Parents packing a nursery lunch
If you are choosing food for a child aged one to five, consider how a dried-fruit portion fits into the whole lunch and whether the nursery accepts it.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing energy labels
If energy per portion matters to you, compare products at the same weight. A small pack and a 30 g serving cannot be compared by their listed calories alone.
Parents checking texture and serving time
If the child eats raisins, sultanas or firm pieces of dried fruit, consider preparation as well as portion size. The NHS advises keeping dried fruit to mealtimes because it can stick to teeth.
What should you check before buying?
Start with energy at a comparable weight, then check ingredients, the form of the fruit and how it will be served at nursery.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Energy per portion | Compare kcal or kJ at the same weight, using the per 100 g label if serving sizes differ. ASDA Groceries lists Whitworths Amazing Apricots at 233 kJ, about 56 kcal, and ASDA Seedless Raisins at 96 kcal per 30 g; Sainsbury's lists its Ready to Eat Dried Apricots at 68 kcal per 30 g. | I want to know what the portion I pack contributes, rather than assume every dried-fruit pack has the same energy. |
| Ingredients and mealtimes | Read the ingredients for added sugar and check the amount in the intended portion. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes because it can stick to teeth, including when a product says it has no added sugar. | A no-added-sugar claim matters to me, but I still need to decide when the child will eat the fruit. |
| Texture and pieces | Inspect fruit for stones or fragments and consider whether its texture suits the child. Lambeth Council advises soaking raisins and sultanas to soften them and halving large pieces. | If I pack small round or firm pieces, I need to prepare them for the individual child rather than rely on the pack format. |
| Nursery lunch rules | Check the setting's packed-lunch and allergy rules, including whether a product containing sulphites is accepted. Keep dried fruit as part of the lunch rather than using a lower-energy choice to replace the rest of the meal. | I need a portion the nursery can serve within the child's usual lunch arrangements. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming all dried fruit has the same energy
On a 30 g basis, ASDA Groceries lists Whitworths Amazing Apricots at about 56 kcal and ASDA Seedless Raisins at 96 kcal. Different pack sizes can obscure that comparison.
Compare the same weight using the nutrition label; do not compare the calories in an 18 g pack directly with those in a 30 g serving.
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Treating no added sugar as a reason to serve it between meals
The NHS says dried fruit can stick to teeth and advises eating it at mealtimes to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Include dried fruit with lunch rather than packing it for repeated grazing between meals.
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Packing pieces without checking their texture
Lambeth Council identifies raisins, sultanas and hard dried fruit among choking hazards for young children.
Follow the nursery's instructions and prepare fruit for the individual child. Lambeth Council advises softening raisins and sultanas by soaking them and halving large pieces.
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Overlooking sulphites, stones or nursery rules
ASDA Groceries and Sainsbury's list sulphites in the Whitworths Amazing Apricots and Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots respectively. Dried-apricot packs may also warn about stones.
Read the current pack, inspect the fruit and ask the nursery about its packed-lunch and allergy rules before sending it.
Relevant brand references
Whitworths
Its Amazing Apricots and Clever Cranberries illustrate why the specific product matters more than the brand name when comparing dried fruit.
- ASDA Groceries lists Amazing Apricots at 233 kJ, about 56 kcal, per 30 g.
- Amazing Apricots contain sulphites. Clever Cranberries list sugar as an ingredient and 365 kJ, about 87 kcal, per 30 g according to ASDA Groceries.
Sainsbury's
Its Ready to Eat Dried Apricots provide a labelled 30 g serving for comparison.
- Sainsbury's lists 68 kcal per 30 g for this product.
- The ingredients include sulphites; check the pack and inspect the fruit for stones before serving.
ASDA
Its Seedless Raisins offer a like-for-like labelled energy comparison with the cited apricot products.
- ASDA Groceries lists raisins and sunflower oil as the ingredients.
- The label gives 96 kcal and 21 g sugars per 30 g. Raisins also need preparation appropriate to the child, following the nursery's instructions.
Joybuy product options
These options include dried figs, prunes and raisins, alongside a prune purée. The purée and prunes in juice are different formats from dry pieces of fruit, so compare their labels at the same weight and consider how each would be served at lunch.
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Whitworths Figs 175g
For a fig option in a nursery lunch, compare the pack's energy label with other fruit at the same weight. Check the texture and prepare pieces for the child; serve dried fruit with the meal, as the NHS advises.
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J.ZAO Prebiotic Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
These prunes are described as individually wrapped, which may help when packing a portion. Check the current ingredients rather than relying on the sugar-free wording in the longer product title, and assess the fruit's texture before serving.
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Organix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months, 12 × 14g
The 14 g boxes make the packed amount clear, but compare energy at the same weight as other products. The 12+ months label does not replace preparation for the individual child: Lambeth Council advises softening raisins by soaking them and halving large pieces.
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Ella's Kitchen Stage 1 Prunes 70g, 4+ Months
This is a prune purée rather than pieces of dried fruit, so its pack energy should not be compared with a dried-fruit serving of a different weight. Check whether a purée suits the child's lunch and the nursery's food rules.
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Natures Finest Juicy Pitted Prunes 700g
These pitted prunes are packed in juice, a different format from dry fruit. Check the pack's energy and storage instructions when portioning from the 700 g container, and inspect each serving for possible stones or fragments.
Nursery-lunch questions
Is dried fruit automatically low in calories?
No. Compare the amount you would pack at a consistent weight: ASDA Groceries lists Whitworths Amazing Apricots at about 56 kcal per 30 g and ASDA Seedless Raisins at 96 kcal per 30 g, while Sainsbury's lists its Ready to Eat Dried Apricots at 68 kcal per 30 g. A lower-energy fruit portion should still fit within the child's full lunch.
Should dried fruit go in lunch or a separate snack?
Include it with lunch or another mealtime. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes because it can stick to teeth and says this reduces the risk of tooth decay.
How should I prepare raisins, sultanas or firm dried fruit?
Prepare them for the individual child and follow the nursery's instructions. Lambeth Council identifies hard dried fruit, raisins and sultanas as choking considerations; it advises soaking raisins and sultanas to soften them and halving large pieces.
Do plain-looking dried apricots need an allergen check?
Yes. The Whitworths Amazing Apricots listed by ASDA Groceries and Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots both list sulphites. Read the current pack and check the nursery's allergy arrangements before packing them.