People planning a measured portion
If you tend to eat from a large bag, a small box or a portion measured in advance makes the amount easier to keep track of. Check the calories for that amount, not just the pack size.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers comparing fruit with sweet snacks
Plain dried fruit, coated raisins and sweetened fruit mixes have different ingredients and nutrition values. Compare the particular products rather than assuming a fruit-based snack has one nutritional profile.
Parents and lunchbox planners
Small packs can be convenient, but the ingredients, allergen declarations and fruit-stone warnings still matter. For a snack eaten between meals, take account of the NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes instead.
What should you check?
Start with when the fruit will be eaten, then compare the intended portion, ingredients and pack warnings. Calories per 100 g help you compare products of different sizes; calories per serving tell you about the amount you plan to eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and label | Read kcal per 100 g and for the amount you will eat. Check the weight of an individual box rather than treating one pack as a standard serving. Tesco lists 40 kcal for its 14 g raisin box and 285 kcal per 100 g. | I want to know the calories in the portion I actually eat. In a Food Standards Agency/Ipsos survey of 611 people interviewed in Northern Ireland from September to November 2024, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food; that figure describes general label use, not dried-fruit preferences. |
| Ingredients | Look for coatings, candied fruit and sweetened ingredients, then compare the nutrition panels. Whitworths lists 133 kcal per 30 g for its yogurt-coated raisins; Marks & Spencer lists 340 kcal per 100 g for its mixed fruit with sweetened components. | When choosing a fruit-based snack, I want to know whether it contains more than the named dried fruit. |
| Eating occasion | The NHS says 30 g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion, but advises eating it at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | Elevenses is separate from my meals, so I want to consider fresh fruit instead of making dried fruit a routine between-meal snack. |
| Pack warnings | Read the exact pack for allergens and physical warnings. Marks & Spencer soft apricots contain sulphites and may contain stones; Whitworths yogurt-coated raisins contain milk and soya. | For someone with a relevant allergy or a child eating from the pack, I need to check that particular product before serving it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming dried fruit is low in calories because it is fruit
Pack size and calorie density answer different questions. Marks & Spencer lists 217 kcal per 100 g for its soft apricots, while Tesco lists 285 kcal per 100 g for its seedless raisins.
Compare products per 100 g, then check the calories for the portion you intend to eat. Measure fruit taken from a larger bag.
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Equating coated or sweetened fruit with plain fruit
Whitworths yogurt-coated raisins contain sugar and palm oil and list 133 kcal per 30 g. Marks & Spencer mixed fruit includes sweetened and candied ingredients and lists 340 kcal per 100 g.
Read the ingredients before comparing nutrition values, and make the comparison using the same weight or your intended serving.
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Overlooking when dried fruit will be eaten
NHS guidance says dried fruit should be eaten at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce the risk of tooth decay. That matters when elevenses is separate from breakfast and lunch.
Consider fresh fruit for a separate elevenses. If you choose dried fruit, plan to have it with a meal rather than grazing on it through the morning.
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Assuming every pack has the same warnings
Marks & Spencer soft apricots contain sulphites and may contain fruit stones. Whitworths yogurt-coated raisins contain milk and soya.
Check the current pack’s ingredients, allergen declaration and stone warning, particularly when choosing for a child or someone with an allergy.
Brand and range references
These examples show why the exact product and portion matter more than the brand name alone.
Whitworths
Its range includes plain dried fruit and coated raisins, which call for different ingredient and nutrition checks.
- Whitworths says a 30 g serving of its prunes is under 50 kcal; check the label of the product you choose.
- Its yogurt-coated raisins list 133 kcal per 30 g and contain sugar, palm oil, milk and soya.
M&S
Its soft apricots and mixed fruit provide two distinct examples for comparing dried-fruit labels.
- Collection Soft Apricots list 217 kcal and 5.1 g fibre per 100 g.
- Those apricots contain sulphites and may contain stones. Its mixed fruit with sweetened ingredients lists 340 kcal and 66 g sugars per 100 g.
Tesco
Its individually boxed raisins offer a fixed portion alongside larger dried-fruit pack formats.
- Each 14 g seedless-raisin box lists 40 kcal.
- The same raisins list 285 kcal per 100 g, and the pack marks the 8.4 g sugars per box as high.
Sainsbury's
Its dried-fruit category includes small packs of different fruits, including apricots, pineapple and mango.
- The listed pack sizes include 40 g apricots, 30 g pineapple and 35 g mango.
- Compare each product’s ingredients and nutrition panel; pack weight alone does not establish its calorie content.
Dried fruit options on Joybuy
These options include a portioned raisin pack and larger packs of prunes or figs. If dried fruit is for a separate elevenses, bear in mind the NHS advice to eat it at mealtimes; for a meal, compare the amount you would serve from each pack.
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Organix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months, 12 × 14g
The individual 14 g boxes give you a fixed amount without measuring from a larger pack. Check the pack’s nutrition information for that amount.
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J.ZAO Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
This prune pack is an option if you prefer to decide your serving size. Check its ingredients and nutrition panel rather than treating it as interchangeable with plain prunes.
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Whitworths Snacking Prunes 190g
Measure the amount you intend to serve from this 190 g pack and use the product’s nutrition label for the portion calculation. Check the pack for any warning about stone fragments.
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Whitworths Figs 175g
If you prefer figs, this 175 g pack lets you measure a serving yourself. Compare its nutrition label with other fruits at the weight you plan to eat.
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Forest Feast Orchard Prunes 200g
This 200 g prune pack requires you to set aside a serving rather than rely on an individual box. Read its ingredients and compare calories for the measured amount.
Questions about dried fruit and elevenses
Is dried fruit a low-calorie choice for elevenses?
Do not judge it by a small pack’s total calories alone. Tesco seedless raisins list 285 kcal per 100 g, while Marks & Spencer soft apricots list 217 kcal per 100 g. Compare per 100 g for a like-for-like product comparison and the calories in the amount you would eat.
Does 30 g of dried fruit count towards 5 A Day?
Yes. The NHS says 30 g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. It also advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack to reduce tooth-decay risk.
How can I keep track of a dried-fruit portion?
Choose a pack with a stated individual weight or measure a serving from a larger bag before eating it. Tesco’s 14 g raisin box lists 40 kcal; use the nutrition information for the exact product and amount you choose.
Which warnings matter when choosing dried fruit?
Check the exact pack for allergens, ingredients and stone warnings. Marks & Spencer soft apricots contain sulphites and may contain fruit stones, while Whitworths yogurt-coated raisins contain milk and soya.
What if an online listing differs from the delivered pack?
Use the physical pack label for the product you received. If an allergen, ingredient or nutrition detail you need is unclear, contact the retailer or manufacturer before eating it.