For a festival dish where energy per 100g matters, compare the exact products rather than treating all dried fruit alike: Whitworths lists 141kcal per 100g for Favourites Prunes, while Tesco lists 349kcal per 100g for its candied-peel mixed fruit. Mixed fruit may still be the right ingredient for a particular bake, so check the recipe quantity as well as the per-100g figure. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating it at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
If dried fruit is going into a bake, breakfast dish or dessert, compare kcal per 100g before measuring the recipe amount. Whitworths Favourites Prunes list 141kcal per 100g; Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit, which contains candied peel, lists 349kcal per 100g. The fruits and preparations are different, so flavour and recipe requirements matter too.
For a buffet, packed meal or journey, a measured quantity makes it easier to know how much dried fruit each person is taking. The NHS uses 30g as one dried-fruit portion for 5 A Day; Whitworths also lists a 30g pack size for its 1DERS prunes.
Read the ingredients and allergen statement on each pack before serving food to someone with an ingredient restriction or sulphite sensitivity. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphur dioxide and sulphites are used in some dried fruit; Tesco lists sulphur dioxide in the candied peel of its Dried Mixed Fruit.
Start with energy per 100g for comparison, then look at the quantity your dish or serving will use. Ingredients and allergen declarations can change which product is suitable even when its portion size works for you.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Comparable energy | Compare kcal per 100g, then check kcal and weight for the amount you will use. Keep differences in fruit type and preparation in mind. | I want to compare ingredients for a festival dish without mistaking a smaller stated serving for a lower-energy product. |
| Portion size | Check the pack or recipe weight. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | For a shared table, I would rather set out measured amounts than leave an open bag for repeated grazing. |
| Recipe ingredients | Read the ingredients and nutrition panel for candied peel, syrup or sugar. Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit contains candied peel made with glucose syrup and sugar. | My bake may need mixed fruit and citrus peel; if it does not, I can compare a plain-fruit ingredient instead. |
| Allergen information | Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement, including for sulphur dioxide or sulphites. Do not assume another pack size has the same formulation. | Before serving guests with ingredient restrictions, I need to check the exact pack going into the dish. |
Serving sizes differ. Whitworths lists 141kcal per 100g for Favourites Prunes, while Tesco lists 349kcal per 100g for its Dried Mixed Fruit; a small per-serving figure alone would not show that difference.
Compare kcal per 100g first, then use the weight of your planned portion or recipe amount to judge what you will serve.
The NHS says 30g counts as one dried-fruit portion for 5 A Day and advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Measure the amount for the dish or plate a defined portion. If people will return to a grazing table throughout the day, consider whether another fruit format would suit that setting.
Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit includes candied peel made with glucose syrup and sugar. Its ingredient mix is relevant to a bake that calls for peel, but it should not be treated as identical to plain prunes.
Check the ingredient list against the recipe, then measure the quantity you intend to add.
The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as a possible risk for people with sensitivity, and Asda advises that product information can change.
Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement before preparing food for someone with a relevant restriction.
These product-line examples help with label comparisons; they do not establish the energy value or ingredients of every product from a brand.
Its prune range includes both a larger pack and a stated 30g portion format.
Asda Prunes are a 200g plain-prune option for comparing pack and serving information.
Tesco lists several dried-fruit types, including fruit for baking as well as single-fruit options.
M&S lists dried-fruit formats including prunes, apricots, dates, raisins and mixed fruit.
These options include individually wrapped prunes, 30g sachets of red dates and a 10g freeze-dried mango pack. Their fruit types and pack sizes serve different festival-food uses; compare each pack’s nutrition panel before choosing on the basis of calories.
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The individually wrapped format may help when setting out prunes for a shared table. Check the weight of each wrapped piece and the pack’s kcal per 100g before deciding how many to serve.
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The 30g sachets give a defined quantity for a packed meal or shared table. Red dates are different from the prunes in the energy comparison above, so check this product’s kcal per 100g rather than assuming the portioned format makes it lower in calories.
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The 10g pack is a small quantity to carry or set out with other festival food. Its pack size alone does not indicate its energy per 100g; check the nutrition panel when comparing it with other dried fruit.
Compare kcal per 100g, then check the weight of the amount you will eat or add to a recipe. Whitworths lists Favourites Prunes at 141kcal per 100g, Asda lists its Prunes at 162kcal per 100g, and Whitworths lists 1DERS Gut Friendly Prunes at 168kcal per 100g. That comparison covers those specific prune products, not every dried fruit.
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion, equivalent to around 80g of fresh fruit. It advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk; for a festival dish, measure the amount being served rather than relying on the size of an open bag.
Use the fruit mix the recipe requires, but check its quantity and ingredients rather than treating it as interchangeable with plain prunes. Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit is described for baking and cooking, lists 349kcal per 100g, and contains candied peel made with glucose syrup and sugar.
Yes, particularly when serving someone with sulphite sensitivity or a relevant ingredient restriction. The Food Standards Agency says sulphur dioxide and sulphites are used in some dried fruit and can pose a risk to people with sensitivity. Read the ingredients and allergen statement on the exact pack before serving it.
Use it for an initial comparison, then check the physical pack before preparing the food. Asda advises that product ingredients, nutrition and allergy information can change, so an earlier online listing should not replace the current pack label.