Is cashew, almond, cherry & peaut Kosher?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When determining if a snack mix is Kosher, we look beyond the main nuts and fruits to the additives and coatings. The primary ingredients in this mix—cashews, almonds, peanuts, and walnuts—are inherently Kosher (pareve). The potential flags usually lie in the processing agents and flavorings.

The dark chocolate flavored coating requires close inspection. It contains chicory root, sugar, palm kernel oil, and cocoa processed with alkali. Crucially, it also lists dry whole milk. While dairy requires strict separation from meat, in a snack mix without meat, the presence of milk derivatives is permissible, provided the dairy itself is Kosher. There are no wine or grape derivatives used in the flavoring.

The fruit components, specifically the dried cherries and dried cranberries, contain rice flour and sunflower oil. These are standard Kosher bulking agents. The inclusion of honey and rice syrup poses no issue. Furthermore, the vitamins added (A, C, and E) are synthetic or plant-derived, avoiding the strict restrictions often found with Vitamin D3 (which can be lanolin-derived). With no gelatin, shellac, or insect-based carmine used in the coating, this mix passes the Kosher test.

Nutritional Value

This mix is a calorie-dense, energy-boosting snack, primarily due to the combination of nuts and added sweeteners. The presence of sugar, rice syrup, and honey contributes to the total carbohydrate count, while the nuts provide a significant amount of healthy fats and protein.

While the mix contains beneficial vitamins, consumers watching their sugar intake should be mindful of the dried fruits, which often have added sugar (as seen in the dried cherries and raisins). It fits well into a diet focused on satiety and healthy fats, but portion control is key due to the high caloric density found in nuts and chocolate coatings.