Use plain dried fruit as a fruit addition, not the main protein food in a school packed lunch: product information from ASDA, Tesco and Marks & Spencer lists 2.2g–3.0g protein per 100g for the raisins, prunes and mixed fruit examined. If protein is the priority, include a separate protein food; check the ingredients and school policy before considering a fruit-and-nut mix or bar, as relevant examples contain peanuts or tree nuts.
If you are considering raisins, prunes or mixed dried fruit to provide the lunch’s protein, plan a separate protein food instead. The plain dried-fruit examples listed by ASDA, Tesco and Marks & Spencer contain 2.2g–3.0g protein per 100g.
Dried fruit can be portioned for a packed lunch when fruit, rather than protein, is the aim. Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust advises giving dried fruit with a meal rather than between meals because of its effect on teeth.
A mix or bar may contain more protein than plain dried fruit, but the ingredients matter. Check the exact pack for peanuts, tree nuts and other allergens, then check whether the school allows the item.
Decide whether the item is supplying fruit or protein, then check its ingredients and how it will be eaten during the school day.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Compare protein per 100g and the portion you intend to pack. Product information from ASDA, Tesco and Marks & Spencer lists 2.2g–3.0g per 100g for the plain dried-fruit examples examined. | I need the lunch to include protein, so I will choose a separate protein food rather than rely on the dried fruit. |
| Ingredients and school rules | Read the exact pack’s ingredients and allergy statement. Check the school’s packed-lunch policy before choosing a product containing peanuts or tree nuts. | A fruit-and-nut snack only works for this lunchbox if its ingredients suit the child and the school permits it. |
| Meal timing | Pack dried fruit to eat with lunch rather than for repeated between-meal snacking. Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust advise limiting dried fruit between meals because it is sugary and can stick to teeth. | I want a portion that can be eaten as part of lunch, not grazed on throughout the day. |
| Whole lunch | Choose the protein food separately if needed. South Kesteven District Council’s packed-lunch guide gives meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses as examples. | Dried fruit can add fruit variety while another suitable item supplies the protein I am looking for. |
Plain dried fruit can be convenient without providing much protein: the raisins, prunes and mixed fruit listed by ASDA, Tesco and Marks & Spencer contain 2.2g–3.0g per 100g.
Compare the label per 100g and for the portion packed. If protein is the main aim, include another suitable food.
Protein in a fruit-and-nut snack may come largely from peanuts or tree nuts. That matters when a child has an allergy or a school restricts those ingredients.
Read the ingredients and allergy statement on the exact pack, and check the school’s current packed-lunch policy.
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust advises against giving dried fruit between meals because it is sugary and can damage teeth.
Pack it as a portion to eat with lunch rather than as an item to graze on during breaks.
A no-added-sugar description does not tell you how much protein the food contains. Tesco lists Sunsweet Stoned Prunes at 2.2g protein per 100g despite that description.
Check the protein and sugars information, portion size and ingredients for the decision you are making.
These examples show why the type of product matters more than a familiar name: plain fruit and nut-containing mixes serve different roles in a lunchbox.
Whitworths has plain raisins and a separate peanut-based fruit-and-nut mix.
Sunsweet Stoned Prunes are a plain dried-fruit option rather than a protein-led choice.
Tesco’s Whole Foods Luxury Fruit & Nut Mix is an example of a nut-containing alternative to plain dried fruit.
Sainsbury's lists dried fruit as well as the nākd Cherry Fruit & Nut Protein Bar.
ASDA lists both plain raisins and a cashew-and-raisin mix, which need different lunchbox checks.
M&S Mixed Dried Fruit is a mixed-fruit option for adding fruit variety to a lunch.
These options include dried figs for the fruit part of lunch, fruit-and-nut bars and other snack bars. They are not interchangeable: check whether you need fruit or protein, and whether each product’s ingredients fit the child and the school’s rules.
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Consider this flapjack when you want a separate bar rather than dried fruit in the lunchbox. It is an oat-based product, not a dried-fruit snack; check the pack’s protein information, soya allergen statement and school policy.
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This peanut-and-fruit bar is an option only where its ingredients suit the child and the school permits them. Check the exact pack for peanuts, hazelnuts and other allergen statements before putting a bar in a packed lunch.
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Choose these freeze-dried figs for the fruit part of lunch rather than relying on them for protein. Pack dried fruit to eat with the meal, following NHS dental advice, and choose a separate protein food if needed.
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This peanut-and-chocolate bar is a separate snack-bar option, not dried fruit. Check the exact pack for peanuts, milk, soya and other allergen statements, as well as the school’s policy, before packing it.
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This fruit-and-nut bar offers a portioned alternative to loose dried fruit, but it should not be assumed to supply the lunch’s protein. Check the exact pack for cashews, almonds and other allergen statements, and confirm that the school permits nut-containing foods.
Do not rely on it as the main protein food. Product information from ASDA, Tesco and Marks & Spencer lists 2.2g–3.0g protein per 100g for the plain raisins, prunes and mixed fruit examined; choose a separate suitable protein food when protein is the aim.
It can be used as a fruit addition, subject to the individual school’s packed-lunch policy. Brighton & Hove City Council’s packed-lunch guidance describes policies monitored at school level, so check the rules that apply to your child’s school.
No: suitability depends on the child’s allergies, the exact ingredients and the school’s rules. Examples listed by Whitworths and ASDA contain peanuts or cashews; read the pack’s full allergy statement before choosing one.
That label does not change the advice about when to eat it. Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust advises giving dried fruit with meals rather than between them because it is sugary and can damage teeth.
Choose a separate food that suits the child and the school’s policy. South Kesteven District Council’s packed-lunch guide gives meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses as examples; dried fruit can remain the fruit addition.