Families packing snacks to take out
An individual carton makes the amount easy to see before a school-age child starts eating. Check its stated energy per carton; a small pack does not tell you how it compares with another fruit by weight.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing dried fruit with fruit snacks
If you want dried fruit rather than a processed fruit snack, read the ingredients. Action on Sugar notes that fruit snacks can contain purées, concentrates, juices, extruded fruit or coatings, so fruit imagery alone does not identify what is in the pack.
Parents choosing food for toddlers
Snack timing matters as well as portion size. The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit such as raisins with meals, rather than between meals, because the sugar it contains can cause tooth decay.
What should you check first?
Decide when the fruit will be eaten, then compare the serving you can realistically provide. A carton sets out a portion; fruit from a larger bag needs measuring.
Small raisin carton
Choose when: You want a defined portion to take out for a school-age child.
Bear in mind: Its small serving does not make raisins low in energy by weight; Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 14g Sunny Raisins carton and 333 kcal per 100g.
Fruit measured from a bag
Choose when: You can put prunes, figs or other dried fruit into a separate container before serving.
Bear in mind: The bag does not set the serving for you; use the current pack label to work out its energy.
A different between-meal snack
Choose when: You are preparing a snack for a toddler to eat between meals.
Bear in mind: This is about timing, not a calorie comparison: the NHS advises serving toddlers dried fruit with meals instead.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving energy | Read kcal per carton or stated serving. For loose fruit, measure the amount you intend to serve; use kcal per 100g when comparing products on the same weight basis. | I want to know the energy in the amount that will actually be eaten, whether that is one small carton or fruit taken from a bag. |
| Snack timing | For toddlers, plan dried fruit as part of a meal. The NHS advises against giving it as an in-between snack because its sugar can cause tooth decay. | If I am feeding a toddler between meals, I need to choose something other than dried fruit; a smaller carton does not change the NHS advice. |
| Ingredients | Read the full list for the fruit itself and any oils or other additions. Action on Sugar notes that processed fruit snacks may include purées, concentrates, juices or coatings. | I am looking for dried fruit, so I want to know whether the pack contains the fruit I expect or a different kind of fruit snack. |
| Fruit portion | Use around 30g as a reference for one dried-fruit portion, according to nidirect. Check the pack weight: a mini carton can contain less than 30g. | When I portion fruit from a bag, I want a measurable amount rather than treating a fruit-portion message as permission to serve any quantity. |
Common buying mistakes
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Judging raisins by a small carton alone
Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 14g Sunny Raisins carton, but 333 kcal per 100g. The carton defines the amount; it does not change the fruit’s energy per 100g.
Use the carton figure to plan that snack. If comparing different loose fruits, check their labels on the same per-100g basis and then measure the serving.
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Offering toddlers dried fruit between meals
The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit with meals rather than between meals because the sugar it contains can cause tooth decay.
Keep dried fruit for a mealtime when choosing food for a toddler; do not use a small pack as a reason to set aside the timing advice.
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Assuming every fruit snack is plain dried fruit
Action on Sugar notes that processed fruit snacks can contain purées, concentrates, juices, extruded fruit or coatings. A picture of fruit does not establish the ingredients.
Read the ingredient list when plain dried fruit is what you intend to buy.
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Eating straight from a large bag
A bag does not define the amount eaten. Marks & Spencer lists 292 kcal per 100g for its Mixed Dried Fruit, so the energy in a snack depends on how much is served.
Measure a portion into a bowl or container before the snack begins.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why the serving and the exact product label matter more than the name on the pack.
Whitworths
Its Sunny Raisins carton gives a stated figure for an individual snack portion.
- Whitworths lists 47 kcal and 9.3g total sugars per 14g Sunny Raisins carton; the ingredients are raisins (99%) and sunflower oil.
- Whitworths also gives portion figures for prunes and sweet figs in its own guidance. Check the label of the particular pack you choose rather than applying those figures to every prune or fig product.
Sunsweet
Sunsweet’s UK range includes prunes alongside prune juice and prune recipes.
- Its prune range is relevant if you want to measure out prunes rather than use a raisin carton.
- Check the nutrition and serving information on the specific prune pack before comparing it with another dried fruit.
Tesco
Tesco’s dried-fruit category lists types including prunes, raisins, sultanas, mango, cranberries, dates and figs.
- The category provides several fruit types to consider for a measured snack.
- Use each product’s own nutrition label and serving size for a calorie comparison; a category listing does not put every snack portion on the same basis.
M&S
M&S Mixed Dried Fruit is a loose mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants with sunflower oil.
- Marks & Spencer lists 292 kcal and 68.8g total sugars per 100g for this product.
- It is sold as a larger bag rather than individual snack cartons, so measure the amount you intend to serve.
Dried-fruit options on Joybuy
These options include small packs to check for a defined snack portion and larger packs of prunes or figs to portion yourself. Compare the serving and ingredients of each product; this selection is not a calorie ranking.
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Frula Freeze Dried Fruits Peach 10g
The 10g pack gives you a defined amount to take out as a snack. Check its nutrition label for the energy in that pack; freeze-dried peach also has a different texture from chewy dried fruit.
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Organix Goodies Raisins 12+ Months, 12 x 14g
The 12 individual 14g boxes make the amount in each carton clear for a snack away from home. Despite the age wording in the product name, follow NHS advice to give toddlers dried fruit with meals, not between meals.
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J.ZAO Pitted Chilean Prunes 500g
Individually wrapped prunes let you set aside an amount to serve, but check the weight and energy of that amount rather than treating each wrapper as a standard portion. The product information identifies added isomaltose, so check the ingredient list if you want fruit without that addition.
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Three Squirrels Freeze-Dried Figs 40g
The 40g pack is an option if you want freeze-dried figs, but do not assume the whole pack matches a smaller dried-fruit serving. Check the energy for the amount you plan to serve.
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Whitworths Figs 175g
The 175g bag suits serving figs from a separate bowl or container. Measure the amount first and use this pack’s nutrition label to work out the energy in that serving.
Frequently asked questions
Is dried fruit automatically a low-calorie half-term snack?
No. Compare the energy in the portion that will be eaten. Whitworths lists 47 kcal per 14g Sunny Raisins carton but 333 kcal per 100g; the small carton defines a serving, not the energy of raisins by weight.
How much dried fruit counts as one fruit portion?
Around 30g of dried fruit counts as one fruit-and-vegetable portion according to nidirect. You can use that amount when measuring fruit from a bag, but check the weight of a mini carton rather than assuming it contains 30g.
Can toddlers have raisins between meals?
The NHS advises giving toddlers dried fruit such as raisins with meals rather than as an in-between snack, because the sugar it contains can cause tooth decay. A small carton does not change that timing advice.
What should I look for on a fruit snack’s ingredient list?
If you want plain dried fruit, check that the fruit is the main ingredient and read any listed additions. Action on Sugar notes that processed fruit snacks can contain purées, concentrates, juices, extruded fruit or coatings, so check the whole list rather than relying on the front of the pack.