For a measured 30g serving, the M&S and Sunsweet prunes have fewer calories than the compared raisins, mixed fruit and mango, based on their published labels. If delegates need a ready-portioned self-service snack, Tesco’s 14g raisin boxes offer a fixed 40 kcal serving, but a smaller box should not be mistaken for lower calories per gram. Whichever format you choose, check the current pack for ingredients, allergen information and any stone warning before service.
A common 30g serving makes published per-100g calorie figures easier to compare. Marks & Spencer and Tesco label the examined prunes and raisins at different energy values, so the serving measure matters as much as the fruit name.
Tesco labels each box in its Seedless Raisins 12 Pack as 14g and 40 kcal. A fixed box may be easier to hand out than fruit from a larger pack, although the two formats should be compared at the same weight before judging their calorie density.
Attendees need information for the product actually served, whether it stays packaged or is put out loose. Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland guidance covers allergen information for both prepacked and non-prepacked food; the examined M&S Dried Mango, for example, lists sulphites and carries further allergy suitability warnings.
Choose a serving format first, then compare calories at the same weight and check the exact pack that will reach delegates.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Comparable calories | Compare labelled kcal per 100g, then calculate the amount for the serving you intend to provide. The NHS uses 30g as one dried-fruit portion for 5 A Day. | I’m planning measured servings and want to compare like with like. Marks & Spencer labels its Collection Soft Prunes at 220 kcal per 100g, or 66 kcal per 30g; Tesco labels Sunsweet Stoned Prunes at 229 kcal per 100g, or about 69 kcal per 30g. |
| Portion format | Check the weight and calories of an individual pack. For fruit served from a larger pack, decide how each portion will be measured. | At a busy self-service break, I’d rather hand out a fixed portion. Tesco’s Seedless Raisins come in 14g boxes labelled at 40 kcal each; at the same 30g weight, their labelled 285 kcal per 100g works out at about 86 kcal. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredient and allergen information for the exact product. Keep that information available when removing fruit from its pack for service. | Delegates must be able to find out what is in the fruit being served. The examined M&S Dried Mango lists sulphites and says it is not suitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergies; other packs need their own checks. |
| Serving warnings | Check for stone warnings on pitted fruit and retain them with the product information. Decide whether the warning works for the planned serving format. | If I put prunes on a buffet, I need staff to know about any remaining-stone warning. Marks & Spencer warns that its Collection Soft Prunes may contain fruit stones, while Tesco’s Sunsweet Stoned Prunes listing warns of occasional pits or partial pits. |
A small pack can have fewer calories than a larger serving without having fewer calories per gram. Tesco labels its 14g raisin box at 40 kcal and the raisins at 285 kcal per 100g.
Compare equal weights when choosing the fruit, then assess whether the ready-portioned pack is more practical for your event.
Once fruit is put into bowls, attendees may no longer see the original pack. Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland guidance requires food businesses to provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food.
Keep current information for the exact product at the service point and make sure serving staff can locate it.
The examined M&S and Sunsweet prune products both carry warnings about possible stones or pit pieces.
Retain the applicable pack warning when planning and serving prunes; choose another format if that warning is unsuitable for the event.
These label examples help compare serving choices; a brand reference does not mean every product in its range has the same ingredients or nutrition values.
The examined range includes Collection Soft Prunes, Mixed Dried Fruit and Dried Mango.
The examined Tesco listing is for Sunsweet Stoned Prunes.
Its examined own-label Seedless Raisins 12 Pack uses individual boxes.
The examined Whitworths products include snacking raisins and a case-format raisin product.
These options include prunes, figs, portion-packed red dates and flavoured fruit. Check each pack’s current nutrition and ingredient information against your planned serving size; the pack weight alone does not establish calories per portion.
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For a conference serving of prunes, check the current pack’s portion, nutrition and stone information before putting them out for delegates.
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If serving figs from this 175g pack, decide how to measure individual portions and check its current nutrition and allergen information.
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The stated 30g sachets provide a fixed pack size for delegate handouts. Check the current nutrition information and any stone warning before service.
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For a preserved-fruit option, check the current ingredient list and calories per intended serving, rather than treating the 70g pack as one delegate portion by default.
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If adding a flavoured fruit option, check the exact pack’s ingredients, allergen information and calories for the portion you plan to serve.
Use the same weight for every product; 30g is a practical reference because the NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. Compare the labelled calories at that weight, then decide whether your event will serve 30g or a different clearly defined amount.
M&S Collection Soft Prunes have the lowest calculated figure among the examined M&S and Tesco products: 66 kcal per 30g from Marks & Spencer’s 220 kcal per 100g label. Tesco labels Sunsweet Stoned Prunes at 229 kcal per 100g, or about 69 kcal per 30g, and its Seedless Raisins at 285 kcal per 100g, or about 86 kcal per 30g. A Tesco raisin box is smaller, at 14g and a labelled 40 kcal.
For meal planning, note that the NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack to reduce tooth-decay risk. Serving it with breakfast or a meal is one way to take that guidance into account instead of repeatedly replenishing a grazing bowl.
Yes. Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland guidance says food businesses must provide allergen information for non-prepacked as well as prepacked food. Keep information for the exact fruit served available to staff and attendees, and check the applicable requirements for its packaging and service format.