For a larger board game group, start by counting the sealed portions: Tesco lists a 12-pack of raisin boxes, while the Whitworths and BEAR fruit snacks described here contain four and five packs respectively. Choose a smaller fruit pack when it fits the guest count or is one of several snacks; treat chocolate-coated raisins as a different sweet option, and check each product’s ingredients and allergen information before serving.
If each player should be able to take an unopened portion, count the inner packs rather than relying on the outer pack’s size. Tesco lists 12 raisin boxes; the BEAR and Whitworths fruit-snack formats described here contain five and four packs.
Check the exact product being served. Whitworths Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups contain sulphur dioxide, while the Sainsbury’s listing describes BEAR Raspberry Yoyos as gluten-free, nut-free and vegan, with no allergens present. These details do not replace checking the pack in hand.
Plain fruit snacks and chocolate-coated raisins have different ingredients. If you want a fruit-led option alongside the games, compare its ingredients and portion weight; if you choose coated raisins, check the additional allergen information.
Work out how many sealed portions the table needs, then compare ingredients, allergen information and the weight of each portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack count | Count the sealed portions, not just the outer pack weight. Tesco lists 12 raisin boxes in 168g; the BEAR pack contains five 20g rolls and Whitworths Mix-Ups contains four 18g packs. | Will everyone have an unopened portion, or is dried fruit just one of several snacks on the table? |
| Ingredients | Compare the ingredient lists for plain or fruit-led snacks and coated products. Marks & Spencer lists sugar, milk ingredients and soya lecithin in its Belgian Milk Chocolate Raisins Multipack. | I want to know whether I’m putting out fruit pieces or a chocolate-coated sweet, rather than treating both as the same snack. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information on each pack. Whitworths lists sulphur dioxide in its Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups; Marks & Spencer says its chocolate raisins contain milk and soya and are unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy. | If guests have ingredient restrictions, I need to check each product separately and keep different snacks identifiable. |
| Portion weight | Check the weight of an inner pack. The NHS uses 30g of dried fruit for one 5 A Day portion; an 18g Whitworths pack is below that reference. The NHS also advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than grazing on it between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | A small sealed pack makes sharing straightforward, but I don’t want to assume that every mini pack equals a 30g dried-fruit portion. |
Pack weight does not tell you how many guests can each take a sealed portion: the Tesco raisin format contains 12 boxes, while the BEAR and Whitworths fruit snacks contain five and four packs.
Count the inner packs and check their individual weights against your guest list. For a longer session, decide whether other snacks will also be available.
The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites may be used in dried fruit. Whitworths lists sulphur dioxide in its Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups, while the Marks & Spencer chocolate raisins contain milk and soya and carry nut and peanut suitability warnings.
Read the current label of every product you serve. Keep snacks with different ingredient profiles in their original packs or clearly separate them.
Whitworths lists 9.3g sugars per 18g serving of its Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups. A no-added-sugar description does not mean a fruit snack contains no sugars.
Compare the per-serving nutrition information if sugar content matters to your choice. For an extended game night, bear in mind the NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack.
Whitworths lists four 18g packs in its Sunny Fruit Mix-Ups Apricots & Mango format, which suits a table needing a small number of separate fruit portions.
Tesco lists Seedless Raisins 12 Pack 168G, a larger-count format for offering players separate raisin boxes.
Sainsbury’s lists BEAR Raspberry Fruit Yoyos as five individually wrapped 20g fruit rolls.
Marks & Spencer lists plain fruit snacks as well as a Belgian Milk Chocolate Raisins Multipack for a distinctly different sweet option.
These dried-fruit options include separate raisin and red-date portions, individually wrapped prunes, and small packs of sweetened dried fruit. Compare their stated pack counts and ingredients with the number of players and the other snacks you plan to serve.
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The stated 30 sachets give a host separate portions to count out for a group. Each sachet is 30g; provide somewhere to dispose of the date pits during the game.
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Twelve small raisin packs offer a separate pack for each player when the group size fits. Each is 14g, so consider whether that serving size works for the adults at your table.
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Individually wrapped prunes offer another way to put separate pieces on the game table. The pack is 500g; check how many wrapped pieces it contains if you need one for each guest.
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Sixteen separate packs could cover a larger table or leave portions for another occasion. Each is 16g; the product contains added sugar, so do not treat it as equivalent to an unsweetened fruit option.
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The 16-pack format lets guests take separate portions at a larger gathering. Each pack is 16g, and the snack contains added sugar; compare its ingredients with the other fruit options if that distinction matters to you.
Count at least one sealed pack for each person you expect to serve, then decide whether dried fruit will be one option among other snacks. Tesco lists 12 raisin boxes, while Sainsbury’s lists five BEAR Raspberry Yoyos and Whitworths lists four Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups packs; choose a count that fits your guest list rather than comparing outer packs alone.
Yes: check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you serve. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites may be used in dried fruit, and Whitworths lists sulphur dioxide in its Apricots & Mango Mix-Ups. Marks & Spencer’s Belgian Milk Chocolate Raisins contain milk and soya and are stated to be unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
Not necessarily: the NHS uses 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. A Whitworths Mix-Ups pack is 18g and a BEAR Raspberry Yoyos pack is 20g, so neither reaches that NHS reference by weight. The NHS also advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Marks & Spencer states that its Belgian Milk Chocolate Raisins Multipack is not suitable for children under 36 months because of a potential choking hazard. Check the age guidance on the exact product you buy rather than assuming it applies to every raisin snack.