Employees packing their own lunches
An individual pack is easy to put in a lunchbox or bag. If it is intended as a full dried-fruit portion, look for 30g: that is the amount identified by the NHS. A 14g box is a smaller addition to lunch.
Who is buying for?
Office managers stocking a shared lunch drawer
Count the individual packs as well as checking their weight. Keep the outer packaging available so colleagues can read the current ingredients and allergen information before taking a portion.
Teams looking beyond plain raisins
Fruit rolls and mixed-fruit packs offer different flavours and textures. Their ingredients and pack sizes vary, so check each product label rather than assuming every fruit snack is equivalent to plain dried fruit.
What matters when choosing a multipack?
Start with the role each pack will play at lunch, then check how many portions the outer pack contains and whether its ingredients suit the people sharing it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Check the weight of each inner pack, not just the outer pack. The NHS identifies 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion; the cited raisin multipacks include both 30g packs and smaller 14g boxes. | I want a 30g pack if the dried fruit is intended as my lunch fruit portion. A smaller box suits me when I only want a little alongside other lunch foods. |
| Pack count | Count the separately enclosed portions. The retailer listings include Whitworths 6 x 30g, Tesco 12 packs in 168g and Asda 10 x 14g. | Several colleagues may take a pack during the week, so I need to know how many individual lunches one outer pack will cover. |
| Meal-time use | Plan to eat dried fruit with lunch. The NHS advises having it at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay. | I would put a pack in my lunch rather than leave dried fruit out for repeated desk snacking. |
| Ingredients | Read the current pack for ingredients and allergen information, especially for mixes, coated fruit and fruit rolls. Keep the outer carton accessible when individual packs are shared. | Before colleagues take a pack, I want them to be able to check what is in it. |
| Fruit and format | Decide whether you want plain raisins, another dried fruit or a fruit-based snack. Check each product’s ingredients and inner-pack weight rather than applying the dried-fruit portion reference to every fruit snack. | If our team wants a change from raisins, flavour and texture matter, but I still need to know what each pack contains. |
What should you avoid overlooking?
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Assuming every snack box is a full dried-fruit portion
A 14g raisin box is smaller than the NHS reference of 30g of dried fruit for one 5 A Day portion.
Choose by the weight of each inner pack: use 30g as the reference when that portion is your aim, or treat a smaller box as an addition to lunch.
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Leaving dried fruit out for between-meal grazing
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Put individual packs with packed lunches instead of setting out an open bowl for repeated desk snacking.
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Assuming every fruit snack has the same ingredients
Plain raisins, fruit rolls and fruit-and-nut mixes can have different ingredients and allergen considerations. An outer carton may also carry information that is less accessible once packs are separated.
Keep the current packaging available and ask colleagues to check the ingredients and allergen label before sharing.
Which brands and ranges are relevant?
These are examples of dried-fruit brands and retailer ranges; their formats differ, so check the particular product rather than choosing on the name alone.
Whitworths
Whitworths Sunny Raisins appear in individually portioned 6 x 30g and 8 x 14g formats in the cited retailer listings.
- The 30g format matches the NHS dried-fruit portion reference; the 14g format provides smaller individual packs.
- The listed Sunny Raisins ingredients are raisins (99%) and sunflower oil. The Asda listing warns that occasional stalks may remain.
Tesco
Tesco lists Seedless Raisins as a 12-pack weighing 168g in total.
- The 12 individual packs offer a format for stocking several packed lunches.
- At 14g per pack, they are smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit portion reference.
Asda
Asda lists Mini Raisin Snack Boxes in a 10 x 14g format, with raisins as the stated ingredient.
- The separate boxes can be divided among office lunches.
- Each 14g box is smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit portion reference; check the current pack before sharing.
Sainsbury's
The cited Sainsbury's listings include Whitworths Sunny Raisins 6 x 30g and BEAR Apple Fruit Yoyos 5 x 20g.
- These listings show a choice between raisin packs and fruit rolls with a different texture.
- Check the current label when comparing ingredients and portion information across the two products.
M&S
The Marks & Spencer fruit-snacks range lists Taste Buds 10 Raisin Snack Boxes 140g alongside larger dried-fruit packs.
- Its listed range includes dried mango, prunes and mixed fruit for teams considering alternatives to raisins.
- A larger bag does not provide separate grab-and-go packs; check the specific format and label before choosing it for a shared drawer.
Sunsweet
Sunsweet's UK range focuses on prunes and prune products.
- Prunes offer another dried-fruit flavour for people who do not want raisins.
- Check the pack format if individually portioned office lunches are the priority.
Joybuy options for office lunches
These options include small dried-fruit packs, fruit twists and a nut-and-dried-fruit mix. They serve different lunch and sharing needs: check each inner-pack size and the current ingredients before choosing.
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Three Squirrels Daily Blueberry, 256g (16 x 16g)
The 16 individual packs can be divided among packed lunches. Each 16g pack is smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit portion reference; check the current ingredients, including added sugar, before sharing.
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Be&Cheery Dried Mango with Plum, 80g (12 bags)
The 12 small bags suit an office looking for mango-and-plum flavour in separate lunch packs. Check the weight and ingredients of an individual bag before treating it as a dried-fruit portion; the selection information flags added sugar.
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The Fruit Factory Mixed Fruit Twists, 5 packs
These five packs offer a fruit-snack alternative to plain raisins for packed lunches. They are not plain dried fruit: check the current ingredients and allergen label for wheat and glucose syrup before sharing.
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J.ZAO Classic Daily-Nut Mix, 750g (30 sachets)
The 30 sachets provide separate packs for lunches, but this is a nut-and-dried-fruit mix rather than a plain fruit option. The selection information flags tree nuts; check the current allergen label and colleagues’ requirements before putting it in a shared supply. Do not apply the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference to the weight of a mixed-fruit-and-nut sachet.
Common questions
Is a 14g raisin box a full dried-fruit portion?
No. The NHS identifies 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. A 14g box can still be part of a packed lunch, but it is smaller than that reference amount.
Should dried fruit go in lunch or on a desk for snacking?
Put it with lunch. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
What should an office check before sharing a multipack?
Check the current ingredients, allergen information, individual portion size and best-before date. Keep the outer packaging accessible if colleagues take inner packs away from the box, so they can consult its label.
Are plain raisin multipacks suitable for vegetarians?
The cited Asda Mini Raisin Snack Boxes listing identifies that product as suitable for vegetarians. Check the current pack for any other product rather than applying that listing to all raisin multipacks.