Lunch packers wanting a defined fruit portion
An individually portioned 30g pack is straightforward to put alongside lunch. The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion; check the weight of the individual pack, not just the multipack.
Who is each pack for?
People checking ingredients and allergens
Apricot, mixed-fruit and fruit-and-nut packs can have different ingredient and allergen statements. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphur dioxide or sulphites are often used in dried fruit, so check the exact pack if these matter to you.
Anyone wanting a small addition to lunch
A 14g raisin box is a pre-portioned choice when dried fruit is only one small part of the meal. It is less than the NHS 30g reference portion, even though it comes in its own box.
What should you check?
Decide what role the fruit will play in lunch, then compare the individual portion, the exact label and what happens if you leave some for later.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Read the weight per box or bag, rather than the multipack total. The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion; Tesco lists 14g per box for its 12-pack of seedless raisins. | I want a 30g fruit portion with lunch, or just a smaller sweet addition alongside other food. |
| Eating time and label | The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals. Compare nutrition figures for the amount you will actually eat: Tesco lists 8.4g sugars per 14g seedless-raisin box. | A single pack with lunch suits me better than dipping into an open bag throughout the afternoon. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen statement for the exact variety. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as an ingredient often used in dried fruit; Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya for its cited Shots variety pack, with further precautionary warnings. | If an ingredient or allergen matters to me, I need the specific flavour and pack to be suitable—not just the broader brand range. |
| After opening | Read storage instructions before dividing a larger pack across lunches. Tesco says its cited 60g apricot snack pack must be refrigerated after opening and consumed within seven days. | Without access to a fridge at work, I would choose a portion I can finish at lunch or keep the remainder according to its label. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every mini box is a full fruit portion
The NHS 5 A Day reference for dried fruit is 30g, while the cited Tesco and Asda mini boxes contain 14g each.
Choose by the amount you intend to eat: a mini box for a small addition, or a 30g portion if you want to use that NHS reference.
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Leaving a large bag open for afternoon grazing
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals because of tooth-decay risk.
Put the amount you plan to eat with lunch into a separate portion instead of repeatedly taking fruit from an open bag.
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Choosing mixed fruit without reading its allergens
The cited Asda mixed-fruit boxes and Sainsbury's apricot pack list sulphites. Ingredients and warnings can differ between varieties.
Read the ingredient and allergen statement on the particular pack you are buying, especially if you need to avoid an ingredient.
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Overlooking instructions for an opened pack
Tesco's cited 60g apricot snack pack requires refrigeration once opened, which matters if you plan to save some at an unrefrigerated desk.
Check the storage directions before choosing a pack you expect to eat over more than one lunch.
Relevant brand ranges
These examples show how portion formats vary; check the exact product rather than assuming every pack in a range has the same ingredients.
Whitworths
Its cited Sunny Raisin multipack contains six 30g portions. The Shots range is a different kind of snack mix.
- The 30g Sunny Raisin pack matches the NHS dried-fruit reference portion.
- Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya for its cited Shots variety pack, with further precautionary allergen warnings; check the chosen variety.
Sunsweet
A reference point if you prefer prunes: Sunsweet lists a 200g pouch of pitted prunes.
- The pouch can be divided into portions for separate lunches.
- A 200g pouch is not an individually portioned grab bag.
Tesco
Its cited formats include a 12-pack of 14g seedless-raisin boxes and a 60g apricot snack pack.
- The raisin boxes make the smaller amount in each lunch easy to identify.
- Tesco instructs shoppers to refrigerate the cited apricot pack after opening and consume it within seven days.
Sainsbury's
Its cited single packs include 40g dried apricots and 30g dried pineapple.
- The apricot pack is labelled as one serving.
- Both cited packs list sulphur dioxide; check the exact label if you need to avoid it.
Asda
Its cited mixed-fruit snack boxes come as ten 14g portions.
- Each box provides a defined small portion for lunch.
- The cited product lists sulphites; check the variety and current packaging.
M&S
Its fruit-snack range includes a ten-box raisin-snack format.
- The listed box format offers an alternative to portioning a larger bag yourself.
- Check the individual product's weight, ingredients and allergens rather than applying one description to the whole range.
Joybuy dried-fruit options
These options include individually packed small portions and a larger apricot bag to portion yourself. Compare the amount in each pack with the role dried fruit will play in your desk lunch.
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Three Squirrels Daily Blueberry, 16 × 16g
The individual 16g packs suit a small addition to lunch. Each pack is below the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference portion; check the ingredients and nutrition label if those affect your choice.
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Frula Freeze-Dried Mango 10g
This 10g mango pack is a small addition to a desk lunch, rather than the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference portion. Check its label for ingredients and any instructions if you do not finish it at once.
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Frula Freeze-Dried Peach 10g
Choose this 10g peach pack when you want only a small amount with lunch. It is below the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference portion; read the pack label for ingredients and storage directions.
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Be&Cheery Dried Red Apricots 300g
The 300g bag suits someone willing to measure out fruit for individual lunches; it is not a single-portion grab bag. Check the exact pack for ingredients, possible stone warnings and storage directions before dividing it up.
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Be&Cheery Dried Plums 80g, 14 Small Bags
The 80g pack contains 14 small bags, making it an option when you want to take a little dried fruit to lunch at a time. Check the weight and ingredients of the amount you plan to eat rather than treating one small bag as a 30g portion.
Frequently asked questions
Does a dried-fruit grab bag count as one of my 5 A Day?
The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion. A 14g mini box is smaller than that amount, so check the weight of the bag you will actually eat. The NHS also advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals.
Should I choose a 14g or 30g pack for lunch?
A 14g pack makes sense when you want a small sweet addition to a fuller lunch; choose a 30g pack if you want the NHS reference dried-fruit portion. Read nutrition information per pack when comparing different sizes.
Do I need to check allergens on dried fruit?
Yes, if an ingredient or allergen affects your choice. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites are often used in dried fruit, and the cited Asda mixed-fruit boxes and Sainsbury's apricots list them. Mixes can have other allergens, so check the statement on the exact pack.
Can I leave an opened bag at my desk?
Follow that product's instructions. Tesco says its cited 60g apricot snack pack must be refrigerated after opening and consumed within seven days, so it should not be left open in an unrefrigerated desk drawer. A pack you finish at lunch avoids storing an opened remainder.