Hosts serving guests of different ages
You need a snack people can identify before helping themselves, while keeping whole nuts away from small children who could choke on them.
Who is this for?
Guests comparing plant-based snacks
A stated serving size lets you compare protein amounts without losing sight of the salt, energy and ingredients on the same pack.
Hosts planning for food allergies
Peanuts, tree nuts and precautionary warnings need to remain identifiable. Changing from one type of nut to another does not establish that a snack is suitable for a particular guest.
What should you check?
Start with the portion you intend to serve, then check the label and how guests will identify each snack on the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per serving | Compare protein for the same intended portion, not just per 100g. M&S lists 10g per 30g pack; Tesco Almonds list 6.3g per 30g. Check the serving size on any other pack. | I want to know how much protein is in the portion guests will actually take, particularly if I am choosing between individual packs and an open bowl. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the full ingredients and any precautionary wording on each product. Keep the original packs available when putting snacks into serving dishes. | Guests need to identify peanuts, tree nuts and other relevant ingredients before choosing a snack; I cannot treat a different nut or seed mix as automatically suitable for them. |
| Salt and energy | Check salt and energy on the nutrition panel alongside protein. KP lists 1.3g salt per 100g for Original Salted peanuts and 1.7g per 100g for Dry Roasted; Tesco Almonds list less than 0.01g per 30g. | If people will graze throughout the party, I would rather compare the values for the amount served than judge a snack by its protein figure alone. |
| Self-service | Keep different products identifiable, with their packaging or accurate ingredient information beside them. Consider separate serving utensils rather than mixing nuts in one bowl. | When guests help themselves, they should still be able to tell which product they are taking and check its label. |
| Young children | Keep whole nuts out of reach of small children and plan a separate age-appropriate snack. Tesco and M&S both warn about choking on nuts. | Children may visit the snack table too, so an adult sharing bowl cannot be the only option I plan for them. |
What can go wrong at the serving table?
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Letting the protein figure decide for every guest
M&S Protein Packed Nut and Seed Mix lists 10g protein per 30g pack, but its product information says it is unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergy.
Compare the protein amount for the portion you will serve with the complete ingredients and allergen information before choosing it.
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Assuming seasoned peanuts have the same salt content
KP lists 30g protein per 100g for both Original Salted and Dry Roasted peanuts, but their stated salt values differ: 1.3g and 1.7g per 100g respectively.
Check the nutrition panel for the particular pack and portion you intend to put out.
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Throwing away the pack after filling a bowl
Without its packaging, guests cannot readily check that product’s ingredients or precautionary allergen wording. GOV.UK community-event guidance recommends keeping packaging so people with food hypersensitivities can check it.
Leave the original pack beside each snack, or provide accurate written information from the pack, and check newly purchased packs for changes.
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Leaving whole nuts within reach of small children
Tesco and M&S product information warns that small children can choke on nuts.
Keep whole nuts out of their reach and offer a separate age-appropriate snack.
Relevant brand and retailer options
These product-line examples illustrate different serving formats and label details; they do not establish what every product from each brand contains.
KP
Original Salted and Dry Roasted peanuts are savoury sharing options with nutrition information published by KP.
- KP lists 30g protein per 100g for both Original Salted and Dry Roasted peanuts.
- Original Salted lists 1.3g salt per 100g and Dry Roasted lists 1.7g. Check each pack’s ingredients and allergen wording before serving.
Tesco
Tesco Almonds provide a plain whole-nut option with nutrition stated for a 30g serving.
- The Tesco listing states 6.3g protein and less than 0.01g salt per 30g.
- The listing says the almonds may contain sesame seeds, peanuts and other nuts, and warns that small children can choke on nuts.
M&S
Protein Packed Nut and Seed Mix comes in a stated 30g pack, making its serving quantity clear.
- M&S lists 10g protein per pack.
- Its product information says it is unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergy. Check the label on the pack being served.
Joybuy product options
These options include peanut sharing packs, individual peanut portions and a seed-and-berry mix. Check the form in which you would serve each one: a mix intended to be added to food is not the same serving format as a pack of peanuts.
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KP Snacks Original Salted Peanuts 415g
A 415g peanut pack for a savoury sharing table. Keep its packaging beside any serving bowl so guests can check the ingredients and allergens, and keep whole nuts away from small children.
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Linwoods Flaxseed, Sunflower, Pumpkin & Chia Seeds & Goji Berries 200g
This 200g seed-and-berry mix is a different serving format from whole sharing nuts; decide what food you would offer it with before placing it on the table. Check the pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen wording for the guests attending.
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KP Snacks Dry Roasted Peanuts 415g
A 415g dry-roasted peanut pack for sharing. KP lists 30g protein and 1.7g salt per 100g for its Dry Roasted product; check this pack’s nutrition and allergen label before serving it.
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KP Dry Roasted Peanuts Reclose Pack 250g
The 250g reclose pack offers another size for serving dry-roasted peanuts. KP lists 30g protein and 1.7g salt per 100g for its Dry Roasted product; retain this pack so guests can check its own label.
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KP Snacks Dry Roasted Peanuts 5 × 30g
Five 30g packs provide identified portions instead of one open sharing bowl. Guests still need access to the pack’s peanut and other allergen information, and whole nuts should remain out of reach of small children.
Street-party nut questions
What allergen information should I keep with packaged nuts?
Keep each original pack available so guests can check its ingredients, highlighted allergens and any precautionary wording. GOV.UK guidance for community events in England, Northern Ireland and Wales says food supplied at events such as street parties must be safe to eat. Requirements for a registered food business differ from those for an informal gathering, so check which apply to your event.
Are peanuts and tree nuts the same allergen?
No. UK allergen guidance identifies peanuts and tree nuts separately. Do not assume that avoiding one makes a product suitable for someone avoiding the other; check the particular product label and the guest’s own requirements.
Can I combine different nuts in one communal bowl?
Keep different products identifiable instead. Combining them makes it difficult for guests to match the contents to the correct ingredients and precautionary warnings. Leave the original packs available and use separate bowls and utensils where practical.
Should whole nuts be offered to small children?
Keep whole nuts out of reach of small children because they can choke on them. Tesco’s almond information and M&S product information both carry choking warnings; provide a separate age-appropriate snack.
Does “may contain nuts” mean nuts are an ingredient?
Not necessarily. The Food Standards Agency explains that precautionary allergen labelling communicates the possibility of an allergen being unintentionally present. Keep that wording visible so guests managing an allergy can assess the particular product.