For a night-shift snack, choose dried fruit by the calories in the portion you will pack, not by the fruit name. Tesco lists 83 kcal for 30g of its raisins, while Sainsbury's lists 97 kcal for its 40g prune pack; those are different serving sizes, so compare equal weights before deciding. A small pack avoids measuring during a break, while a larger bag works if you portion it beforehand and check sugars and ingredients as well as energy.
If you pack food before work, a measured portion of dried fruit can be one part of your break-time plan. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust advises shift workers that smaller snacks or a light meal during breaks may be preferable to one big meal at night.
Pack size changes the comparison: Tesco gives energy for a 30g raisin serving, while Sainsbury's gives a figure for its 40g prune pack. Compare the weight you intend to eat, not just the numbers printed for different portions.
Plain fruit and fruit-based mixes need different label checks. Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya allergens for its Shots Variety Pack and warns that it may also contain other allergens; check the exact product and flavour rather than assuming every dried-fruit snack has the same ingredients.
Start with the portion you can take to work, then read its energy, sugars and ingredients together.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and energy | Check kcal for the pack or serving you will eat. Compare products at the same weight: Tesco lists 83 kcal per 30g of raisins, while Sainsbury's lists 97 kcal per 40g prune pack. | I want to know what one work-break portion contains, rather than compare figures for unequal pack sizes. |
| Sugars | Read sugars alongside energy for the same portion. Tesco lists 18.8g sugars per 30g of raisins; Sainsbury's lists 16.2g for its 40g prune pack, which carries a high-sugar front-of-pack indicator. | If I might have dried fruit more than once during a shift, I want to see the sugars in each portion. |
| Break-time format | Decide whether a small pack or a portion decanted from a larger bag is easier to take. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust advises planning food ahead for shift breaks. | On a short break, I'd rather open a prepared portion than guess how much to take from a bag. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the exact pack's ingredient and allergen information, particularly for coated fruit or mixes. Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya allergens for its Shots Variety Pack. | I need to tell plain fruit apart from a mix, especially when a particular ingredient or allergen matters to me. |
A small-looking portion still has a measurable energy value, and pack sizes differ. Tesco lists 83 kcal per 30g of raisins; Sainsbury's lists 97 kcal for a 40g prune pack.
Choose the amount you will actually eat, then compare its kcal with alternatives at the same weight. Portion a larger bag before leaving for work.
Tesco lists 18.8g sugars per 30g of raisins, and Sainsbury's lists 16.2g for its 40g prune pack, with a high-sugar indicator on that pack.
Read the energy and sugars figures for the same intended portion rather than judging the snack from one number.
A mix can contain ingredients and allergens that are absent from a plain-fruit product. Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya allergens for its Shots Variety Pack.
Check the ingredients and allergen statement for the exact product and flavour you intend to buy.
A portion of dried fruit does not replace planning food for an overnight shift. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust advises planning ahead and suggests smaller snacks or a light meal during breaks rather than one big meal at night.
Pack a measured snack as part of your wider food plan for the shift.
Tesco lists both larger and smaller raisin formats in its dried-fruit range.
Sainsbury's lists a 40g pack of partially rehydrated prunes.
Whitworths has individually packed Sunny Raisins as well as fruit-based snack mixes.
The M&S fruit-snack catalogue includes formats such as dates, apricots and dried tropical fruit.
Sunsweet's European guidance offers a serving reference for its prunes.
These raisin, prune, date, mango and fig packs offer different ways to prepare a dried-fruit portion for a night-shift break. Compare the amount you would actually take, particularly where a pack contains several servings.
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The 14g boxes provide a defined amount to pack for a break. This is a 12-box product labelled for ages 12 months and over; check the pack's energy and ingredient information when comparing it with other snacks.
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If you plan to take prunes to work, decide on a portion from this 500g pack before your shift. Check the pack's serving, energy and ingredient information rather than applying figures from another prune product.
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One 30g sachet is a defined amount to pack for a break. The full pack is 900g; read the sachet's energy and ingredient information before comparing it with a 30g portion of another fruit.
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The 10g pack is a smaller quantity to carry than the larger bags here. Check both kcal per pack and per 100g: a smaller pack figure does not, by itself, show that the fruit has less energy at an equal weight.
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With a 175g bag, set aside the amount you want for your shift instead of treating the bag as one snack. Use the pack label to check energy for that portion and any ingredient or allergen information relevant to you.
No: the amount you eat determines the snack's energy. Tesco lists 83 kcal per 30g of its raisins, while Sainsbury's lists 97 kcal for its 40g prune pack. Compare equal weights if you want to compare the fruits, then use the figure for the portion you will actually take.
Choose a small pack if a ready-measured amount makes your break easier to plan; a large bag can also work if you decant a portion beforehand. Tesco's 83 kcal raisin figure applies to 30g, not to an unrestricted serving from its 1kg bag.
Check energy and sugars for the amount you intend to eat, then read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. Pack formats and recipes can differ, so use the current pack when making your choice.
Follow the storage directions on your pack, especially after opening it. Sunsweet's European prune guidance advises checking the best-before date and refrigerating after opening or storing in a cool, dark place; directions for another product may differ.
No. Check the exact mix and flavour before buying, particularly if you need to avoid an allergen. Whitworths lists wheat, milk and soya allergens for its Shots Variety Pack and says it may also contain peanuts, other nuts, sesame and cereals containing gluten.