Compare dried fruit by its energy content per 100 grams and by the amount you actually eat; a small portion doesn’t automatically make a product low in calories. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends 20 grams of dried fruit, but this isn’t a legal limit. Also check the ingredients, pack size and storage instructions after opening.
You want a sweet fruit snack and are mainly keeping an eye on the calories in the portion you eat. Weighing it and checking the label for the exact product can help. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre offers advice on portions of dried fruit, while product values can be found on labels from retailers including Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS.
You want to know whether sugar has been added and which ingredients or allergens are listed. If you need to manage a personal sensitivity, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’ve chosen. The NVWA provides guidance on allergen information; Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list product details for their own varieties.
You’re buying a small amount and want a pack that suits how much you’ll use and how you can store it. Check the net weight as well as the storage instructions for after opening. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains best-before dates; instructions can vary from product to product.
First compare the nutritional values for the same weight, then decide which ingredients and pack best suit the way you’ll use it.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Compare kcal per 100 grams and weigh the portion you plan to eat. | If I want to weigh my snack portion carefully, I check the energy content for exactly that amount. Around 46% of consumers prioritise the calories in a portion. |
| Ingredients | Check the ingredients list, added sugars and allergen information. | I want to know what has been added to the fruit and whether the ingredients suit my personal dietary requirements. Around 27% of consumers give ingredients their highest priority. |
| Quantity and storage | Check the net weight and storage advice for the opened pack. | When buying a small amount, I want a pack that suits how much I’ll use and how I can store it. Around 27% of consumers look at this first. |
The threshold for the claim ‘low energy’ applies per 100 grams of solid food, not per portion you choose yourself. The European Commission sets the maximum at 40 kcal per 100 grams.
Work out the energy in your weighed portion using the nutritional values per 100 grams. Don’t call a product ‘low calorie’ just because you eat a small amount.
For the stewed apricots checked, Albert Heijn lists 0 grams of added sugars and 37 grams of total sugars per 100 grams. For the prunes checked, PLUS lists 0 grams of added sugars and 38.1 grams of total sugars per 100 grams.
Check both the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ nutritional information; they tell you different things.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides general nutritional information for dried prunes. PLUS’s product page lists 282 kcal per 100 grams for its specific variety; a general value is no substitute for checking that product’s label.
Compare the nutritional values of the exact products, using the same weight.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the best-before date applies to an unopened pack. For the stewed apricots checked, Albert Heijn says to refrigerate after opening at a maximum of 7 °C and notes that they have a limited shelf life.
Choose an amount that suits how much you’ll use, and read the pack instructions before buying.
Albert Heijn’s product page describes AH Stewed Dried Apricots as a snack or topping.
Jumbo lists Pitted Dried Apricots in a 250-gram pack.
Lidl presents Alesto as a range of nuts and dried fruit, including apricots.
ALDI lists Trader Joe’s Sun-Dried Prunes in a 250-gram pack.
The PLUS product page lists dried prunes in a 375-gram pack.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste Apricots in a 375-gram pack.
This selection of Joybuy products includes dried prunes, apricots and strawberries for snacking or using as a topping. For the ‘low energy’ claim on solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 40 kcal per 100 grams; Joybuy’s product information lists a higher value for all the varieties below.
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An option if you’re looking for prunes in individual snack portions; the product information lists 65-gram portions.
Joybuy lists 214 kcal per 100 grams. The ingredients include prunes, fructose syrup and oligofructose.
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An option if you’re looking for dried apricots to snack on straight from the pack; the product information lists a pack size of 250 grams.
Joybuy lists 311 kcal per 100 grams. The product information lists added sugar, maltose syrup and sulphites.
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An option if you want to weigh out dried apricots; the product information lists a pack size of 300 grams.
Joybuy lists 327 kcal per 100 grams. The ingredients information lists sugar, maltose syrup and sulphites.
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An option if you’re looking for dried strawberries in a small pack; the product information lists a pack size of 50 grams.
Joybuy lists 313 kcal per 100 grams. The ingredients are strawberries and sugar.
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An option if you’re looking for prunes to eat or use as a topping; the product information lists a pack size of 430 grams.
Joybuy lists 283 kcal per 100 grams, with dried prunes as the only ingredient. The product information advises consuming the pack straight away after opening.
Not on the basis of the portion alone. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 40 kcal per 100 grams for the ‘low energy’ claim. So a small portion may contain fewer calories without the product meeting that threshold.
Weigh the portion and use the nutritional value per 100 grams: kcal per 100 grams × portion weight ÷ 100. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a maximum of 20 grams of dried fruit a day; this isn’t a legal limit for products.
That isn’t necessary for the stewed apricots from Albert Heijn that were checked: they’re sold as a snack. Jumbo describes its variety as dried, pitted apricots. Both product pages warn that an occasional stone or stone fragment may be present.
The best-before date applies to an unopened pack. After opening, follow the label; for Albert Heijn’s stewed apricots, this means refrigerating them at a maximum of 7 °C and using them within a limited time.
The NVWA says allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo apricots that were checked list sulphites; Jumbo also mentions the possible presence of nuts, peanuts and sesame. Check the pack if you need to manage a personal sensitivity.
