Bonfire Night home bakers
For fruit cake, tea loaf or pudding, check whether the recipe calls for vine fruit alone or a mix containing candied peel. Compare the ingredient list as well as the fat figure.
Who is choosing?
Fruit-for-mealtimes shoppers
If you want raisins or prunes with breakfast or another meal, consider the serving size and sugars alongside fat. The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
People preparing food for guests
Check each pack’s ingredients and allergen statement before serving it. Dried-fruit products can differ in their sulphite declarations and warnings about other allergens.
What should you check?
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and sugars | Compare both figures per 100g on the same basis. Ocado lists M&S Mixed Fruit at 0.4g fat and 68.8g sugars per 100g; Sainsbury’s lists its Mixed Dried Fruit at 0.7g fat and 67.7g sugars per 100g. | I’m looking for a lower-fat option, but I don’t want the fat figure to stand in for the whole nutrition panel. |
| Ingredients | Look for the fruit specified by your recipe, then check for candied peel or sweetened fruit. Retailer listings show these ingredients in some mixed-fruit blends, but not in every mix. | For baking, I want the fruit and peel the recipe calls for; for a simpler addition to a meal, I may prefer a shorter ingredient list. |
| Serving and storage | Check the serving information and any after-opening instructions. The NHS counts 30g of dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion and advises eating it at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | I want to plan what to serve with a meal, rather than put out a large baking bag for grazing throughout the evening. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack for sulphites and other allergen warnings. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphur dioxide and/or sulphites are used in dried fruit; individual products may carry additional warnings. | Before sharing food, I need to know whether the particular pack is suitable for my guests. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming less fat means less sugar
Ocado’s listing for M&S Mixed Fruit gives 0.4g fat and 68.8g sugars per 100g. A low fat figure does not describe its sugar content.
Read the fat and sugars lines together, using per-100g values when comparing packs.
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Choosing a mixed-fruit blend by name alone
Mixed-fruit ingredients vary: some products include candied peel or sweetened fruit, which may or may not suit the dish you are making.
Check the recipe and the full ingredient list before choosing between a simple vine-fruit mix and a more elaborate blend.
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Overlooking warnings when serving guests
The Food Standards Agency notes the use of sulphites in dried fruit. Ocado’s M&S Orchard Fruits Medley listing also carries may-contain warnings for nuts, peanuts and sesame.
Check the allergen statement on each current pack rather than assuming that dried-fruit products have the same warnings.
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Putting out a baking bag for continuous snacking
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk; it counts 30g as one 5 A Day portion.
Plan the amount needed for a dish or a serving with a meal, and keep the rest for its intended use.
Brand and retailer examples
Compare exact products, not brand names: the listed ingredients and nutrition values differ even within one range.
Whitworths
Tesco’s listing for Whitworths Snacking Raisins describes a partially rehydrated raisin product.
- The listed product contains 99% partially rehydrated raisins and declares 1.0g fat per 100g.
- It also declares 62.6g sugars per 100g and instructs shoppers to refrigerate it after opening and use it within two weeks.
Tesco
Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit 1kg is listed for baking and cooking, including cakes and tea loaves.
- Its stated use and mixed-fruit format give bakers a product to compare with their recipe.
- The listing gives 2.5g fat and 57.0g sugars per 100g; its ingredients include candied peel with sulphur dioxide.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Mixed Dried Fruit 1kg contains sultanas, raisins, currants and candied mixed peel.
- The listing declares 0.7g fat per 100g for this baking mix.
- It also declares 67.7g sugars per 100g, so the fat figure should not be used in place of the full nutrition panel.
Asda
ASDA Mixed Fruit 1kg is described in its listing as suitable for traditional fruit cake.
- The listed product declares 0.7g fat per 100g.
- It also declares 66g sugars per 100g and contains sulphur dioxide/sulphites.
M&S
Ocado lists both a simple M&S Mixed Fruit and a separate cranberry-and-apricot blend.
- The simple Mixed Fruit listing gives 0.4g fat per 100g and names sultanas, raisins and currants among its ingredients.
- The cranberry-and-apricot version lists 2.6g fat per 100g and includes sweetened fruit, candied peel and sulphites. Check which product you are comparing.
Joybuy dried-fruit options
These raisins, sultanas and prunes offer different fruit formats for baking or serving with a meal. Check the exact pack for nutrition, ingredients, storage instructions and allergens before choosing.
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J.ZAO Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g, individually wrapped
Individually wrapped, pitted prunes may suit planned servings with a meal. If your baking recipe calls for raisins or sultanas, check whether prunes will give you the fruit format you need.
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Morrisons Raisins 500g
Raisins are an option when a baking recipe calls for vine fruit, or for adding dried fruit to a meal. Check the pack’s fat and sugars per 100g alongside its ingredients.
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Morrisons Sultanas 500g
Use these sultanas when the recipe calls for them, rather than assuming a mixed-fruit blend is interchangeable. Check the current nutrition panel and ingredient list for the comparison that matters to you.
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Whitworths Snacking Prunes 190g
These prunes are a different format from the vine fruit used in many baking mixes. The supplied allergen information flags gluten; check the current pack carefully before serving them to anyone who needs to avoid it.
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Natures Finest Juicy Pitted Prunes 700g
These pitted prunes offer a fruit option for serving with a meal. The supplied product information warns that stones or fragments may remain, so check them before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Is the lowest-fat dried fruit the right choice for Bonfire Night?
Not on fat alone. UK retailer listings show differences in ingredients and sugars as well as fat, so choose fruit that fits the recipe or serving plan, then compare both nutrition figures per 100g and read the ingredient list.
Should I leave dried fruit out for guests to snack on all evening?
For menu planning, the NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. Consider serving it with a meal or incorporating it into a pudding instead of putting out a large baking bag for continuous grazing.
How much dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion?
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. Check the amount your recipe uses if you are planning individual servings.
Do I need to check dried fruit for sulphites?
Yes, particularly when sharing food with someone who needs to avoid them. The Food Standards Agency notes that sulphur dioxide and/or sulphites are used in dried fruit; check the current pack for these and any other allergen warnings.