Families packing school lunches
Individual boxes or bags can go into a lunchbox without measuring or repacking. Put the dried fruit with lunch rather than packing it as a separate between-meal snack, in line with NHS advice.
Who are single-portion packs for?
Shoppers planning a 5 A Day portion
Read the weight of each box, not just the multipack total. The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion, while the Tesco and Sainsbury’s raisin mini boxes listed here contain 14g each.
Families checking ingredients and school rules
The distinction between a dried-fruit pack and a fruit-and-nut mix matters when a child needs to avoid particular ingredients or a school has an allergy-related packed-lunch policy. Check the exact pack’s ingredient and allergen statements alongside the school’s rules.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the weight of one bag or box, then consider when it will be eaten and whether its ingredients suit the child and school.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-pack portions | Check the number of individual bags or boxes and the weight of each one. Follow the storage instructions on the chosen pack. | I want a portion I can put straight into a lunchbox without dividing a larger bag. |
| Portion weight | The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. Tesco and Sainsbury’s list 14g raisin mini boxes, which are smaller than that amount. | Is this a small part of lunch, or am I choosing dried fruit to provide a full 5 A Day portion? |
| Mealtime use | The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Check the nutrition information for the exact portion being packed. | I’m packing dried fruit to be eaten with lunch, not as an extra snack during the school day. |
| Ingredients and school rules | Read the ingredient and allergen statements on the physical pack. Distinguish plain dried fruit from fruit-and-nut or coated products, and check the school’s packed-lunch policy. | If particular ingredients need avoiding, I need to know what is in this product—not just what the brand sells elsewhere. |
Packed-lunch mistakes to avoid
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Counting every mini box as a full 5 A Day portion
The NHS uses 30g for one dried-fruit portion. A 14g Tesco or Sainsbury’s raisin box is a smaller lunch component, even though it comes individually packed.
Check the weight per box. If you are planning a full dried-fruit portion, look for a 30g pack or include other fruit and vegetables in the lunch.
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Packing dried fruit as an extra between-meal snack
The NHS advises having dried fruit with meals rather than between them to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Put the bag or box inside the packed lunch so it can be eaten as part of the meal.
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Assuming every pack in a dried-fruit range has the same ingredients
Whitworths lists nut-based snacks alongside dried-fruit products. A brand name or shelf category cannot tell you whether a particular pack meets a child’s ingredient needs or a school’s rules.
Check the exact product name, ingredients and allergen statement on the pack, then confirm any relevant school policy.
Brand and retailer formats to compare
These examples illustrate different pack formats; check the current label of the product you choose.
Tesco
Tesco Seedless Raisins are listed as 12 individual 14g boxes, with 168g in the multipack.
- Tesco Groceries gives nutrition per box, including 8.4g sugars in a 14g box.
- Check the physical pack for current ingredients, nutrition and allergen information.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Mini Snack Raisins are listed in a 12 × 14g format.
- The Sainsbury’s listing names raisins (99%) and high-oleic sunflower oil as ingredients.
- Read the current pack rather than assuming its ingredients or nutrition information are unchanged.
M&S
M&S Food lists Taste Buds 10 Raisin Snack Boxes as a 140g multipack for lunchboxes.
- The product is divided into 10 boxes; M&S lists 69.3g sugars per 100g.
- M&S asks shoppers to select a local Foodhall for local product information. Check the pack’s current label before use.
Whitworths
The Whitworths range lists Sunny Raisins in 14g and 30g formats, as well as other dried-fruit packs.
- The different stated pack weights give shoppers a choice between a small lunch addition and a 30g dried-fruit pack.
- The wider Whitworths snack range also includes nut products. Check the ingredients of the particular pack.
Joybuy dried-fruit packs for lunchboxes
These individually packed cranberry, blueberry and mango-with-plum options can be considered when you want a small dried-fruit addition to a school lunch. Check each pack’s ingredients and portion weight; they are not the plain 14g raisin boxes discussed above.
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Three Squirrels Daily Dried Cranberries 256g (16g × 16 packs)
The individual packs can go into a lunchbox without dividing the multipack. Each is 16g, below the 30g of dried fruit the NHS counts as one 5 A Day portion. Check the physical pack’s ingredients, sugar information and allergen statement before packing it.
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Three Squirrels Daily Blueberry Dried Snack 256g (16g × 16 packs)
This multipack offers individual blueberry packs for adding to lunch. At 16g each, they are smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit quantity for one 5 A Day portion. Check the physical pack’s ingredients, sugar information and allergen statement.
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Be&Cheery Dried Mango with Plum 80g (12 small bags)
The 12 small bags offer a ready-to-pack mango-and-plum option. If you are counting a 5 A Day portion, check the weight of an individual bag against the NHS 30g dried-fruit quantity; the 80g figure is for the whole pack. Read the physical pack’s ingredients and allergen statement.
Questions about dried fruit in packed lunches
Does a 14g raisin box count as one of 5 A Day?
Not on its own under NHS guidance, which counts 30g of dried fruit as one portion. A 14g box can be a smaller part of lunch alongside other fruit and vegetables.
Should dried fruit go in lunch or be packed as a separate snack?
Put it with lunch. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
When might plain raisins suit a school lunch better than a fruit-and-nut mix?
Plain raisins are an option when the particular fruit-and-nut mix contains ingredients a child needs to avoid or the school restricts. This is an ingredient-and-policy decision, not a general nutrition ranking: Sainsbury’s lists raisins (99%) and sunflower oil in its mini boxes, while Whitworths also sells nut-based snacks. Check the exact pack and school policy.
Do I need to read the label if I buy the same pack regularly?
Yes. Ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change, so check the physical pack each time these details matter for the child’s lunch.