Regular supper planners
If dried fruit goes into meals throughout the week, consider how much you will use and whether you can store the opened pack as instructed.
Who might need a larger pack?
Home cooks choosing ingredients
Plain vine fruit and mixed fruit serve different recipes. Tesco’s mixed-fruit ingredients include sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel, so check the list if you want one fruit type.
People eating dried fruit in the evening
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals. Its 30 g 5 A Day portion provides a reference when serving it with supper.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide how you will use the fruit, then check the pack’s ingredients, serving size and storage instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Check the total weight and how often you will use it. For a multipack, check both the number of sachets and the weight of each one. | I make suppers with dried fruit regularly and want a pack I can finish and store as directed. |
| Fruit and ingredients | Check whether the pack contains one fruit or a mixture. Tesco’s mixed-fruit ingredient list includes candied peel; check each product’s ingredients and allergen information. | For this dish, I need to know whether plain fruit, mixed fruit or a fruit-and-nut mix will work. |
| Mealtime serving | The NHS says 30 g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating it at mealtimes rather than between meals. | I plan to serve dried fruit with supper rather than keep eating from an open packet afterwards. |
| Storage | Read the pack’s instructions for storage before and after opening, and check its best-before date. | A larger pack makes sense for me only if I can store it as instructed and use it over several suppers. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating all large packs as interchangeable
A bag of mixed fruit may contain candied peel, while a bag of raisins contains a different selection of fruit. Pack weight alone cannot tell you which belongs in your dish.
Choose the fruit type your supper calls for before deciding on pack size.
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Assuming mixed fruit is plain dried fruit
Tesco’s mixed dried fruit contains candied peel and lists sulphur dioxide in its ingredients. This matters if you are avoiding particular ingredients or selecting food for someone with an allergy.
Read the full ingredient and allergen information on the specific pack before using it.
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Eating repeatedly from a large bag after supper
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals and says 30 g counts as one 5 A Day portion.
Serve the amount you intend to eat with supper, rather than leaving the packet open for grazing afterwards.
Brand and retailer references
Tesco
Tesco lists larger dried mixed-fruit and raisin packs in its dried-fruit range.
- Its dried mixed-fruit range includes a 1 kg pack.
- Tesco’s 500 g mixed fruit includes candied peel and sulphur dioxide; check the ingredients if your recipe calls for plain fruit.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists 1 kg mixed dried fruit and seedless raisins.
- The listed 1 kg formats offer a choice between mixed fruit and raisins for repeated use.
- Check the current ingredients of the particular pack: a mixed-fruit listing is not a substitute for a plain-raisin ingredient list.
Whitworths
Whitworths offers individual dried fruits as well as fruit-and-nut mixes.
- Its range gives shoppers a choice between a single fruit and a mix with nuts.
- The Whitworths Wondermix ingredient information lists almonds and sulphur dioxide, with may-contain statements for peanuts, other nuts and sesame. Check the specific product if allergens matter.
M&S
M&S lists several dried-fruit types and pack sizes in its fruit-snacks range.
- Examples in its range include 750 g apricots, 1 kg Turkish sultanas and 500 g mixed dried fruit.
- Select the fruit type and check the individual pack details; the range listing does not make the products interchangeable.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These options include dates, longan, blueberries and figs in packs from 175 g to 900 g. They offer different fruits and formats for adding to a supper; compare each product’s ingredients and instructions with the dish you plan to make.
No image availableHao Xiang Ni Ready-to-Eat Red Dates 900 g, 30 × 30 g
For repeated suppers where red dates suit the dish, this 900 g pack is divided into 30 sachets of 30 g. Check the pack’s ingredients and handling instructions before use.
No image availableHEYU Sweet Dried Longan 500 g
Consider this 500 g pack if a supper recipe calls for dried longan. Check the product’s preparation and storage instructions before planning how to use it.
No image availableWhitworths Dates 300 g
A 300 g date pack for dishes where dates suit the recipe. It is smaller than the larger packs shown here, so consider how much you expect to use and check the pack instructions.
No image availableThree Squirrels Daily Blueberry Dried Snack 256 g, 16 × 16 g
The 16 smaller packs may suit a supper that calls for a measured blueberry topping rather than a single large bag. Check the ingredients if you need plain dried fruit.
No image availableWhitworths Figs 175 g
This 175 g fig pack is a smaller-format option if figs suit your supper. Check its ingredients, allergen information and storage instructions before choosing it.
Questions about dried fruit for supper
Should I eat dried fruit with a late-night supper or afterwards?
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals. If you are using it in the evening, serve it as part of supper rather than grazing from the pack afterwards.
How much dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion?
The NHS says 30 g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. Check the pack weight or sachet size when deciding how much to serve.
Is mixed dried fruit the same as plain raisins?
No. Tesco’s mixed dried-fruit ingredients include sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel. Read the specific pack’s ingredients if your recipe calls for plain raisins or you need to check additional ingredients.
What allergen information matters for a fruit-and-nut mix?
Check both the ingredients and any may-contain statement on the particular pack. GOV.UK says that any of the 14 regulated allergens used as ingredients in prepacked food must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list; Whitworths’ Wondermix, for example, lists almonds and sulphur dioxide and carries may-contain statements for peanuts, other nuts and sesame.
How should I store a larger dried-fruit pack?
Follow the instructions on the specific pack, including any directions for after opening. Before choosing a larger size, check that you can store it as directed and use it before its best-before date.