Chinese New Year is full of great food, visiting, and snack bowls on every table. If you eat strictly gluten-free, it’s worth adding one more item to your “double check” list: roasted cashews.

Why nuts can be a problem

Some local brands of roasted cashews use wheat flour in the coating or seasoning. Not every brand does this, but enough do that it’s worth being cautious.

Brands we’ve seen include:

• Tong Garden Roasted Salted Cashew Nuts

• Camel Roasted Cashews

• FairPrice Roasted Cashew Nuts

There may be other brands too. The safest move is simple: read the ingredient label every time, even if it’s a brand you’ve bought before.

“May contain” labels might show up more than you expect

You’ll often see statements like “may contain” or “made in a facility that also processes…” on nut packages. That can be about shared equipment or shared production lines. It doesn’t always mean the nuts contain gluten, but it does mean there’s a risk to think about.

The tricky part: you can’t tell by looking

Roasted cashews with wheat flour often look the same as gluten-free cashews. Once they’re poured into a bowl with other nuts, it’s almost impossible to know which is which.

No need to panic. Just treat party nuts like any other higher-risk snack:

• Ask if the package is available so you can check ingredients.

• If you can’t confirm the brand, skip the nuts and choose something you trust.

A simple hosting tip

If you’re hosting, consider putting out:

• One clearly labeled gluten-free bowl (with the package nearby), or

• Whole, packaged snacks so guests can check labels themselves.

Planning a Trip to Singapore?

If you’re visiting Singapore and need strict gluten-free food, it helps to know that it can be harder than people expect. Even though English is widely spoken, gluten-free is often misunderstood and cross-contamination is common.

9 Things You Must Know About Gluten-Free In Singapore

Full Gluten-Free Singapore Travel Toolkit

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