Picnic packers watching portion calories
If you are choosing dried fruit for a picnic lunch, the useful calorie figure is the one for the amount you put in the bag. A labelled serving or an individual pack makes that amount easier to identify.
Who is this for?
People packing shared lunches
Small packs can give each person a defined portion; fruit from a larger bag needs dividing before you leave. Check ingredients and allergen declarations for everyone eating it. The NHS advises having dried fruit at mealtimes for dental reasons.
Shoppers who need to avoid sulphites
Check the ingredient and allergen panel of the exact product. Tesco and Sainsbury’s conventional apricot examples list sulphur dioxide or sulphites, while Sainsbury’s SO Organic Dried Apricots list dried apricots as the ingredient. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites used in dried fruit can pose a risk to people with a sensitivity.
What to check before packing
Choose the amount you plan to serve, then read its calorie figure alongside the sugars, ingredients and pack format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion calories | Find kcal for the amount you will pack. Check serving weights before comparing individual packs with portions from larger bags; a per-100g figure describes a different amount. | I want to know the calories in my actual picnic portion, not just in a suggested serving that I might exceed. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Read sugars and kcal for the same portion, then check the ingredients for sweetened fruit or other additions. A no-added-sugar statement does not give the total sugars figure. | I’d like to distinguish fruit without added sugar from a sweetened mix, while still checking the nutrition label. |
| Packing format | Check the weight of each small pack or measure servings from a larger bag before leaving. Keep the pack or a suitable closed container intact until lunch. | For a shared picnic, I may prefer separate portions; for several servings from one bag, I can divide them in advance. |
| Sulphites and mealtime use | Read the current ingredient and allergen panel if sulphites matter. The Food Standards Agency notes their use in dried fruit; the NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | If someone eating the fruit has a sulphite sensitivity, I need to check their exact pack. I can serve the fruit with picnic lunch rather than leave it out for grazing. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every dried fruit portion has similar calories
Portion weights and labelled calorie figures differ. Tesco Groceries lists 63kcal for 30g of Soft Apricots; BEAR Dried Mango lists 80kcal for a 25g pack. Those are portions of different sizes.
Decide how much fruit you will pack, then compare the kcal for that amount rather than comparing unlike serving figures.
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Reading “no added sugar” as a calorie figure
BEAR’s dried mango is described as having no added sugar, yet its Tesco Groceries listing gives 14g sugars and 80kcal per 25g portion. Marks & Spencer’s mixed-fruit example also includes sweetened fruit and candied peel.
Check the ingredients for additions and read both sugars and kcal for the portion you intend to eat.
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Assuming all dried apricots have the same ingredients
Conventional apricot examples from Tesco and Sainsbury’s list sulphites, while Sainsbury’s SO Organic Dried Apricots list dried apricots as the ingredient. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites in dried fruit as a possible risk for people with a sensitivity.
If sulphites must be avoided, check the current ingredient and allergen panel on the exact pack rather than relying on its name or appearance.
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Leaving an open bag out for grazing
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Pack a measured amount to serve with picnic lunch instead of keeping an open bag available throughout the outing.
Brand and product-line references
These product examples illustrate differences in serving labels, ingredients and pack formats; check the label of the item you buy.
Tesco
Tesco Soft Apricots come in a 250g bag, with nutrition listed for a 30g serving.
- Tesco Groceries lists 63kcal and 12.3g sugars per 30g serving.
- The ingredients list sulphur dioxide, and a picnic portion needs measuring from the bag.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists ready-to-eat apricots and a separate SO Organic dried-apricot product.
- The ready-to-eat listing gives 68kcal per serving; the organic listing gives 68kcal per 30g and lists dried apricots as its ingredient.
- The ready-to-eat product lists sulphites. The organic product was marked out of stock when its page was checked, so confirm availability and the current pack details before relying on it for a picnic.
Whitworths
Whitworths Sunny Raisins are offered in 14g packs positioned for lunchboxes and mealtimes.
- A 14g pack gives you a defined amount to put in a lunchbox or picnic bag.
- Whitworths lists raisins and sunflower oil as ingredients; check the pack’s calorie figure for the amount you plan to serve.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists both soft apricots and a mixed-fruit product, with different ingredients and per-100g nutrition.
- Its listings allow comparison on the same per-100g basis: 217kcal for Collection Soft Apricots and 340kcal for Mixed Fruit with Cranberries and Apricots.
- The soft apricots list sulphites. The mixed fruit includes sweetened cranberries, candied peel and sweetened pineapple.
BEAR
BEAR Dried Mango is listed by Tesco Groceries as four individual 25g portions.
- The listing gives 80kcal and 14g sugars per 25g pack, so the nutrition can be read against a defined picnic portion.
- Its no-added-sugar statement does not mean the pack has no sugars or fewer calories than the differently sized apricot servings above.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These options include small dried-fruit packs, a 40g fig pack and individually wrapped prunes in a larger pack. For each, check the labelled calories and ingredients for the amount you intend to take to lunch.
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Kooky Gently Dried Dragon Fruit 20g
The 20g pack gives you a defined amount to take to a picnic lunch. Read its calorie label for that portion, and check the current pack’s sulphite declaration if relevant.
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Frula Freeze Dried Fruits Mango 10g
This 10g mango pack is a small, defined picnic portion. Compare calories for the whole pack with the amount you would take from a larger bag, rather than treating a smaller serving as a lower-calorie fruit.
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Frula Freeze Dried Fruits Peach 10g
The 10g peach pack offers a defined amount for one picnic lunch. If you expect to eat more than one pack, use the total amount when comparing its labelled calories with other choices.
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Three Squirrels Freeze-Dried Figs 40g
At 40g, this fig pack contains a larger portion than the 10g fruit packs shown here. Check calories for the amount you will eat before packing the whole bag for lunch.
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J.ZAO Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
Individually wrapped prunes let you choose how many to take from the 500g pack. The product information identifies added low-polymer isomaltose, so do not treat it as fruit alone; check the current ingredients and sulphite declaration if either matters to you.
Picnic dried-fruit questions
How can I compare dried fruit by calories for a picnic lunch?
Compare kcal for the amount you will actually pack, checking the weight behind each serving figure. Tesco Groceries lists 63kcal per 30g of Soft Apricots, while BEAR Dried Mango lists 80kcal per 25g pack; the portions differ in size. Read sugars and ingredients alongside the calorie figure.
Does “no added sugar” mean dried fruit is low in calories?
No: a no-added-sugar statement does not tell you the product’s total sugars or calories. Tesco Groceries lists BEAR Dried Mango as having no added sugar, with 14g sugars and 80kcal per 25g pack. Check the nutrition panel for your chosen portion.
How much dried fruit counts as one portion of 5 A Day?
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one portion of 5 A Day. That serving guide is not a calorie figure for every dried fruit, so check the chosen product’s label when planning a picnic portion.
Should I put dried fruit out for snacking throughout a picnic?
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. For a picnic, serve the amount you packed with lunch instead of leaving an open bag out for repeated grazing.
Do dried apricots contain sulphites?
It varies by product. Tesco Soft Apricots and Sainsbury’s Ready To Eat Apricots list sulphites, while Sainsbury’s SO Organic Dried Apricots list dried apricots as the ingredient. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites are often used in dried fruit and can pose a risk to people with a sensitivity, so check the current ingredient and allergen panel on the exact pack.