Shoppers avoiding a particular allergen
Look for a current declaration that addresses the allergen you need to avoid. Being fruit-based or vegan does not answer that question for every pack.
Who is this for?
Parents and carers packing elevenses
A pre-portioned snack is straightforward to put in a bag. Check both the product label and any applicable school or individual allergy requirements.
Adults choosing a fruit-based snack
Compare portion formats and ingredients if you prefer plain fruit to a fruit-and-nut mix or a product made with juice concentrate.
What should you check?
Start with the allergen named on the current pack, then compare the format and ingredients for the way you plan to eat your elevenses.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Allergen declaration | Read the current pack for the specific allergen, including ingredient and precautionary information. A vegan label or short ingredient list is not a substitute. | I need to know whether this particular pack meets my allergen requirement, not just whether it is made from fruit. |
| Fruit-and-nut mixes | Check every component and any may-contain statement. Whitworths lists peanuts in its 1DERS mix and says it may also contain nuts and sesame. | If I avoid peanuts, nuts or sesame, a mixed snack needs closer attention than its dried-fruit name might suggest. |
| Portion format | Compare individually wrapped sticks or small boxes with larger packs that you would need to portion yourself. Sainsbury's lists BEAR Pineapple & Raspberry Fruit Splits as individually wrapped 20g sticks; Whitworths lists 14g Sunny Raisins boxes. | For a bag or lunchbox, I would rather carry a ready-portioned snack than take fruit from a larger pack at break time. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Compare ingredient lists and nutrition on the same per-serving or per-100g basis. Tesco Cranberries contains pineapple juice concentrate and lists 20.3g sugars per 30g serving. | I want to see what has been added to the fruit and compare portions without assuming that every dried-fruit snack is prepared the same way. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming fruit-based means suitable for every allergy
Fruit-based and vegan describe different things from a declaration about a particular allergen. An online ingredient list may also differ from a later pack.
Check the current physical label for the allergen you need to avoid, rather than deciding from the category name.
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Overlooking the nuts in a fruit mix
Whitworths lists peanuts in its 1DERS fruit-and-nut mix and warns that it may also contain nuts and sesame.
Read the exact mix's ingredients and precautionary statements before choosing it for an allergen-restricted elevenses.
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Equating no added sugar with little sugar
Those phrases describe different information. Tesco Cranberries, for example, lists pineapple juice concentrate and 20.3g sugars per 30g serving.
Compare the ingredient list and the sugars figure for the portion you expect to eat.
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Using an old webpage instead of the pack
Tesco and Sainsbury's caution that product ingredients or allergen information can change.
Use a listing to make a shortlist, then check the current label before eating.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why allergen wording must be checked at product level; a statement about one snack does not apply to everything under the same brand.
BEAR
A fruit-snack option when an individually wrapped elevenses would be useful.
- Sainsbury's describes BEAR Pineapple & Raspberry Fruit Splits as gluten free and nut free, with no allergens present; the sticks are individually wrapped.
- That listing concerns the named flavour and pack, not every BEAR product.
Sunsweet
A prune brand to consider if you prefer dried plums to fruit strips.
- Sunsweet Europe's FAQ states that its prunes are gluten free and free of allergens and allergen cross-contamination.
- Check that the statement applies to the exact pack you intend to buy and read its current label.
Whitworths
Its range includes small raisin boxes as well as fruit-and-nut mixes.
- Whitworths lists Sunny Raisins in a 14g box, made with raisins and sunflower oil.
- Its 1DERS mix contains peanuts and may also contain nuts and sesame. The Sunny Raisins ingredient list alone is not an allergen-free declaration.
Tesco
Its dried-fruit listings offer ingredient and nutrition information to compare across formats.
- Tesco Cranberries lists dried cranberry, pineapple juice concentrate and sunflower oil.
- Tesco warns that formulations and dietary or allergen information can change; the cranberry listing is not an allergen-free declaration.
Sainsbury's
Its product listings and own-brand allergen information can help narrow a shopping list.
- Sainsbury's says its own-brand allergen-specific lists are updated monthly.
- It advises checking packaging because ingredients can change. Own-brand lists do not establish the status of third-party products it sells.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These are prune and date products for a fruit-based elevenses. Compare their current pack declarations for your particular allergen; their presence here is not an allergen-free endorsement.
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J.ZAO Prebiotic Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
Individually wrapped prunes may suit an elevenses packed in advance. Check the current 500g pack for your specific allergen and its full ingredient list.
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Whitworths Dates 300g
A 300g pack to consider if you can portion dates for your mid-morning break. Read its own current allergen information; declarations for other Whitworths products do not apply to these dates.
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Forest Feast Orchard Prunes 200g
The 200g pack is an option if you prefer to portion prunes yourself. Check its current ingredients and allergen declaration before choosing it for a restricted diet.
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Morrisons Dried Pitted Prunes 500g
This 500g pack suits portioning at home before elevenses. Check the current pack for your allergen and follow any warning about possible pit fragments.
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Natures Finest Juicy Pitted Prunes 700g
Consider this 700g prune option if you plan to serve a portion rather than carry the whole pack. Check the current allergen declaration, ingredients and storage instructions on the container.
Questions about free-from dried fruit
Does a short ingredient list prove dried fruit is free from allergens?
No. It tells you what ingredients are listed, but does not by itself establish suitability for a particular allergen or address possible cross-contact. Look for relevant product-specific information and check the current pack.
Can I choose a fruit-and-nut mix for a nut-free elevenses?
Not without checking the exact product. Whitworths 1DERS contains peanuts and says it may also contain nuts and sesame, so it would not meet a need to avoid peanuts.
Does gluten free mean suitable for every other allergy?
No. A gluten-free statement does not answer a question about a different allergen. Check the declaration and any precautionary information for the exact snack; Sainsbury's separately describes BEAR Pineapple & Raspberry Fruit Splits as both gluten free and nut free.
Is all dried fruit made without added sweetening ingredients?
No. Tesco Cranberries lists pineapple juice concentrate among its ingredients. If this distinction matters to you, compare ingredient lists as well as the nutrition figures for comparable portions.