Choose plain dried fruit as a sweet accompaniment to a ploughman’s lunch, rather than relying on it for protein: the ASDA and Sainsbury’s apricots and figs compared here declare 2.7g–4.0g protein per 100g. A fruit-and-nut mix can offer more—Whitworths declares 13.7g per 100g for its 1DERS Energising Fruit and Nut Mix—but it is a different choice for anyone who needs to check nuts and other allergens.
The useful choice depends on whether the fruit is there to accompany the lunch or to add protein to one part of it.
If cheese, eggs, ham or another food is the main protein element, compare dried fruit as an accompaniment. If you want the fruit component to contribute more protein, compare its per-100g label with a fruit-and-nut mix without treating the two as interchangeable.
Plain figs and apricots keep the fruit separate from the savoury foods on the plate. Compare the particular packs for protein, serving size and storage instructions, rather than assuming all figs or apricots have the same label values.
A shared lunch calls for a check of each pack’s ingredients and allergen information. Fruit-and-nut mixes can contain peanuts or other nuts, while some dried apricots contain sulphites; the relevant warnings depend on the product.
Decide first whether you want plain fruit or a fruit-and-nut mix. Then compare labels on the same per-100g basis before deciding how much to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Compare declared protein per 100g on the exact packs. Keep plain fruit and fruit-and-nut mixes distinct; a higher protein figure alone does not establish that a product qualifies for a “high protein” claim. | I want to know what the fruit contributes without mistaking it for the lunch’s main protein food. ASDA declares 4.0g per 100g for its apricots and 3.3g for its figs; Whitworths declares 13.7g for its 1DERS fruit-and-nut mix. |
| Fruit pairing | Choose between plain figs, plain apricots and a mix containing nuts. Check the ingredients if you want fruit without added components. | For a plate with cheese and bread, I may prefer to serve the fruit on its own. If I choose a mix instead, everyone sharing the lunch needs to be able to eat its ingredients. |
| Portion | Compare the pack’s serving size with the amount you intend to put on the plate. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes. | A small amount alongside the rest of lunch suits me better than judging the serving by the pack’s per-100g protein figure. |
| Ingredients and warnings | Read the current pack for nuts, peanuts, sesame and sulphites where relevant. Check physical-food warnings too: ASDA warns that stones may remain in its figs. | I need to serve something suitable for everyone at the table, particularly when changing from plain fruit to a mix or switching brands. |
| Sweetened fruit | Look at the ingredients and nutrition panel on the particular mix. Whitworths lists sweetened dried cranberries in its 1DERS Energising Fruit and Nut Mix. | If I want to compare a mix with plain fruit, I want to see what else has been added rather than choosing on protein alone. |
Whitworths declares more protein per 100g for its 1DERS fruit-and-nut mix than ASDA declares for its plain apricots or figs, but those figures alone do not establish a “high protein” claim.
Use the per-100g values to compare the products. If a formal protein claim matters to your purchase, check the full nutrition information rather than inferring it from a comparison with fruit.
A mix changes the ingredients being served to everyone. Whitworths lists peanuts in its 1DERS mix, so it is not an interchangeable option for a lunch where peanut suitability is uncertain.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information before serving a mix. Keep the fruit separate if you need diners to make their own choice.
A serving on the plate may be much smaller than 100g, so it will contain less protein than the per-100g figure suggests. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises having it at mealtimes.
Decide how much dried fruit to serve with the lunch, then use the pack’s serving information when comparing what that amount provides.
ASDA lists sulphur dioxide in its apricots and warns that stones may remain in its figs. Neither detail can be assumed to apply to every dried-apricot or fig product.
Check the ingredients and warnings on the pack you buy, particularly when changing product or serving someone with a relevant allergy or swallowing risk.
These examples help distinguish plain fruit from fruit-and-nut mixes; a brand name by itself does not tell you a particular pack’s protein or allergen information.
Whitworths makes both dried-fruit products and fruit-and-nut mixes. Its 1DERS Energising Fruit and Nut Mix is the mix with a comparable manufacturer protein figure here.
ASDA’s labelled plain apricots and figs provide two fruit-only categories to consider for the plate.
Sainsbury’s SO Organic Figs 250g offer another plain-fig label to compare when fruit pairing matters more than adding protein.
Tesco lists dried-fruit categories including apricots, figs, prunes, dates, raisins and sultanas.
The Marks & Spencer fruit-snacks catalogue includes soft figs, soft apricots and fruit-and-nut medleys.
These Joybuy options cover fruit-and-nut mixes for shoppers comparing the fruit component’s protein, alongside dried figs for those who want plain fruit with a ploughman’s lunch. Check each current pack before serving it to others.
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Consider this fruit-and-nut option if you want to compare a mix with plain dried fruit for the lunch. The pack is 115g; check its nutrition panel for protein per 100g and its ingredients and allergen information before sharing.
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This fruit-and-nut option suits a comparison with plain fruit when protein is part of the buying decision. The named pack is 750g; check the nutrition panel, ingredients and serving information for the exact product before putting it on a shared plate.
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Choose figs if you want dried fruit alongside cheese and bread rather than a nut mix. This is a 175g pack; use its own nutrition panel to judge protein, and check its ingredients and warnings before serving.
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This named 750g mix is an option when you want both dried fruit and nuts on the lunch table. Compare its protein and sugar values on the pack with other mixes, and check the ingredients and allergens for everyone sharing it.
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These dried figs offer a plain-fruit route for serving something sweet with the savoury lunch. The named pack is 200g; check its own protein figure, allergen information and any stone warning before serving.
Treat it as an accompaniment rather than the lunch’s main protein food. ASDA declares 4.0g protein per 100g for its apricots and 3.3g for its figs; Sainsbury’s declares 2.7g per 100g for its SO Organic Figs. Compare the exact pack, since these figures describe particular products, not every dried fruit.
Choose plain apricots or figs if you want fruit to accompany cheese and bread; consider a fruit-and-nut mix if you want to compare a higher protein figure and nuts are suitable for everyone eating it. Among the labelled examples here, Whitworths declares 13.7g protein per 100g for its 1DERS mix, compared with ASDA’s 4.0g for apricots and 3.3g for figs. The mix is not plain dried fruit.
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes. Use that dried-fruit amount as a reference for the lunch, then check the particular pack’s serving information; it is not a 30g rule for an entire fruit-and-nut mix.
Check the current pack’s ingredients, emphasised allergens and safety warnings for the people eating it. Whitworths lists peanuts in its 1DERS fruit-and-nut mix, ASDA lists sulphur dioxide in its apricots, and ASDA warns that stones may remain in its figs. Those details are product-specific.
No conclusion about a “high protein” claim follows from comparing protein grams alone. A mix may declare more protein per 100g than plain fruit, as Whitworths’ 1DERS mix does against the ASDA apricots and figs here, but its full nutrition information matters if that claim is central to your choice.