Choose plain dried fruit for its fruit flavour, not on the assumption that it is high in protein: Sainsbury’s listing for BEAR dried cherries gives 1.6g protein per 100g. If protein in an office-sized portion matters more, compare fruit-and-nut mixes and bars by their stated serving sizes, ingredients and allergens; a fruit-flavoured protein bar is not necessarily a dried-fruit snack.
If you like dried-fruit flavours but want protein from a desk snack, compare the amount you would eat rather than the product name alone. Sainsbury’s lists 1.6g protein per 100g for BEAR dried cherries and 4.1g per 30g pack for Whitworths 1Ders Fruit & Nut Mix.
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one 5 A Day portion. It advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay, which matters if you usually keep snacks at your desk.
Fruit-and-nut products need an ingredient check before they go into a shared office snack drawer. The listed Whitworths 1Ders mix contains peanuts, while Sainsbury’s SO Organic Fruit & Nut Mix contains several tree nuts; check the current pack against your own allergy needs.
Decide whether you want dried fruit itself, a fruit-and-nut mix or a bar, then compare the protein in the portion you expect to eat.
Choose it when: Fruit flavour and a planned fruit portion matter more to you than protein.
Bear in mind: The NHS advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than grazing on it between meals.
Choose it when: You want dried fruit alongside nuts and can check the protein in your chosen portion.
Bear in mind: The checked mixes contain peanuts or tree nuts, and a larger bag needs portioning.
Choose it when: A single packaged portion matters more than buying plain dried fruit.
Bear in mind: Check the ingredients: a fruit-flavoured bar need not contain dried fruit, and nut or peanut allergens may rule out a fruit-and-nut bar.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein claim | Read the exact pack claim and nutrition panel. Compare protein per stated serving as well as per 100g; the presence of nuts or the word “protein” in a name does not settle the claim. | If I specifically want a product labelled “high protein”, I need to check the claim on the particular pack rather than assume that dried fruit or nuts qualify. |
| Protein per portion | Compare like-sized portions where possible. Sainsbury’s listings give 4.1g protein per 30g pack for Whitworths 1Ders, 4.6g per 30g serving for its SO Organic mix, and 6g for a 45g nākd Cherry Fruit & Nut Protein Bar. | I want to know what one pack or the amount I pour from a larger bag contributes, not just which label shows the largest number. |
| Dried-fruit timing | Check the stated portion and sugars on the exact product. The NHS counts 30g dried fruit as one 5 A Day portion and advises having it at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk. | If I tend to graze at my desk, I need to consider when I will eat dried fruit, not only how much I will pack. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients, highlighted allergens and relevant “may contain” statements. Check peanuts and tree nuts separately for fruit-and-nut products. | I need an option that fits my allergy requirements and any rules for food in our shared workspace. |
| Desk format | Check whether the stated nutrition is for one pack, one bar or a serving taken from a larger bag. Decide whether you will need to portion it before work. | A single pack is easier for me to plan around; with a larger mix, I would rather decide on a portion before opening it at my desk. |
A protein figure tells you how much is present, but does not by itself establish what claim the product can carry.
If that exact claim matters to you, check it on the current pack and read the nutrition panel for the same product and variant.
The listed Whitworths 1Ders mix contains peanuts and has a precautionary warning for nuts and sesame; Sainsbury’s SO Organic mix lists several tree nuts.
Check the full ingredient and allergen information on the pack. Do not choose a product containing an allergen relevant to the person who will eat it.
Although 30g counts as one 5 A Day portion, the NHS advises having dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce tooth-decay risk.
Plan when you will eat it; if you specifically need a between-meal desk snack, weigh that guidance alongside your protein preference.
The checked mix figures are for 30g portions, while the cited nākd bar figure is for a 45g bar. A per-serving comparison therefore also reflects different amounts of food.
Look at both protein per portion and per 100g, then compare the portion you would actually take to work.
These examples show product types and label details to compare; a brand name alone does not establish the protein content of another product in its range.
Its 1Ders Energising Fruit & Nut Mix is an individually packed fruit-and-nut example.
Its listed fruit-and-nut mixes include a larger SO Organic bag and a 25g On the Go pack.
Tesco Groceries lists dried fruit and nuts in separate categories, allowing you to compare a fruit-only snack with nut-containing options.
M&S lists a Natural Fruit and Nut Medley alongside its fruit snacks.
Asda has a dried-fruit category for comparing individual products.
These options cover packaged protein bars and a seed-and-goji-berry blend for office use. Check the ingredients if you specifically want dried fruit rather than fruit flavour or berries within a mix.
No image available
Consider this bar format if a packaged office snack matters more than dried-fruit ingredients. Jaffa Quake is the named flavour; check the ingredient list if dried fruit is essential, and check the current pack for allergens.
No image available
A nut-bar option if you want a packaged alternative to plain dried fruit. This listing specifies 3 × 42g × 6pcs; check the pack arrangement, protein per bar and allergen declaration against your needs.
No image available
This is a different stated pack arrangement from the KIND listing above. If you are choosing one bar for work, compare the current label’s protein per bar and check its nut and other allergen information.
No image available
This seed-and-goji-berry blend is a loose mix rather than a single bar. Decide how you would portion it for work, and check the current pack’s protein per serving and allergen statements.
Do not assume so from the category name. Sainsbury’s lists 1.6g protein per 100g for BEAR dried cherries; check the nutrition panel and any protein claim on the exact product you are considering.
The NHS says 30g of dried fruit counts as one portion. It also advises eating dried fruit at mealtimes rather than between meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Compare protein in the amount you intend to eat, then check the serving size. Sainsbury’s lists 4.1g per 30g Whitworths 1Ders pack, 4.6g per 30g serving of its SO Organic mix, and 6g for a 45g nākd Cherry Fruit & Nut Protein Bar. Those figures describe different products and portions, not a shared “high protein” claim.
Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration, including relevant precautionary statements. The listed Whitworths 1Ders mix contains peanuts, while Sainsbury’s SO Organic mix lists several tree nuts; neither is suitable for someone allergic to an ingredient it contains.