Households using dried fruit in meals
A larger pack may suit porridge, cereal, baking or shared use if you can reseal it and use it regularly. Check that the fruit blend suits what you plan to make.
Who is each format for?
People packing food for the day
Small raisin boxes give you a portion that is easy to carry. If you intend to eat one between meals, bear in mind the NHS advice to have dried fruit as part of a meal instead.
Parents choosing food for toddlers
A convenient fruit pack is not necessarily suitable for a mid-morning snack. The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit with meals rather than between them because its sugar can cause tooth decay.
What should you check before buying?
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Eating occasion | Decide whether the fruit is for a meal or for eating between meals. The NHS advises having dried fruit as part of a meal rather than as a between-meal snack. | I want fruit for breakfast or another meal; for a regular mid-morning break, I would consider a non-dried-fruit option. |
| Pack format | Compare the pack weight with how often you will use it. Check whether a large pack can be resealed or whether individual portions would be more practical to carry. | A large pack works for our shared meals, but a small box is easier to take out for the day. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the declaration on the exact pack and flavour. Plain raisins, fruit-and-nut mixes and chocolate-containing snack mixes can have different ingredients and allergens. | I need to know whether the pack contains nuts or other ingredients that matter to my household, rather than relying on the range name. |
| Storage after opening | Follow the pack’s storage and resealing instructions. M&S, for example, tells shoppers to keep its 500g raisins in a cool, dry place and reseal the pack after opening. | If I will use the fruit only occasionally, I want a pack size and closure that fit that routine. |
What can make a pack less suitable?
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Assuming fruit makes it a suitable between-meal snack
Dried fruit contains sugar, and the NHS advises eating it with meals rather than between them because of its effect on teeth. For toddlers, NHS advice specifically says to offer it with meals.
If the purchase is for a regular mid-morning break, consider a non-dried-fruit snack instead; keep dried fruit for breakfast or another meal.
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Treating every fruit mix like plain raisins
Whitworths lists different ingredients and allergens across its snack products. Its Shots variety pack declares wheat, milk and soya allergens, with possible presence of peanuts, other nuts and sesame; its Peanut & Raisin Mix contains peanuts.
Check the ingredients and allergen declaration for the exact product and flavour, particularly when choosing a fruit-and-nut or chocolate-containing mix.
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Choosing a large pack without a plan to use it
A 1kg pack needs somewhere suitable to be kept after opening and a routine that will use its contents.
Check the storage instructions and choose a size you can use and reseal as directed.
Which brands and ranges are relevant?
Waitrose Essential
The range includes 1kg mixed-fruit and sultana packs as well as a 500g raisin pack.
- The different fruits and pack sizes give shoppers options for regular household use.
- Check the exact fruit blend and pack instructions before choosing a size for your routine.
Whitworths
Whitworths offers raisins in tubs and small boxes alongside fruit-and-nut and mixed snack products.
- According to Whitworths, Sunny Raisins contain raisins and sunflower oil; the brand lists 9.3g sugars per 14g box.
- Ingredients and allergen declarations differ across its mixes, so a snack mix should not be treated as plain dried fruit.
Tesco
Tesco’s own-label dried-fruit range includes a 1kg seedless-raisin pack alongside other fruits and sizes.
- The 1kg raisin format is relevant if you regularly use raisins in meals or baking.
- Check the particular pack’s ingredients, storage directions and suitability for your intended use.
M&S
M&S lists dried-fruit formats including 500g raisins and 1kg Turkish sultanas.
- Its 500g raisin pack provides ingredients and instructions to store it in a cool, dry place and reseal it after opening.
- Check the details of the particular fruit and pack size rather than assuming the same instructions apply across the range.
A Joybuy product option
This option is a 1000g pack of jujubes with walnuts for shared portions or use with meals. It is a fruit-and-nut product, not a pack of plain raisins.
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J.ZAO Jujube with Walnuts 1000g
This 1000g jujube-and-walnut pack may suit a household planning shared portions with meals. It contains walnuts, so check the full ingredient and allergen declaration before buying. The NHS advises having dried fruit with meals rather than as a between-meal snack.
Questions about dried-fruit packs
Is dried fruit suitable for a regular mid-morning snack?
The NHS advises eating dried fruit as part of a meal rather than between meals because of its effect on teeth. If you are buying it for a regular mid-morning break, consider whether it could instead be part of breakfast or another meal.
Can toddlers have dried fruit between meals?
The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit such as raisins with meals, not as an in-between snack, because the sugar it contains can cause tooth decay.
When do small raisin boxes make sense?
Small boxes are useful when you need a portion that is easy to carry. The eating occasion still matters: NHS advice is to have dried fruit with a meal rather than as a between-meal snack.
What should I check in a fruit-and-nut mix?
Read the ingredient and allergen declaration on the exact pack. Whitworths Peanut & Raisin Mix contains peanuts and may contain other nuts, sesame and cereals containing gluten; ingredients and warnings can differ between products and flavours.
How should I keep a larger pack after opening?
Follow its own storage instructions. For example, M&S says to keep its 500g raisins in a cool, dry place and reseal the pack after opening. Consider whether you will use a larger pack regularly before choosing one.