For calorie-focused shopping, compare dried fruit by kcal per 100g rather than assuming every fruit snack is low in calories. Sainsbury's labels list two dried-apricot products at 228 kcal per 100g, while Tesco lists seedless raisins at 277 kcal and yogurt-coated raisins at 477 kcal per 100g. Those are individual products, not figures for every apricot or raisin: check the portion you intend to eat, the ingredients and any allergens on the pack.
If you are keeping track of calories, a small measured serving is more useful than eating directly from a large bag. Compare kcal per 100g before using the pack's serving information to plan the amount you will eat. The NHS uses 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion; it is a portion reference, not a claim that every 30g serving has the same calories.
A fruit-filled or fruit-coated snack need not have the same ingredients or nutrition values as plain dried fruit. Tesco's labels distinguish its seedless raisins from its yogurt-flavoured coated raisins, whose coating makes up 64% of the product. Compare both ingredient lists and kcal per 100g if calories are your main criterion.
If sulphites matter to you, check the exact pack rather than relying on the fruit name. Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list sulphur dioxide, while its SO Organic dried-apricot label lists dried apricots as the ingredient. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as ingredients used in some dried fruit.
Start with the same per-100g measure across products, then look at the serving you would actually eat. Ingredients and eating occasion can change the decision even when two products are both sold as dried fruit.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and portions | Compare kcal per 100g on each label, then check the serving weight and its stated calories. The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. | I want to measure a serving rather than judge its size by eye. A 25g bag and a 30g serving need a common per-100g basis for a product comparison. |
| Fruit and coating | Read the fruit percentage, ingredients and kcal per 100g. Tesco lists seedless raisins at 277 kcal per 100g and its yogurt-flavoured coated raisins, containing 64% coating, at 477 kcal per 100g. | If I am choosing dried fruit for its calorie figure, I do not want to treat a coated sweet snack as interchangeable with plain raisins. |
| Sugars and serving size | Read sugars per 100g and per serving alongside the serving weight. Tesco's seedless-raisin label gives 18.8g sugars per 30g; its coated-raisin label gives 16.0g per 25g bag. | I want to know what is in the portion I will eat, without mistaking a smaller bag's figure for a like-for-like comparison. |
| Sulphites | Check the current ingredients and allergen information for sulphur dioxide or sulphites. Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list them; its SO Organic dried-apricot label lists dried apricots only. | I need to check the particular pack if I avoid sulphites. The Food Standards Agency notes a higher risk of reaction to sulphur dioxide for people with asthma. |
| Eating occasion | Consider when you will eat the portion. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay. | If dried fruit is a regular choice for me, I can plan it with a meal instead of repeatedly taking pieces from a bag between meals. |
The product matters. Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list 228 kcal per 100g, whereas Tesco's yogurt-flavoured coated raisins list 477 kcal per 100g.
Compare the exact products on a per-100g basis before deciding how much to serve. A general claim about a fruit snack cannot replace its nutrition label.
Tesco's coated raisins list 119 kcal for a 25g bag; the plain apricot and raisin labels in this comparison give figures for 30g servings. Reading those serving calories alone would not compare equal amounts.
Use kcal per 100g to compare products, then read the calories for the weight you intend to eat.
Tesco's yogurt-flavoured coated raisins contain 64% coating according to the product label. Their ingredient composition and 477 kcal per 100g make them a different choice from Tesco's seedless raisins at 277 kcal per 100g.
Check the ingredient list and nutrition panel when choosing between plain and coated products, rather than deciding from the word “raisins” on the front.
Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list sulphur dioxide. The Food Standards Agency says sulphur dioxide and sulphites are used in some dried fruit and notes a higher reaction risk for people with asthma.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product, particularly if you change brand, pack size or recipe.
These product labels illustrate differences worth checking; they do not establish that every product from a brand has the same ingredients or nutrition values.
Its dried-apricot labels provide a useful comparison of ingredients at the same declared energy figure.
Its plain and yogurt-flavoured coated raisin products show why processing and serving weight matter.
Sunny Raisins come in individual packs for shoppers who prefer a defined pack size.
These options include apricots, prunes and red dates, plus a prune product described as packed in juice. Compare each exact pack's nutrition and ingredients for your intended serving; the prunes in juice are not a like-for-like dried-fruit format.
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A soft-apricot option if you prefer that format to firmer dried fruit. Check the pack's kcal per 100g and serving weight, and read its sulphite information if you need to avoid sulphites.
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The individual wrappers may help you keep track of how many prunes you take. Check the nutrition information for the amount eaten and read the ingredients rather than treating wording about sugar in the longer product title as a nutrition figure.
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These prunes are described as packed in juice, so check the nutrition values and serving basis for the whole product. Their format differs from conventional dried fruit; a per-100g figure should be read with that difference in mind.
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A dried red-apricot option for comparison with other apricot packs. Joybuy's product description names red apricot as the ingredient; check the current pack for its nutrition values and allergen information before choosing a serving.
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Pitted red dates offer another dried-fruit format if you are comparing types of fruit. Read this pack's kcal and sugars per 100g, then measure the portion you intend to eat rather than using an apricot or raisin figure for it.
No. Compare the exact products per 100g, then consider your serving: Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list 228 kcal per 100g, Tesco Seedless Raisins list 277 kcal, and Tesco's yogurt-flavoured coated raisins list 477 kcal. Those figures describe the named products, not every fruit of those types.
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. Weighing or checking the pack weight helps you relate that amount to the particular product's calorie figure; 30g is not a promise that different fruits contain equal calories.
For dental health, the NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than as a between-meal snack to reduce the risk of tooth decay. You can still check the portion and nutrition label when planning that meal.
Yes, if you need to avoid sulphites, read the current ingredient and allergen information for the exact pack. Sainsbury's Ready to Eat Dried Apricots list sulphur dioxide, whereas its SO Organic dried-apricot label lists dried apricots only. The Food Standards Agency says people with asthma have a higher risk of reaction to sulphur dioxide.
No. A pack gives you a defined weight, but you still need its nutrition label to know the calories in that amount. Tesco's listing gives Whitworths Sunny Raisins as 12 individual 14g packs and lists 281 kcal per 100g.