Office workers looking for protein in a portable snack
Compare protein per pack, not just the words on the front. The amount can differ considerably between a dried-fruit snack, a nut-and-seed mix and a protein bar.
Who is choosing these snacks?
Fruit-snack buyers planning the rest of lunch
Dried fruit can be the fruit element of a packed lunch. If you also want protein, consider what else you are packing rather than asking the fruit snack to serve both roles.
Shoppers checking workplace and personal allergen needs
Fruit-and-nut mixes and protein formats can contain nuts, peanuts or soya, while some also carry sesame warnings or contain sulphur dioxide. Read the ingredients and allergy statements on the particular pack.
What should you check before buying?
Start with protein in the portion you will pack, then consider the rest of lunch and check the ingredients and allergy information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per portion | Compare grams of protein for the pack or serving you would eat, not figures based on different portion sizes. M&S lists 10g per 30g nut-and-seed pack; Joybuy lists 7g per 45g Nakd Protein Cocoa Hazelnut bar. | I want the snack itself to contribute protein, so the amount in the portion I take matters more than whether the product contains fruit. |
| Role in lunch | Decide whether dried fruit is your fruit component or whether you need a separate protein food. The Eatwell Guide, published by Public Health England with partner UK agencies, identifies 30g of dried fruit as a portion and advises keeping it to mealtimes. | If I pack dried fruit for lunch, I can choose another food to provide the protein I want rather than relying on the fruit alone. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients for sweetened fruit and compare sugars using the same basis, such as per 100g. Whitworths lists sweetened cranberries in its Favourites Fruit & Nut Mix. | I would like to know what is in a fruit-and-nut snack, not judge it by its name or pack image. |
| Allergens and preservatives | Check both ingredients and allergy warnings for nuts, peanuts, soya and sesame where relevant. Whitworths identifies sulphur dioxide in its Favourites mix. | Before taking a snack to work, I need one that fits my allergy requirements and any rules in a shared workspace. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming dried fruit supplies plenty of protein
Sainsbury's lists 2.4g protein per 100g for its BEAR mango and passionfruit dried-fruit snack. A fruit label alone does not tell you how much protein your portion provides.
Compare protein for the amount you will actually pack before choosing between dried fruit, a mix and a bar.
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Skipping the ingredients on a fruit-and-nut mix
Whitworths Favourites Fruit & Nut Mix includes sweetened dried cranberries, sunflower oil and sulphur dioxide.
Read the ingredients if sweetened fruit or sulphites affect your choice.
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Overlooking allergens in protein-focused formats
The nuts, peanuts and soya used in some portable snacks may rule them out for certain shoppers. M&S warns that its Protein Packed Nut and Seed Mix is unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergies.
Check the current pack's ingredients and may-contain statements. If a nut-and-seed snack is unsuitable, consider dried fruit alongside a separate protein food that meets your requirements.
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Treating a dried-fruit snack as the whole lunch
The Eatwell Guide, published by Public Health England with partner UK agencies, places fruit and protein foods in separate groups.
Think about what else you are packing if the dried fruit is only one part of your lunch.
Relevant brand references
These examples describe particular products and ranges; a brand name alone does not establish the nutrition or allergens of another item.
M&S
Its Protein Packed Nut and Seed Mix is a 30g nut-and-seed snack, rather than a dried-fruit product.
- M&S lists 10g protein per pack and names edamame soybeans, pumpkin seeds, almonds and sunflower seeds among the ingredients.
- M&S warns that the mix is unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergies.
Whitworths
Favourites Fruit & Nut Mix combines dried fruit and nuts in a format Whitworths describes as suitable for a lunchbox.
- Whitworths lists 1.9g protein per 25g serving and identifies raisins, almonds and cashews.
- The mix also includes sweetened cranberries and sulphur dioxide; check its allergy information before buying.
Sainsbury's
Its listed BEAR mango and passionfruit snack is an example of a dried-fruit option for the fruit part of lunch.
- The product listing describes this snack as having no added sugar or sulphites.
- Sainsbury's lists 2.4g protein per 100g, so check another part of lunch if protein is your priority.
Named snack comparisons
This protein-focused order compares three named snack formats, not the whole market. Their stated packs and serving sizes differ, so read the quantities alongside the positions.
| Rank | Snack | Main details | Why consider it | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M&S Protein Packed Nut and Seed Mix 30g | 10g protein per 30g pack; includes edamame soybeans, seeds and almonds. | M&S lists the largest protein amount per stated pack or serving among these three examples. It is a nut-and-seed snack, not dried fruit, and carries allergy restrictions. | M&S |
| 2 | Nakd Protein Cocoa Hazelnut Multipack 3 x 45g | Joybuy lists 7g protein per 45g bar. | A fruit-and-nut bar format for someone who wants a single bar with a stated protein amount. Check the pack's peanut, nut and soya allergy information. | Joybuy |
| 3 | Whitworths Favourites Fruit & Nut Mix | 1.9g protein per 25g serving; includes dried fruit and nuts. | Whitworths lists a conventional fruit-and-nut mix for shoppers planning to get protein elsewhere in lunch. It contains sweetened cranberries and sulphur dioxide. | Whitworths |
Joybuy snack options
These Joybuy options cover protein-bar formats and a seed-and-goji-berry blend for packed lunches. Compare the current pack label for protein per portion, allergens and storage before deciding which format fits your lunch.
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Grenade High Protein Low Sugar Jaffa Quake Bars, 12 x 60g
A multipack of bars to consider when you want a portioned office-lunch snack. Check the current label for protein per bar, milk and soya allergens, and sweeteners.
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KIND Protein Dark Chocolate Nut Bars, 3 x 42g x 6pcs
This nut-bar multipack offers portioned bars for packed lunches. Compare protein per bar on the label and check the warnings for peanuts, almonds, soya and other allergens.
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KIND Protein Dark Chocolate Nut Bars, 3 x 42g
The three-bar pack is a smaller bundle of the named dark-chocolate nut-bar format. Check its per-bar nutrition and the peanut, almond and soya allergy information on the current pack.
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Linwoods Flaxseed, Sunflower, Pumpkin & Chia Seeds with Goji Berries 200g
A seed-and-berry blend to portion for adding to another lunch food, rather than an individually packed bar. Follow the pack's storage instructions after opening and check its may-contain warnings for nuts, soya and sesame.
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Nakd Peanut Delight Bars, 4 x 35g
A fruit-and-nut bar format if you prefer to pack a single 35g bar. Check protein per bar on the current nutrition panel and read the peanut, hazelnut and may-contain warnings.
Questions about packed-lunch snacks
Is dried fruit a useful choice when I want protein at lunch?
Choose dried fruit for the fruit part of lunch, rather than assuming it will provide much protein. Sainsbury's lists 2.4g protein per 100g for its BEAR mango and passionfruit snack; by contrast, M&S lists 10g in a 30g nut-and-seed pack. Those are different products and portion sizes, so compare the amount you would eat.
Should I eat dried fruit with my packed lunch or separately?
The Eatwell Guide, published by Public Health England with partner UK agencies, advises keeping dried fruit to mealtimes and identifies 30g as a portion. You can include it with lunch and choose another food if you also want a protein component.
Which allergens should I check in fruit-and-nut snacks?
Read the current ingredients and allergy statements for the exact product. M&S identifies almonds and soybeans in its nut-and-seed mix and warns about nut, peanut and sesame allergies; the listed Nakd Protein Cocoa Hazelnut bar contains peanuts and hazelnuts, while Whitworths identifies nuts and sulphur dioxide in its Favourites mix.
How should I keep a packed snack at work?
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the pack you buy. The product information for the M&S nut-and-seed mix and Nakd Protein Cocoa Hazelnut bar says to keep them in a cool, dry place; instructions for another product or an opened pack may differ.