Ready-made snack boxes are handy if you want to give each child an individual portion. Choose the number of packs based on your guest list, plus any extra portions you want to save for lunchboxes. Then compare portion sizes, ingredients and allergens. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends small portions of dried fruit and supervision when young children are eating.
You want to know in advance how many children will get their own portion, without having to weigh or divide anything up at the party. Jumbo lists fourteen 14 g boxes; Albert Heijn lists ten 14 g boxes for its Hamsterchef raisins.
You’re looking for small packs that can be kept unopened for another occasion. Check the portion size and follow the storage information on the pack; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre also offers general storage advice for raisins.
You want to check the ingredients and warnings for children with different dietary needs or allergies. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) explains how allergens are listed in ingredients; also check the warnings on the specific pack.
First work out how many individual portions you need. Then check the portion size, ingredients and how much preparation is involved if you portion the fruit yourself.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Number of individual portions | Count the boxes in each pack and work out how many packs you need for your guests. | I want to have a separate box ready for each child without weighing out portions at the party. Around 31% of consumers prioritise the number of individual portions. |
| Small portions | Check the weight of each box and the nutritional information per portion, if provided. | If I also want to save some boxes for lunchboxes, I look for a clearly defined portion for each occasion. Around 25% of consumers prioritise small portions and sugar content. |
| Allergens and supervision | Read the ingredients and warnings for each variety, and check any relevant dietary requirements with parents in advance. | I want to know in advance whether a variety meets the children’s dietary requirements and whether they need supervision while eating. Around 19% of consumers prioritise food safety. |
| Total cost | Compare the quantity needed for all your guests, and factor in whether you’ll need to provide your own containers. | I want to weigh up the total cost of the party against the convenience of snack boxes, or make up portions myself if that works out better. Around 13% of consumers prioritise total cost. |
| Fruit variety | Check which types of fruit and ingredients are in the variety you’ve chosen. | I want to choose fruit the children enjoy and check what’s in it beforehand. Around 12% of consumers prioritise variety. |
AH Hamsterchef raisins list 0 g of added sugars, but also 65 g of total sugars per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends small portions of dried fruit.
Check total sugars alongside information about added sugars, and look at the portion weight.
The AH mixes with apple and apricot included in the review list sulphites. The Jumbo product warns that it may contain, among other things, nuts, milk and soya.
Check each variety individually and confirm any relevant dietary requirements with parents in advance.
Jumbo lists fourteen boxes, while the AH Hamsterchef products included in the review list ten. The total weight alone won’t tell you how many individual portions you can hand out.
Check the number of inner packs before working out how many packs you need.
If you misjudge the number of boxes, you may need an extra pack or your own portion containers.
A single bag of raisins has a total weight, but it isn’t the same as a pack of individual children’s portions.
Choose a single bag if you’re happy to portion it yourself, and keep the product information with any leftovers.
The Hamsterchef range includes raisins and varieties with apple or apricot in individual boxes.
Jumbo Snoep Rozijntjes Doosjes is a pack of individual portions of regular raisins.
PLUS product information covers both a single bag of raisins and Sundrop Snoeprozijnen.
Dutch product information lists Trader Joe’s raisins in a single pack.
Dirk’s product information lists raisins in a single bag.
Dutch product information lists dried blueberries and cherries as varieties.
This selection includes raisins in individual snack packs and a shareable bag of dried plums. Check each product to see whether the portions suit the number of children you’re catering for.
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The product title describes mini snack packs; check the packaging to see how many individual portions it contains before deciding how many you need for your party.
The product information lists 252 g, 99.5% raisins and sunflower oil. It also lists 70 g of sugars per 100 g.
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The product information lists ten individual 14 g boxes, so you can match the number of portions to your guest list.
The information says the product is suitable from 12 months, that children should be supervised while eating and that it isn’t suitable for children with swallowing difficulties. Check the instructions on the packaging.
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This shareable bag is an option if you’d like to serve dried plums for everyone to share; it isn’t a multipack with a portion for each child.
The product information lists a net weight of 90 g and ingredients including plums, sugar, salt and sweeteners. You’ll need to portion it yourself if you want individual servings.
First decide how many individual boxes you want to hand out, including any extras, then divide that number by the number of boxes in each pack. Round up to the next whole pack. Jumbo lists fourteen boxes per pack; the AH Hamsterchef products included in the review have ten.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends small portions and supervision while young children are eating, as they can choke on raisins. Giving them an individual snack box doesn’t change this precaution.
Read the ingredients list and any warnings on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen. The NVWA explains that the 14 designated allergens must be clearly listed in the ingredients whenever they’re used as an ingredient. Also check for warnings about possible cross-contamination, and discuss any questions with parents in advance.
Both AH Hamsterchef mixes with apple and apricot included in the review list sulphites. Don’t choose them for a child with a sulphite sensitivity unless their parents confirm that the variety is suitable.
Follow the best-before date and storage instructions on the specific pack. For opened raisins, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives general advice to store them in a kitchen cupboard for six to nine months; this doesn’t replace the product-specific label.
