Buyers managing regular refills
Plain raisin and sultana packs come in different weights. Choose one the office can store and finish after opening, rather than assuming a larger bag suits every team.
Who is buying for the office?
Hosts offering more variety
A fruit mix, dates or prunes can offer a change from plain raisins. Compare the ingredients and opened-pack instructions as well as the fruit type.
People looking after shared-food labels
Keep ingredient and allergen information where colleagues can inspect it. This matters particularly when a mix contains declared sulphites or includes nuts.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the fruit and pack size, then check the label and what the pack requires once opened.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Compare weights for the same type of fruit. Check how the pack must be stored after opening and how quickly the office will use it. | I want enough for regular refills without leaving an opened pack sitting unused. |
| Fruit and ingredients | Read the full ingredient list, not just the fruit named on the front. ASDA Groceries lists raisins and sunflower oil in its plain seedless raisins, while its mixed fruit includes candied citrus peel. | A blend would add variety, but I need colleagues to know what is in the tin. |
| Allergen visibility | Check the current pack for declared allergens before serving. ASDA Groceries declares sulphur dioxide or sulphites in its mixed fruit; the Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as an ingredient used in some dried fruit. | If I decant fruit into a shared container, I still need the original label available. |
| Serving and storage | Follow the exact opened-pack instructions. NHS guidance says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating it at mealtimes, rather than between meals. | I would rather offer a small serving with meeting food than leave an open tin out all day. |
What can go wrong with a shared tin?
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Assuming mixed fruit is interchangeable with plain raisins
A mix can contain ingredients absent from a plain raisin pack. ASDA Groceries lists candied citrus peel and declares sulphites in its mixed fruit.
Read the current ingredient and allergen label, and keep it beside any communal container.
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Choosing a pack by size alone
A larger opened pack still needs suitable storage and a team likely to finish it in line with its instructions.
Compare equivalent fruit types, then choose a weight that fits the office’s storage space and use.
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Leaving dried fruit out for continuous grazing
NHS guidance says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating it at mealtimes rather than between meals.
Offer a way to take a small serving with meal or meeting food instead of treating the tin as an all-day snack.
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Overlooking instructions for softer fruit
Tesco Groceries lists refrigeration after opening and use within two weeks for Whitworths Snacking Raisins. That needs someone to manage the pack once it is opened.
Check each product’s instructions before putting it in an unattended office tin.
Which brands offer relevant options?
ASDA
ASDA Groceries lists both plain seedless raisins and a mixed-fruit pack in 500g sizes.
- Its plain raisins list raisins and sunflower oil.
- Its mixed fruit contains candied citrus peel and declares sulphites, so check the label before communal serving.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists seedless raisin packs in 500g and 1kg sizes, giving offices a choice of refill weight.
- The listed 500g seedless raisins contain raisins and sunflower oil.
- Check whether the office can store and finish a larger opened pack.
M&S
M&S lists several dried-fruit formats, including mixed fruit and sultanas.
- Its mixed dried fruit lists sultanas, raisins and currants at 33% each.
- A fruit blend is a different choice from a pack of plain raisins; check its current label and storage directions.
Whitworths
Whitworths Snacking Raisins provide a softer raisin format.
- The snacking format offers an alternative to conventional dried raisins.
- Tesco Groceries lists refrigeration after opening and consumption within two weeks for Whitworths Snacking Raisins.
Sunsweet
Sunsweet is relevant when the office wants prunes rather than a raisin refill.
- Tesco Groceries lists Sunsweet Stoned Prunes in a 500g pack.
- Check the individual pack’s handling instructions before choosing it for a communal tin.
Joybuy dried-fruit options
These packs offer dates, figs and prunes for offices considering fruit beyond raisins. Their weights vary, so check each pack’s label and opened-pack instructions before using a shared tin.
No image availableWhitworths Dates 300g
A 300g date option for adding a different fruit to the office selection. Check the pack for ingredients, storage directions and any warning about stones.
No image availableMorrisons Dried Pitted Prunes 500g
The 500g pack suits a plan to offer prunes as well as other fruit. Check the opened-pack storage directions and any warning about stone fragments before communal serving.
No image availableWhitworths Figs 175g
Figs provide a different fruit option in a 175g pack. Consider how often the office would need to replace it, and follow its opened-pack instructions.
No image availableWhitworths Snacking Prunes 190g
This 190g prune pack is an option for a smaller shared selection. Read its instructions after opening before deciding whether it belongs in an unattended tin.
No image availableForest Feast Orchard Prunes 200g
A 200g prune pack offers another fruit choice for the office. Check the current allergen label and opened-pack storage directions before sharing it.
Questions about office dried fruit
Which dried fruit should I start with for a shared office tin?
Plain raisins or sultanas are a starting point when you want one recognisable fruit rather than a blend. Choose a pack weight the office can store and finish, and check its ingredients before decanting it.
Should dried fruit stay out as an all-day snack?
NHS guidance advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals; it says 30g counts as one 5 A Day portion. For an office, consider offering small servings with meal or meeting food instead of leaving an open tin out continuously.
What information should stay with a communal tin?
Keep the current ingredient and allergen information available when fruit is moved out of its pack. A mixed-fruit label matters: ASDA Groceries, for example, declares sulphites in its mixed fruit, while its plain seedless raisins list raisins and sunflower oil.
Do all dried-fruit packs have the same storage instructions?
No. Follow the instructions on the particular pack: Tesco Groceries lists refrigeration after opening and consumption within two weeks for Whitworths Snacking Raisins. Check other products individually before leaving them in a shared tin.