Picnic planners comparing fat figures
If fat content is your starting point, compare the nutrition panels on the same per 100g basis. Ingredients and sugars can still differ between dried-fruit products.
Who is this for?
Families packing individual portions
Small boxes can be handed out without dividing a shared bag at the picnic. Check the weight: Whitworths Sunny Raisins come in 14g boxes, while the NHS uses 30g of dried fruit as its reference for one 5 A Day portion.
Shoppers checking sweetening ingredients or allergens
Read the exact pack before sharing. Tesco Cranberries are infused with pineapple juice concentrate, while the cited M&S apricot and mango products list sulphites.
What should you check?
Compare nutrition per 100g first, then consider the ingredients and the amount you intend to pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Compare total fat per 100g on each nutrition panel. Check the ingredients as well as any fat-related wording on the pack. | I want to compare products on the same basis, rather than assume a lower-fat description settles the choice. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare sugars per 100g and read the ingredient list for juice concentrate or candied fruit. Tesco Groceries lists 67.5g sugars per 100g for its pineapple-juice-infused Cranberries; Ocado lists 31.9g per 100g for M&S Chopped Dried Apricots. | If I want to avoid fruit with sweetening ingredients, the product name alone will not tell me whether they are present. |
| Portion format | Check the weight of an individual box against the amount you plan to serve. Whitworths lists 14g per Sunny Raisins box; the NHS states that 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. | Small boxes would make it easier for me to hand out picnic portions, but I do not want to mistake a 14g box for a 30g portion. |
| Storage and allergens | Read the exact pack’s allergen and post-opening instructions. Ocado lists sulphites for the cited M&S mango and apricots; its M&S Natural Dried Mango listing says to eat it within 3 days of opening. | When I am sharing food outdoors, I need to know whether an ingredient affects a guest and how to handle an opened pack. |
Common buying mistakes
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Choosing by a fat-related phrase alone
Products with similar fat figures can differ considerably in their listed sugars and ingredients. Ocado lists 31.9g sugars per 100g for M&S Chopped Dried Apricots and 76.3g for M&S Natural Dried Mango.
Compare fat and sugars on a per 100g basis, then read the ingredients and choose a suitable pack format.
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Assuming every dried-fruit mix is unsweetened fruit
Tesco Groceries describes its Cranberries as infused with pineapple juice concentrate and its Dried Mixed Fruit as containing candied citrus peel.
Check the ingredient list if juice concentrate or candied ingredients would change your choice.
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Treating a mini-box as a 30g portion
Whitworths lists 14g per Sunny Raisins box, less than the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference for one 5 A Day portion. The NHS also advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Check the box weight when planning portions and serve dried fruit with the picnic meal where practical.
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Missing allergen or post-opening instructions
The cited M&S mango and apricot listings include sulphites, while storage directions differ by product. Ocado says M&S Natural Dried Mango should be eaten within 3 days of opening.
Read each pack before sharing it, and follow its instructions for storing opened fruit.
Brand references for dried fruit
Whitworths
Sunny Raisins are an example of Whitworths’ individual-box format for picnic packing.
- Whitworths lists 0.1g fat and 9.3g sugars per 14g box.
- The ingredients include sunflower oil, and one 14g box is smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit portion reference.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists several dried-fruit types, including raisins, prunes, cranberries and mango; check the individual product rather than treating the range as uniform.
- Its Cranberries listing states both the per 100g nutrition and the use of pineapple juice concentrate.
- Its Dried Mixed Fruit includes candied citrus peel and contains sulphites.
M&S
The cited M&S apricot and mango products offer different nutrition figures and pack instructions despite both being dried fruit.
- Ocado lists 31.9g sugars per 100g for M&S Chopped Dried Apricots and 76.3g for M&S Natural Dried Mango.
- Both cited products list sulphites; the mango listing says to eat it within 3 days once opened.
Joybuy product options
These dried-fruit packs offer different sizes and formats for picnic shopping. Compare their labels for fat, sugars, ingredients and allergens before choosing.
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J.ZAO Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
A 500g prune pack for a picnic where you plan to divide the fruit into portions. The supplied product information mentions low-polymer isomaltose; check the full ingredient list before sharing.
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Organix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months, 12 x 14g
Twelve 14g boxes offer individual portions to distribute at a picnic. Each box is smaller than the NHS 30g dried-fruit reference for one 5 A Day portion.
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Frula Freeze-Dried Mango 10g
The 10g mango pack is an individual-size option for a picnic. Check its nutrition panel if sugars per 100g matter to your choice; the pack weight is below the NHS 30g dried-fruit portion reference.
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Frula Freeze-Dried Peach 10g
This 10g peach pack provides an individual-size alternative to a shared bag. Compare its nutrition panel and ingredients with the mango pack rather than assuming the two fruits have the same composition.
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Whitworths Figs 175g
The 175g fig pack suits a picnic where portions can be divided before serving. The supplied product information says the pack is not resealable and flags a facility that handles nuts and peanuts; check the exact pack before sharing.
Picnic dried fruit FAQs
Is the lowest-fat dried fruit automatically the right picnic choice?
No. Compare fat on the same per 100g basis, but also check sugars, ingredients, allergens and portion size. For example, Ocado lists 0.6g fat and 76.3g sugars per 100g for M&S Natural Dried Mango, and 0.8g fat and 31.9g sugars per 100g for M&S Chopped Dried Apricots.
Does one mini-box of raisins count as a 30g dried-fruit portion?
A 14g Whitworths Sunny Raisins box is smaller than the NHS 30g reference for one 5 A Day portion of dried fruit. Check the weight of any mini-box when planning how much to pack.
When should I serve dried fruit at a picnic?
The NHS advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. Serving it with the picnic meal follows that advice more closely than leaving it out for repeated grazing.
How should I handle an opened pack outdoors?
Follow the instructions on that product’s pack. Whitworths says to keep Sunny Raisins cool and dry; Tesco Groceries advises an airtight container after opening its Dried Mixed Fruit, and Ocado says M&S Natural Dried Mango should be eaten within 3 days of opening.
Which allergen details matter when sharing dried fruit?
Check the declaration on each exact pack before offering it to guests. The cited M&S chopped apricots and natural dried mango list sulphites, as does Tesco Dried Mixed Fruit.