For a low-fat dried-fruit choice, compare plain fruit with coated fruit and nut mixes using fat per 100g and the ingredient list; a “reduced-fat” label alone does not settle the choice. For a regular midnight snack, the NHS advises swapping dried fruit for fresh fruit between meals because dried fruit can be high in sugar and affect teeth. If you do choose dried fruit, the NHS portion guide is around 30g, preferably eaten at a mealtime.
Plain dried fruit can meet a low-fat preference, but that does not make it the NHS’s suggested choice between meals. If midnight snacking is a regular habit, consider the eating occasion as well as the nutrition label.
A small pack makes the amount visible without serving from a larger bag. The NHS gives around 30g as a dried-fruit portion guide; a measured pack does not change its advice to eat dried fruit at mealtimes.
Coatings and mixes can introduce nuts, milk, soya or sulphites. Check the label of the exact product rather than assuming every dried-fruit snack contains fruit alone.
Start with when you plan to eat it, then compare the nutrition panel, portion format and ingredients of the products you are considering.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and format | Compare fat per 100g on the same basis, then check for coatings and nuts. Tesco Groceries lists 0.4g fat per 100g for Tesco Flame Raisins, against 20.7g per 100g for its Yogurt Flavoured Coated Raisins. | I want dried fruit with little fat, so I need to distinguish plain fruit from coated raisins or fruit-and-nut mixes. |
| Sugars and timing | Read sugars per 100g and per portion. Tesco Groceries lists 20.8g sugars in a 30g portion of Flame Raisins. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | If this will be my usual midnight snack, low fat is not my only consideration; I need to decide whether dried fruit fits that eating occasion. |
| Portion format | The NHS guide is around 30g of dried fruit. Check an individual pack’s weight or measure a portion from a larger bag; Tesco Groceries lists Whitworths Sunny Raisins as six 30g packs. | A measured pack would make the amount clear when I do not want to serve from a large bag. |
| Ingredients | Read the exact pack for nuts, milk, soya and sulphites. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphites are used in some dried fruit and that people with asthma have a higher risk of reaction. | I need to check ingredients relevant to me rather than rely on “fruit” in the product name. |
Coatings and nuts can change the comparison. Tesco Groceries lists 20.7g fat and 17.5g saturates per 100g for its Yogurt Flavoured Coated Raisins, compared with 0.4g fat per 100g for Tesco Flame Raisins.
Compare the fat figure per 100g and read the ingredients before treating a coated product or mix as equivalent to plain fruit.
Plain raisins can still contain substantial sugars. The NHS advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
If the snack will regularly be eaten after dinner, consider a non-dried alternative such as fresh fruit rather than choosing on fat content alone.
Marks & Spencer lists sulphur dioxide in its Collection Soft Raisin Medley; Whitworths lists almonds, cashews and sulphur dioxide in its Favourites Fruit & Nut Mix. The Food Standards Agency identifies a higher risk of sulphite reaction for people with asthma.
Check the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information, particularly if you need to avoid any of these ingredients.
A multi-serving bag does not indicate how much you have poured out. The NHS dried-fruit portion guide is around 30g.
Measure the amount or choose a clearly portioned pack when that makes serving easier; portioning does not change the advice on mealtimes.
Its cited range includes portioned raisins and a separate fruit-and-nut mix.
The cited Tesco products show why plain and coated raisins need separate label checks.
The cited Marks & Spencer range includes standard raisins and a partially rehydrated raisin medley.
Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes provide a cited prune example for comparing labels with raisin products.
These options include prunes, raisins, dragon fruit and red dates in different pack sizes. Use the individual product label to compare fat, sugars and ingredients; none of these formats changes the NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes.
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For a prune option, check the nutrition and ingredient panels rather than relying on the product name’s sugar-related wording. The listed pack size is 500g; compare a serving with the NHS guide of around 30g.
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The 12 individual 14g packs make the amount in each pack clear if portion format matters to you. Check the nutrition label for sugars and fat, and bear in mind the NHS advice to have dried fruit at mealtimes.
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This 20g pack offers a measured amount of dried dragon fruit rather than a larger bag. If low fat or avoiding particular ingredients is important, check the exact pack label before choosing it.
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The 430g pack suits someone choosing prunes to portion out rather than individual snack packs. Measure a serving if the amount matters to you, and compare fat, sugars and ingredients on the label.
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These pitted red dates come in a 280g pack, so serving out an amount matters more than with an individual pack. Check the product’s fat and sugars per 100g before comparing it with raisins or prunes.
Low fat does not settle whether dried fruit suits that routine. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk, and suggests swapping it for fresh fruit between meals.
The NHS gives around 30g as its dried-fruit portion guide, counting as one of your 5 A Day. That portion guide does not change its advice to eat dried fruit at mealtimes.
No: the phrase does not describe the total sugars in the fruit. For example, Tesco Groceries describes Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes as having no added sugar but lists 23.1g sugars per 100g. Compare the sugars figure and the amount you intend to eat.
Check the ingredient and allergen information on the exact pack. The Food Standards Agency says sulphites are used in some dried fruit and that people with asthma have a higher risk of reaction; Marks & Spencer lists sulphur dioxide in its Collection Soft Raisin Medley.