Parents managing a named allergy or intolerance
Match the exact ingredient and allergen information on the pack to what the child needs to avoid. A short fruit ingredients list does not replace checking precautionary statements.
Who is this for?
Parents following a school allergy plan
Check the school’s current arrangements alongside the child’s individual plan. Anaphylaxis UK’s school guidance recommends individual risk assessment rather than assuming every school follows the same nut policy.
Parents choosing a simple lunchbox addition
Compare plain fruit, coated raisins and mixed snacks by their actual ingredients and pack format. For younger children, check the product’s age guidance and whether its pieces are suitable for them.
What should you check?
Start with the allergen that matters for the child, then assess the rest of the label and how the product will fit into lunch.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Named allergen | Read the precise free-from claim, full ingredients and declared allergens. Check any “may contain” statement against the child’s individual plan. | I need the label to address the particular allergen my child avoids, not just to say “free from”. The Food Standards Agency says a free-from claim applies to the allergen specified. |
| Mixed ingredients | Check for nuts, peanuts, sesame and sulphites in both ingredients and suitability statements. Assess each variety in a multipack separately. | A fruit mix might look straightforward, but I need to know what else it contains. M&S Food’s Tropical Fruit Medley, for example, contains sulphites and is marked unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergy. |
| Current pack | Use the product listing to narrow your choice, then read the ingredients and allergy information on the pack you receive. | I want to check the pack before it goes into the lunchbox, particularly if it is a product we have bought before. ASDA and M&S Food both advise that their food information can change. |
| School and lunch format | Confirm the school’s current allergy arrangements. Check pack size, any age guidance and whether fruit pieces need preparation for the child. | A small pack is convenient, but it still has to fit my child’s needs and the school’s arrangements. For younger children, the NHS advises giving dried fruit with meals rather than between meals. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Reading “free from” as “free from everything”
A claim covers the allergen named. ASDA’s Free From yogurt-flavour coated raisins are labelled free from milk, cereals containing gluten and egg, but contain soya.
Match the named claim to the child’s requirement, then read the other allergen and ingredient information.
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Judging a mix by its fruit-filled appearance
Whitworths Wondermix contains almonds and sulphur dioxide and carries a precautionary statement for peanuts, other nuts and sesame. M&S Food’s Tropical Fruit Medley contains sulphites and has nut, peanut and sesame suitability warnings.
Check the exact mix and, for multipacks, each variety before packing it.
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Using an online listing as the final label check
Retailer food information can change, so an earlier listing may not describe the pack received.
Read the physical pack’s ingredients and allergy statements each time.
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Assuming every school bans nuts
Anaphylaxis UK’s school guidance calls for individual risk assessment and discusses safe zones as one possible measure rather than a universal nut-free approach.
Ask the school about its current packed-lunch policy and any child-specific arrangements before sending a product with nuts or a relevant precautionary statement.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples show why suitability rests on the exact product label, not the name of a brand or range.
ASDA / Free From by ASDA
ASDA lists both plain raisins and coated raisins with named free-from claims.
- ASDA’s Seedless Raisins 500g listing gives raisins and sunflower oil as ingredients.
- Its Free From yogurt-flavour coated raisins are labelled free from milk, cereals containing gluten and egg, but contain soya. Check the current pack; neither example establishes suitability across the range.
Whitworths
Whitworths makes dried-fruit snacks, including fruit-and-nut mixes.
- The Wondermix example shows the mix’s declared ingredients and precautionary allergens can be assessed against a child’s plan.
- That product contains almonds and sulphur dioxide and may contain peanuts, other nuts and sesame; this does not describe every Whitworths product.
M&S Food
M&S Food provides product-level allergen information and guidance on how it presents allergens and cross-contact statements.
- Its guidance says present allergens are marked in bold and relevant cross-contact suitability statements are provided.
- M&S Food’s Tropical Fruit Medley contains sulphites and is marked unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergy. Check the current pack because food information can change.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These options are plain raisins, figs, mango and red dates rather than named free-from alternatives for every allergen. Check each current pack against the child’s requirements and the school’s arrangements.
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Organix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months, 12 x 14g
The 12 individual 14g packs offer a portioned raisin format for a packed lunch. The product name specifies 12+ months; check the current pack’s allergen information and suitability for the child.
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Three Squirrels Freeze-Dried Figs 40g
This 40g freeze-dried fig pack is an option if the child prefers a crisp texture. Check its current ingredients and allergen information rather than treating the fruit name as a free-from claim.
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Frula Freeze-Dried Mango 10g
The 10g freeze-dried mango pack is a small-format lunch option. Check the current label for ingredients, allergen statements and whether its texture suits the child.
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Dried Figs 200g
This 200g fig pack can be portioned for a lunchbox. Read its current allergen information and check the size of the pieces before packing a portion for a child.
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Three Squirrels Red Dates 500g
The 500g pack needs portioning for a lunchbox. Check the current allergen information and inspect whole dates for stones before giving them to a child.
Questions about dried fruit in packed lunches
Does “free from” mean suitable for every allergy?
No. The Food Standards Agency says a free-from claim applies to the allergen specified. Read the named claim and the rest of the label: ASDA’s Free From yogurt-flavour coated raisins, for example, are labelled free from milk, cereals containing gluten and egg but contain soya.
Should I check a “may contain” statement?
Yes, when it names an allergen relevant to the child. The Food Standards Agency describes this wording as precautionary information about possible unintended allergen presence. Assess it against the child’s individual advice and the school’s arrangements rather than assuming it means the same thing as an ingredient declaration.
Are fruit mixes necessarily free from nuts?
No. Whitworths Wondermix contains almonds and may contain peanuts, other nuts and sesame. M&S Food’s Tropical Fruit Medley is marked unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergy and contains sulphites. Check the exact mix’s current pack.
Do all schools prohibit nuts in packed lunches?
Do not assume they do. Anaphylaxis UK’s school guidance recommends individual risk assessment and discusses measures such as safe zones. Ask the school for its current packed-lunch policy and any arrangements relevant to the child before sending a product containing nuts or carrying a nut-related advisory statement.
When should younger children have dried fruit?
The NHS advises giving young children dried fruit such as raisins with meals rather than as a snack between meals. For a packed lunch, also check the product’s age guidance and whether its pieces are suitable for the child.