For a small dried-fruit addition to a ploughman’s lunch, compare calories for the same weight rather than by pack: Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 30g for Amazing Apricots and 48 kcal for its Prunes, while ASDA lists 96 kcal per 30g for Seedless Raisins. The NHS uses 30g as a dried-fruit portion; check the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration too, particularly if choosing apricots or a sweetened fruit mix.
If you want a measured fruit accompaniment, compare the energy figures at the same serving weight. Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 30g for Amazing Apricots and 48 kcal for its Prunes; ASDA lists 96 kcal per 30g for Seedless Raisins.
Soft, partially rehydrated apricots or prunes can be served as whole pieces rather than scattered like raisins. Check the exact pack for sulphites, preservatives and warnings about possible stones.
Read the ingredients as well as the calorie figure. The cited Whitworths and Sainsbury’s apricots contain sulphur dioxide, while a Marks & Spencer mixed-fruit product contains sweetened fruit and candied peel.
Start with a consistent portion: the NHS identifies 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. Then check ingredients and serving format on the particular pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Compare kcal per 100g, then use the same portion weight. Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 30g for Amazing Apricots and 48 kcal for its Prunes; ASDA lists 96 kcal per 30g for Seedless Raisins. | I want a small fruit addition without mistaking a smaller labelled serving for a lower-calorie product. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients and the sugars line separately. ASDA Seedless Raisins list 70g sugars per 100g; a Marks & Spencer mix contains sweetened cranberries, candied peel and sweetened pineapple. | If I prefer to avoid sweetened or candied ingredients, the product name alone will not tell me what is in a mix. |
| Serving format | Decide whether whole apricots or prunes, or small raisins, suit the plate. Check prune packs for warnings that stones or fragments may remain. | Whole pieces would be easier for me to set beside cheese and bread; I still want to check them when serving. |
| Allergens and preservatives | Check the exact pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations. The cited Whitworths and Sainsbury’s apricots contain sulphur dioxide; the cited Whitworths prunes list potassium sorbate. | Sulphites or particular added ingredients may affect which pack I can choose. |
Pack and serving sizes differ, so their calorie figures do not make a like-for-like comparison.
Use the kcal-per-100g figures to compare products, then measure the amount you intend to put on the plate. The NHS reference portion for dried fruit is 30g.
Marks & Spencer’s mixed fruit with cranberries and apricots lists sweetened fruit and candied peel among its ingredients and provides 340 kcal per 100g.
Check both ingredients and energy per 100g before choosing a mix for a lower-calorie lunch.
The cited apricot products contain sulphur dioxide, and the cited prune labels warn that stones or fragments may remain.
Read the ingredient, allergen and safety information on the exact pack you buy, and take care when serving pitted fruit.
The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Measure the fruit as part of the ploughman’s lunch instead of grazing from the bag afterwards.
Its Amazing Apricots and Prunes provide two partially rehydrated, whole-fruit examples for a lunch plate.
Its Prunes and Seedless Raisins illustrate why fruit type matters when comparing the same serving weight.
Its cited dried-apricot pack offers a single-pack serving, while its cited prune pack is a larger format.
Marks & Spencer lists soft apricots, soft prunes and raisins alongside mixed-fruit products.
Sunsweet Growers lists several prune formats, including signature, bite-size and diced prunes.
These Joybuy options are prunes and soft apricots that could accompany a ploughman’s lunch. Compare the exact packs’ energy per 100g and ingredients rather than assuming that fruits of the same type have identical labels.
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Prunes are an option if you want whole fruit beside cheese and bread. Check this pack’s energy per 100g, ingredients and any stone warning before serving.
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These prunes offer another whole-fruit choice for the lunch plate. Compare the pack’s calorie figure with other prunes and check whether it says they are pitted.
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The pitted format may suit a plate of cheese and bread, but check the pack for possible stone fragments. Measure the portion from this 500g bag and compare its kcal-per-100g figure with other choices.
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Soft apricots provide a whole-fruit alternative to prunes for the lunch plate. Check this pack’s calories, sulphur dioxide declaration and any stone warning before choosing a portion.
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The pitted format offers another way to serve prunes with lunch. Check the exact ingredients for isomaltose and compare calories per 100g before treating the pack’s sugar-related wording as a reason to choose it.
Use 30g as a consistent comparison weight. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 30g for Amazing Apricots, followed closely by 48 kcal for its Prunes. ASDA Prunes list 162 kcal per 100g, equivalent to about 49 kcal per 30g; these figures apply to those specific products, not every apricot or prune pack.
ASDA Seedless Raisins list 96 kcal per 30g, compared with 47–48 kcal per 30g on the cited Whitworths apricot and prune labels. Compare the packs you are considering at the same weight if calories are the deciding factor.
Check the exact pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations. The cited Whitworths and Sainsbury’s apricots contain sulphur dioxide, and a cited Marks & Spencer fruit mix contains sweetened fruit and candied peel.
No. The cited ASDA and Whitworths prune labels warn that stones or fragments may remain, so check the pack warning and take care when eating or serving them.