Gamers comparing fruit with crisps
If fat is your main concern, compare the figures on the products you are considering rather than assuming all dried fruit has the same composition. Check sugars and serving size alongside fat.
Who is this for?
Gamers who keep eating while playing
A small pack or a bowl portioned before play makes the amount easier to see than an open large bag. The NHS uses 30g as a dried-fruit portion and advises having it at mealtimes.
Shoppers who prefer a short ingredient list
Check what accompanies the fruit rather than relying on a low-fat impression. Whitworths lists raisins (99%) and sunflower oil for Sunny Raisins; other products may have different ingredients.
What should you check?
Start with the exact pack’s label, then choose a format that fits how you will serve it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and sugars | Compare fat and total sugars per 100g on the same basis; check the serving figures if shown. Sainsbury’s lists 0.7g fat and 67.7g sugars per 100g for its Mixed Dried Fruit 1kg. | I’m looking at fat, but I also want to know how much sugar the particular product contains. |
| Portion format | Check the amount in each pack or portion out a larger bag. The NHS uses 30g as one dried-fruit portion for 5 A Day. | Once a game starts, I’d rather have a visible portion than keep reaching into an open bag. |
| Eating occasion | Consider when you plan to eat it. NHS guidance advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack. | A small packet helps me see the quantity, but I also need to think about whether I’m repeatedly snacking between meals. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack; Tesco notes that food formulations can change. | I want to check additions to the fruit, particularly if I avoid certain ingredients or need allergen information. |
Common buying mistakes
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Checking fat but overlooking sugars
A fat figure does not describe the rest of a product’s nutrition. Sainsbury’s lists both 0.7g fat and 67.7g sugars per 100g for its Mixed Dried Fruit 1kg.
Compare fat and sugars per 100g on each pack, then read its ingredients.
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Eating straight from a large bag
An open bag makes it harder to see how much you have eaten during a game. The NHS uses 30g as a dried-fruit portion.
Put a portion in a bowl before playing, or check the amount in an individual pack.
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Treating a portion pack as an invitation to graze
A smaller pack makes quantity visible, but it does not change the NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals.
Plan when you will eat it as well as how much you will serve.
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Relying on an old product listing
Tesco notes that ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change when foods are reformulated.
Check the current pack before buying multiples or eating a product when particular ingredients matter to you.
Brand references for dried fruit
These examples show why the product and pack format matter more than a brand name alone.
Whitworths
Its range includes Sunny Raisins and a listed 1-Ders Prunes 5 × 30g multipack.
- Whitworths lists raisins (99%) and sunflower oil as the ingredients in Sunny Raisins.
- Check each product’s own ingredients and nutrition; the raisin listing does not describe every Whitworths pack.
Sainsbury’s
Its Mixed Dried Fruit 1kg provides a specific nutrition example for comparing labels.
- Sainsbury’s lists 0.7g fat and 67.7g sugars per 100g for this product.
- Those figures apply to that mix, not to every dried-fruit product.
Tesco
Its dried-fruit listings include raisins, prunes and cranberries in different pack formats.
- The listed range gives shoppers several fruit types and pack sizes to compare.
- Tesco notes that ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change; use the current product label.
M&S
Its fruit-snack range includes dried-fruit options and a No Added Sugar shopping filter.
- The range offers different fruit types to consider.
- A category filter does not establish the fat or total sugars in an individual pack; check its label.
Sunsweet
Sunsweet presents prunes and prune products as a focus of its UK range.
- It is a brand reference if prunes are the fruit you want to compare.
- Use the nutrition and ingredients on the specific pack for a fat-led decision.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These raisin and prune options include smaller portions and larger bags. If you choose a larger bag for a gaming session, portion it before play; NHS guidance advises having dried fruit at mealtimes.
Image unavailableJ.ZAO Prebiotic Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
Individually wrapped prunes may make it easier to set aside some of this 500g pack before a game. Check the amount in each wrapper rather than assuming it is a 30g portion.
Image unavailableOrganix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months 12 × 14g
The 12 × 14g format gives you a defined amount to set out before playing. Each 14g portion is smaller than the NHS’s 30g dried-fruit reference portion.
Image unavailableWhitworths Snacking Prunes 190g
This 190g prune bag is an option if you prefer to serve your own amount. Check its current nutrition and ingredients, and put a portion aside before starting a game.
Image unavailableForest Feast Orchard Prunes 200g
The 200g bag lets you portion out prunes yourself rather than using a small individual pack. Compare its current fat, sugars and ingredients with other options on the same label basis.
Image unavailableMorrisons Dried Pitted Prunes 500g
This 500g bag suits a plan to measure out prunes before a session rather than eat directly from the pack. Read the current label for fat, sugars and ingredients when comparing it with smaller formats.
Frequently asked questions
Do gaming snacks need to be labelled reduced fat?
No special label is necessary to start comparing dried fruit: check the fat figure for the exact product, alongside sugars and ingredients. Sainsbury’s Mixed Dried Fruit 1kg, for example, is listed at 0.7g fat and 67.7g sugars per 100g, showing why a fat figure alone does not settle the choice.
How much dried fruit is one portion?
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one portion of 5 A Day. If you buy a larger bag for gaming, measuring out an amount before play makes it easier to see what you have served.
Does a portion pack make grazing during a game a good idea?
A portion pack makes the quantity clearer, but it does not change the NHS advice to eat dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack.
Does no added sugar mean low total sugars?
They are different label checks: an ingredients claim does not tell you the total sugars figure. Read the nutrition panel as well as the ingredients list on the product you intend to buy.
What if ingredients or allergens matter to me?
Check the current pack’s full ingredients and allergen information rather than relying on an older listing. Tesco notes that ingredients, nutrition and allergen details can change when a food is reformulated.