Shoppers comparing calories
If you want a defined amount of dried fruit with an afternoon meal, compare calories for a 30g portion as well as for the full pack. Pack weights differ.
Who this helps
People planning a portable snack
A small pack is convenient to carry, but its size does not settle when to eat it. The NHS advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Shoppers checking ingredients
If you want plain dried fruit or need to check particular ingredients, read the label. Fruit-snack recipes and allergen warnings differ between products.
What to check before choosing
Start with when you will eat the fruit, then compare the amount you intend to eat with the nutrition and ingredients on its pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Eating occasion | Is the fruit part of a meal or a separate snack? The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes, not between meals, to reduce tooth-decay risk. | If I am eating between meals, I want an alternative to dried fruit even if its calorie figure looks suitable. |
| Portion and calories | Compare calories for the amount you will eat. The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion; Tesco lists 136 kcal for its 50g Soft Apricots pack and 112 kcal for its 35g Mango pack. | A whole pack might be more than the 30g amount I meant to have, so I need its weight and per-pack calories. |
| Ingredients and warnings | Read the ingredient list, sugars per portion and any allergen or may-contain statements. Tesco lists sulphur dioxide in its dried mango and soft apricots; its mango also carries may-contain warnings. | I want to know whether I am buying plain dried fruit or a fruit snack with other ingredients, and whether its warnings matter to me. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating every snack pack as a 30g portion
The NHS uses 30g as a dried-fruit portion, while Tesco Soft Apricots comes in a 50g pack containing 136 kcal.
Check the pack weight and calories for the amount you plan to eat. Measure a portion from a larger bag if you want to compare it on a 30g basis.
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Using calories alone to decide on a between-meal snack
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk, even though 30g counts towards 5 A Day.
If the afternoon snack is separate from a meal, choose a different snack; keep dried fruit for an eating occasion that includes a meal.
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Assuming a fruit snack is plain dried fruit
BEAR Dried Strawberries lists apple juice concentrate among its ingredients and contains 25g sugars and 117 kcal per 35g pack, despite its no-added-sugar statement.
Read the ingredients alongside the per-portion nutrition rather than relying on the product category or a front-of-pack phrase.
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Overlooking preservatives and allergen warnings
Tesco lists sulphur dioxide in its mango and soft apricots. Its mango also has may-contain warnings for peanuts, nuts, sesame seeds and soya.
Check the current pack’s ingredients and warnings against any allergy, sensitivity or dietary restriction you need to manage.
Brand and retailer references
Whitworths
Whitworths offers plain dried fruit as well as portioned raisin products and mixed fruit-and-nut snacks.
- Whitworths states that 30g of its prunes is under 50 kcal and 30g of its figs is 63 kcal. Check the nutrition on the particular pack you choose.
- Its mixed snacks can contain nuts, seeds or other ingredients, so their labels should not be treated as equivalent to plain dried fruit.
Tesco
Tesco lists dried-fruit snack packs with differing weights and per-pack nutrition.
- Its Soft Apricots label gives 136 kcal for a 50g pack; its Mango label gives 112 kcal for a 35g pack. Both figures can be compared with the amount you intend to eat.
- Ingredients and warnings differ: both products list preservatives, and the mango carries may-contain allergen warnings.
M&S
M&S lists dried fruits and fruit snacks, including products intended for different uses.
- Its Mixed Dried Fruit label gives ingredients and nutrition per 100g, allowing a measured portion to be assessed.
- Mixed Dried Fruit is presented for baking and lists 292 kcal and 68.8g sugars per 100g; it is not a pre-portioned snack pack.
Sunsweet
Sunsweet’s US product range includes prunes in individually wrapped formats.
- An individually wrapped format may be worth considering if carrying a portion matters to you; check the weight of the specific pack.
- Use the label of any UK product you are considering for its pack size, ingredients and nutrition rather than applying details from the US range.
Joybuy dried-fruit options
These prune and fig packs are options to compare for a measured portion with an afternoon meal. Check each pack’s nutrition for the amount you intend to eat; a full pack is not necessarily one portion.
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J.ZAO Prebiotic Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
Individually wrapped prunes may be convenient to carry. Check the weight and nutrition of the amount you open rather than assuming one wrapper equals a 30g portion.
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Whitworths Figs 175g
This 175g fig pack needs portioning if you want to compare it on a 30g basis. Whitworths states that 30g of its figs is 63 kcal; check the nutrition on this pack.
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Whitworths Snacking Prunes 190g
This 190g prune pack can be divided into measured portions for eating with a meal. Whitworths gives a calorie example for 30g of its prunes, but check this pack’s own nutrition before comparing it with other fruit.
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Forest Feast Orchard Prunes 200g
This 200g prune pack suits measuring out the amount you intend to eat with a meal. Read its ingredient list and nutrition label rather than applying calorie figures from another prune product.
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Morrisons Dried Pitted Prunes 500g
This 500g pack calls for measuring a portion if you are comparing calories per 30g. The product information warns that pit fragments may remain, so take care when eating.
Questions about dried fruit
What counts as a dried-fruit portion?
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one portion of 5 A Day, roughly equivalent to 80g of fresh fruit. If a pack is larger or smaller, use its weight and nutrition label to assess the amount you will eat.
Can dried fruit fit a lower-calorie afternoon eating occasion?
A measured portion can: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust lists 30g of dried apricots at 56 kcal, dates at 80 kcal, and raisins or sultanas at 87 kcal. Check the particular product and portion, and follow NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals.
Why have dried fruit with a meal?
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce the risk of tooth decay. That advice still applies when a 30g portion counts towards 5 A Day.
Does no added sugar mean a fruit snack is low in sugar or calories?
No. BEAR Dried Strawberries states no added sugar but lists apple juice concentrate and contains 25g sugars and 117 kcal per 35g pack, according to its Tesco product listing. Compare the ingredients and nutrition for the portion you intend to eat.
What should I check for an allergy or sensitivity?
Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statements. Tesco Snack Pack Mango lists sulphur dioxide and may-contain warnings for peanuts, nuts, sesame seeds and soya; Tesco Soft Apricots also lists sulphur dioxide among its preservatives.