People adding fruit to a protein-containing meal
Dried fruit can add flavour to yoghurt or another meal with a separate protein food. Check the protein contribution of the whole meal rather than treating the fruit as its main source.
Who is this for?
Shoppers planning measured snacks
A labelled serving or a portion measured from a larger bag makes it easier to compare the energy of the amount you intend to eat.
Shoppers avoiding sulphites
Sulphur dioxide or sulphites may be present in dried fruit. Check each pack’s ingredients and allergen statement, particularly when choosing apricots.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the portion you expect to eat, then compare its energy and protein with the other foods in your planned meal or snack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and portions | Compare kcal per labelled serving and per 100 g. Check whether the pack contains one serving or needs measuring. | I want to know the energy in the amount I will eat, not just the figure for a small stated serving. ASDA Groceries lists 61 kcal per one-sixth of its 200 g apricot pack; Tesco Groceries lists 73 kcal per 30 g of its ready-to-eat prunes. |
| Protein contribution | Read protein per serving and plan a separate protein food. The British Nutrition Foundation identifies milk and dairy products, including yoghurt, as protein sources. | If protein is the point of the snack, I need more than dried fruit alone: Tesco Groceries lists 0.6 g per 30 g of its prunes, while ASDA Groceries lists 1.3 g per stated apricot serving. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare sugars and carbohydrate for the same portion size. Read the ingredients list for additions rather than assuming every fruit mix contains only fruit. | I may want a fruit topping, but I still need to see what is in the chosen portion and whether the product has other ingredients. |
| Allergens and use | Check the allergen statement for sulphites, any stone warning, and storage instructions after opening. | When I need to avoid sulphites or am choosing fruit to keep after opening, the individual pack’s warnings and instructions matter more than the fruit category alone. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Counting dried fruit as the protein part of a snack
The ASDA apricots, Tesco prunes and Sainsbury’s apricots list just 0.6–1.3 g of protein per labelled serving, according to their retailers.
Use dried fruit as the fruit component and choose a separate protein food if that is the purpose of the meal or snack.
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Confusing a small serving with a low-energy product
A serving figure changes with serving size. It cannot, by itself, show how two products compare per 100 g.
Check both figures on the label, then measure a portion from a larger bag if you want to plan its energy.
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Assuming the ingredients are only fruit
ASDA Groceries and Sainsbury’s list sulphur dioxide in the apricot products covered here. Ingredients can differ between products, even when the fruit is the same.
Read the ingredients and allergen statement on the pack you choose, particularly if you avoid sulphites.
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Overlooking stones and instructions after opening
Stone warnings and storage directions affect how you handle prunes or apricots, particularly partially rehydrated products.
Check for stones where the pack warns of them, and follow that product’s refrigeration and use-after-opening instructions.
Relevant brand references
These examples illustrate different pack formats and label details; a brand’s range does not have one shared nutrition profile.
Whitworths
A dried-fruit brand with prune and fig formats relevant to measured fruit additions.
- Joybuy lists a Whitworths Snacking Prunes 190 g bag; measure the amount you plan to eat from a larger pack.
- Do not apply a serving figure given for one Whitworths product to another without checking its label.
ASDA
Its 200 g apricot pack provides a stated one-sixth-pack serving for portion comparisons.
- ASDA Groceries lists 61 kcal and 1.3 g protein per stated serving.
- The listed ingredients include sulphur dioxide; check the pack if avoiding sulphites.
Tesco
Its ready-to-eat prunes have nutrition values stated for a 30 g portion.
- Tesco Groceries lists 73 kcal and 0.6 g protein per 30 g.
- The product lists potassium sorbate; read its ingredients and handling instructions before use.
Sainsbury’s
Its 40 g dried-apricot pack gives shoppers a fixed pack size to compare with a measured portion.
- Sainsbury’s lists 91 kcal and 1.1 g protein per pack.
- The ingredients include sulphur dioxide; a fixed pack size does not remove the need to check allergens.
M&S
Its mixed dried fruit is an example to consider for baking or a measured topping.
- Marks & Spencer lists 292 kcal and 2.4 g protein per 100 g of its Mixed Dried Fruit.
- Use the current pack label when calculating a smaller portion or checking ingredients.
Joybuy dried-fruit options
These prunes, dates, figs and apricots are dried-fruit options for adding a measured portion to a meal or snack. Choose a separate protein food when protein is the main goal.
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J.ZAO Chilean Pitted Prunes 500 g
The individually wrapped prunes offer a way to choose a portion alongside a separate protein food. Check the pack’s sugars and ingredients rather than relying on sugar-free wording in the listing.
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Whitworths Snacking Prunes 190 g
This bag is an option for a measured prune addition to a meal. Measure the portion you intend to eat and use the pack’s nutrition information for that amount.
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Hao Xiang Ni Ready-to-Eat Red Dates 900 g (30 x 30 g)
The 30 g sachets provide a fixed amount of red dates for portion planning. Check the energy and protein stated for a sachet before including one in a high-protein snack.
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Whitworths Figs 175 g
These figs are an option for a measured fruit addition rather than the protein part of a meal. Check the label for the portion’s nutrition values and for any relevant allergen warning.
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Morrisons Soft Apricots 250 g
Measure a serving from this larger bag when planning an apricot addition to a meal. Check the pack’s energy per serving and its ingredients and allergen statement, especially if you avoid sulphites.
Questions about dried fruit and portions
Is dried fruit a high-protein snack?
The examples here provide little protein per stated serving: ASDA Groceries, Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s list 0.6–1.3 g for their respective apricot and prune servings. Add a separate protein food if protein is the purpose of the snack.
Does a small portion make dried fruit low calorie?
No: a small serving can have fewer calories than a larger one without making the food itself low in energy. For a solid food in Great Britain, the nutrition-claims annex published on legislation.gov.uk sets a limit of 40 kcal per 100 g for a “low energy” claim. Compare both the labelled serving and per-100 g figures when choosing a product.
What portion of dried fruit can I use for comparison?
The NHS says 30 g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. It is a useful comparison amount, but check the individual label: a single pack or its stated serving may be a different size.
Should I check dried fruit for sulphites?
Yes, if you need to avoid them. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphur dioxide or sulphites are often used in dried fruit, including apricots, raisins and prunes. Check the ingredients and allergen statement on each product rather than assuming all packs have the same ingredients.
How should I keep partially rehydrated fruit after opening?
Follow the instructions on the particular pack. ASDA’s apricots and Tesco’s ready-to-eat prunes instruct shoppers to refrigerate them after opening and use them within seven days; instructions for another product may differ.