Parents choosing a between-meal snack
A raisin box may be small, but the NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit with meals rather than between them. If the child needs something between meals, choose a different snack.
Who is this for?
Parents packing toddler lunches
The NHS says a box of raisins can be eaten alongside lunch. Check the pack’s ingredients and the nursery’s food policy, and make sure the fruit is prepared appropriately for the child.
Parents comparing dried-fruit packs
Compare the amount you intend to serve and the corresponding nutrition figures, rather than assuming a small box or a plain-fruit label settles the snack-time question.
What should you check?
Decide when the fruit will be eaten before comparing packs. For meal use, check the offered portion, ingredients and preparation.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Meal timing | Plan dried fruit as part of a meal or alongside lunch, not as a stand-alone between-meal snack. This follows NHS advice for toddlers. | I’m choosing something for the gap between meals, so I need a different snack rather than a raisin box. |
| Amount served | Compare energy and sugars for the amount offered, using the same serving basis. Tesco lists 40kcal and 8.4g sugars per 14g raisin box; Whitworths lists 47kcal and 9.3g per 14g Sunny Raisins box. | For a lunch addition, I want to know what is in the box I might serve, not just whether its front label looks modest. |
| Preparation | Check the fruit for remaining pips or seeds and prepare it for the child’s age. UK government early-years guidance says babies under 12 months should not be given whole raisins or dried fruit; cut it into small pieces as part of a meal. | Before serving it, I need to consider the child’s age and ability to manage the texture, and supervise them while they eat. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredient and allergen statements, particularly for mixes. Asda’s Three Raisin Mix lists sulphites and a possible presence of peanuts and nuts. | If I’m packing nursery lunch, I want to check whether the product fits the nursery’s food policy as well as the child’s needs. |
Common buying mistakes
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Using a small raisin box as a between-meal snack
Tesco’s 14g box lists 8.4g sugars and Whitworths’ 14g Sunny Raisins box lists 9.3g. A small pack does not change the NHS advice to give toddlers dried fruit with meals.
Serve dried fruit alongside lunch or another meal; choose a different option when a snack is needed between meals.
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Assuming a fruit mix is the same as plain raisins
Mixes can have different ingredients and allergen statements. Whitworths’ Shots Variety Pack warns of possible peanuts, other nuts, sesame and cereals containing gluten; Asda’s Three Raisin Mix lists sulphites.
Read the exact pack’s ingredient and allergen statements before serving it, especially for a nursery lunch.
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Skipping preparation because raisins are small
UK government early-years guidance says babies under 12 months should not be given whole raisins or dried fruit. Asda also warns that pips or seeds may remain in its seedless raisins.
For babies under 12 months, cut dried fruit into small pieces as part of a meal. Inspect fruit before serving it to a toddler, and keep the child seated and supervised while eating.
Relevant brand references
These product labels offer points of comparison for meal use; a brand’s inclusion here does not make dried fruit a between-meal toddler snack.
Whitworths
Sunny Raisins are available in small boxes, while the brand also has fruit-and-other-ingredient mixes.
- Whitworths lists 47kcal and 9.3g sugars per 14g Sunny Raisins box.
- Check mixes separately: the Shots Variety Pack has a possible-allergen warning and is not equivalent to plain raisins.
Tesco
Tesco lists both individual raisin boxes and a larger seedless-raisin pack.
- The 14g box lists 40kcal and 8.4g sugars; the 1kg product lists 83kcal and 18.8g sugars per 30g.
- Those figures describe different serving amounts, so compare the quantity you intend to offer.
Sainsbury’s
Its 1kg seedless-raisin pack is an option for measuring out an addition to a meal.
- Sainsbury’s lists raisins and high-oleic sunflower oil, with 89kcal and 20.8g sugars per 30g serving.
- A serving stated on a bulk pack is not an age-specific toddler portion.
Asda
The plain seedless raisins and Three Raisin Mix need separate label checks.
- Asda lists 96kcal and 21g sugars per 30g of its seedless raisins.
- The seedless-raisin label warns that pips or seeds may remain; the Three Raisin Mix lists sulphites and possible peanuts and nuts.
M&S
Its raisins are presented for use in sweet and savoury dishes.
- M&S lists raisins and sunflower oil, with 296kcal and 69.3g sugars per 100g.
- Use the amount actually added to a meal when comparing this per-100g label with smaller packs.
Joybuy product options
This option is a smooth prune purée for adding to a meal, rather than a pack of whole dried fruit to eat between meals.
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Ella’s Kitchen Prunes Stage 1 4+ Months 70g
Its smooth purée texture differs from whole raisins. If choosing it as a meal addition, check the current pack’s ingredients and serving guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Can my toddler have dried fruit between meals?
The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit such as raisins with meals rather than as a snack between them. Choose a different option for a between-meal snack; a smaller raisin pack does not change that advice.
Can a box of raisins go in a toddler’s lunchbox?
Yes, if it is eaten alongside lunch: the NHS explicitly gives a box of raisins with lunch as an example. Check the particular product’s ingredients and any nursery food policy before packing it.
How should I prepare dried fruit for a young child?
UK government early-years guidance says babies under 12 months should not be given whole raisins or dried fruit; cut it into small pieces as part of a meal. For a toddler, inspect the fruit for pips or seeds, consider whether its texture is manageable, and supervise eating.
Does a lower calorie figure make dried fruit suitable for toddler snack time?
No: a calorie figure describes a stated amount of a particular product, not whether it suits a between-meal occasion. Compare energy and sugars for the amount you would serve, while following NHS advice to keep dried fruit with meals.