value and salt content, and compare the same quantity.

  • Treating a whole bag as one lunch portion

    The pack of AH Unsalted Peanuts is 300 g; the product page lists portions of 25 g. So the pack weight isn’t the same as the amount you eat alongside your sandwich.

    Weigh out your portion in advance, then reseal the pack securely.

  • Assuming dry roasted means unsalted or wheat-free

    According to Jumbo, Jumbo Dry Roasted Peanuts contain salt, wheat and gluten. The preparation name alone doesn’t tell you what else is in the variety.

    Check the ingredients, allergens and salt content on the information for the exact variety.

  • Assuming no added oil means fat-free

    Duyvis describes Oven Baked Peanuts Original as roasted without added oil or fat. That doesn’t mean the product contains no fat.

    Use the pack’s nutrition table to check energy and fat; don’t infer these values from the preparation method.

Brands and varieties to compare

Duyvis

The varieties reviewed include unsalted peanuts and Oven Baked Peanuts Original.

  • Duyvis lists 614 kcal per 100 g for Pinda's Ongezouten 235 g.
  • The manufacturer describes Oven Baked Original as roasted without added oil or fat; this doesn’t prove that the variety is low in calories.

Albert Heijn

AH Unsalted Peanuts are a variety you can weigh out into lunch portions yourself.

  • Albert Heijn lists 620 kcal and 0 g salt per 100 g, with a portion size of 25 g.
  • Unsalted doesn’t mean low in calories; assess the energy value separately.

Jumbo

The varieties reviewed are unsalted and Dry Roasted; compare them separately.

  • Jumbo lists 602 kcal and 0.01 g salt per 100 g for its unsalted variety. Dry Roasted is listed as containing 564 kcal per 100 g.
  • According to its product page, Jumbo Dry Roasted contains 1.80 g salt per 100 g, as well as wheat and gluten.

Lidl

Lidl Netherlands lists roasted unsalted peanuts in a 200 g pack.

  • The pack weight can help when dividing the contents into several portions.
  • The product name ‘unsalted’ doesn’t give you the energy value per 100 g.

ALDI

ALDI’s Dutch product information lists Trader Joe's roasted unsalted peanuts in a 250 g pack.

  • The ALDI product page gives this variety a Nutri-Score A.
  • A Nutri-Score isn’t a numerical energy value; use the nutrition table to compare kcal.

PLUS

The PLUS varieties reviewed include unsalted and Dry roasted peanuts.

  • PLUS lists 623 kcal and 0 g salt per 100 g for its unsalted peanuts.
  • The Dry roasted variety is listed as containing 592 kcal and 1.48 g salt per 100 g; the figures for one variety don’t automatically apply to the other.

Peanuts on Joybuy

These products offer different peanut options to assess by portion size, preparation method and the nutritional information on the exact pack.

Lao Jie Kou Yashi Xiang tea-roasted peanuts, 500 g

Lao Jie Kou Yashi Xiang tea peanuts, 500 g

An option if you want to compare nutritional values per 100 g; the product information lists 544 kcal and 1.37 g salt per 100 g.

The product name describes roasted peanuts with tea in a 500 g pack.

Joybuy
G’woon peanuts in shells, 500 g

G'woon peanuts in shells, 500 g

An option if you want to weigh out a lunch portion yourself and don’t mind shelling the peanuts.

The peanuts are in their shells, so you’ll need to shell them before eating. The product name lists a 500 g pack.

Joybuy
Verse Spicy Peanuts Katjang Pedis, 220 g

Verse Spicy Peanuts (Katjang Pedis), 220 g

A seasoned option if you want to compare energy and salt with other varieties in equal quantities.

The product information lists 573 kcal and 1.6 g salt per 100 g.

Joybuy
Verse Extra Large roasted unsalted peanuts, 210 g

Verse Extra Large roasted peanuts, 210 g

An option if you’re looking for an unsalted variety and want to weigh out your lunch portion yourself.

The product name describes roasted unsalted peanuts in a 210 g pack. Check the nutrition table on the exact pack for the energy per 100 g.

Joybuy
White Peanuts, 1 kg

White Peanuts, 1 kg

A larger pack if you want to weigh out portions for several lunches yourself.

The product name lists 1 kg. Use the nutritional information on the pack to calculate the energy in your chosen portion.

Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate the calories in your lunch portion?

Multiply the kcal per 100 g by the number of grams you’ve weighed out, then divide by 100. For example, according to Albert Heijn, AH Unsalted Peanuts contain 620 kcal per 100 g, so a 20 g portion contains 124 kcal. Count that snack alongside your sandwich and the rest of your lunch.

Can a small portion of regular peanuts be described as low in calories?

Not simply because the portion is small. According to the European Commission, the claim ‘low energy’ for solid foods is limited to a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g. The claim ‘reduced energy’ requires an energy reduction of at least 30%, and the reason for the reduction must be stated. These are EU conditions for nutrition claims, not personal calorie advice.

What should you check if you have a peanut allergy or need to avoid wheat?

Avoid peanuts if you need to avoid them, and check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack. The NVWA states that peanuts are an allergen that must be declared. According to Jumbo, Jumbo Dry Roasted Peanuts contain wheat and gluten; check the label on the variety you buy.

How should you store a bag that you’re using for several lunch portions?

Follow the storage instructions on the pack. For AH Unsalted Peanuts, Albert Heijn advises storing them in a cool, dark and dry place and resealing the pack securely after use. For the Duyvis Oven roasted Original pack reviewed, PLUS recommends storing it in a light- and airtight container once opened.

Which peanuts does Albert Heijn’s warning apply to?

Albert Heijn’s warning concerns AH Extra Large Salted Peanuts in a tub with a best-before date of 04-11-2026, due to possible metal fragments. Don’t eat that specific pack. The warning doesn’t apply to the AH Unsalted Peanuts 300 g reviewed here.