If you’re mainly watching your calorie intake with your morning coffee, start by weighing out a portion and checking the kcal for the specific product on the label. As a general guide by fruit type, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 40 kcal for 20 g of dried plums, around 58 kcal for 20 g of dried apricots and 67 kcal for 20 g of dried cranberries. These figures are not the nutritional values of specific supermarket products. A small portion also doesn’t automatically make a product low in energy.
You want a small fruit snack with your morning coffee and are mainly keeping an eye on the kcal in the portion you eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s general figures help you compare fruit types, but the label on the pack you choose is what matters.
You’re looking for dried fruit with ingredients that suit you. Check added sugars, preservatives and allergens separately: these details don’t, on their own, tell you how many kcal a portion contains.
You want to take your snack with you or portion it out in advance, and shop at a supermarket on your usual route. Pack size, stones, storage instructions and how you can buy it may all be relevant.
Compare the portion and nutritional information first. Then consider the ingredients, how you’ll use the product and the packaging, based on what matters to you during your coffee break.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Compare kcal per 100 g and calculate the amount for the weight you eat. | With my morning coffee, I want to know how much energy my usual snack portion provides; around 42% of consumers give the highest priority to calories per portion. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients list and allergen information; assess kcal separately. | If I’m looking for a particular ingredient profile, I don’t want to assume it also has the lowest energy value; around 25% of consumers prioritise suitable ingredients. |
| Use and storage | Check the pack weight, whether the fruit contains stones and the storage instructions on the label. | If I want to take my snack with me or portion it out in advance, convenience and storage matter; around 17% of consumers focus most on practicality. |
| Shop and packaging | Compare the weight and price on the same basis, and check how you can buy it. | If I do my shopping at a regular supermarket, I want the pack and purchasing options to fit in with that; around 16% of consumers prioritise where to shop and costs. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s general figures are guides by fruit type, not current nutritional tables for specific supermarket products. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g for a ‘low energy’ claim. That’s different from having a small snack portion: for example, the general figure for dried plums is 40 kcal per 20 g, or 200 kcal per 100 g.
A 20 g portion may contain a limited number of kcal, even if the product has more than the ‘low energy’ claim limit per 100 g.
Compare the kcal in a weighed portion when choosing a snack. Only use the ‘low energy’ claim if the product meets the applicable limit per 100 g.
Lidl says that its Alesto mango strips contain no added sugars, but do contain naturally occurring sugars. This ingredient information doesn’t tell you how much energy your portion provides.
Check the ingredients list and energy value as two separate criteria when buying.
Packs of dried fruit may contain several portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a maximum of 20 g of dried fruit per day; this is dietary advice, not a recommended amount for every individual coffee break.
Weigh out your preferred portion in advance and follow the storage instructions on the label for the rest of the pack.
These product ranges provide examples for comparing labels and practical features. A brand name or product feature doesn’t prove that a product is lower in calories.
Albert Heijn stocks products including soaked dried apricots. Check the nutritional information on the current pack.
Jumbo lists both regular pitted dried apricots and a 250 g organic apricot variety.
Lidl describes Alesto mango strips as a snack.
ALDI describes Trader Joe’s Sun-Dried Plums in a 250 g pack.
PLUS lists dried plums in a 375 g bag.
Dirk describes 1 de Beste Pitted Plums in a 375 g pack.
The Joybuy products shown are plum and date snacks, including preserved and salted plums; they are not all the same as dried fruit to have with coffee. So before choosing them as an alternative, compare the product type, portion and nutritional information on the product page.
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The product description presents this as a portable plum snack. It is a salted, preserved plum, not a regular dried plum.
The description states that it contains 86% Chinese plum and lists sugar, salt and sulphite as ingredients.
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The product description says these red dates can be eaten straight from the pack, making them a different type of fruit from dried plums or apricots.
The stated nutritional values are 327 kcal and 50 g of sugars per 100 g.
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The product description says these plum snacks are individually wrapped for taking on the go; they are preserved plums.
The listed ingredients are green plum, sugar, salt, liquorice and food additives. The nutritional information states 257 kcal per 100 g.
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The product description says it can be enjoyed at home, at work or on the go. These are preserved plums, not a regular portion of dried fruit.
The stated nutritional value is 327 kcal per 100 g. The ingredients list includes plum, sugar, salt, liquorice, honey and sweeteners.
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According to the product description, this plum snack is ready to eat and suitable for taking with you; it is a preserved plum.
The stated nutritional values are 230 kcal per 100 g and 5 g of salt per 100 g. The ingredients list includes green plum, salt and sweeteners; the product information also states that it is a source of phenylalanine.
No. For a ‘low energy’ claim on a solid food, the limit is 40 kcal per 100 g. The general figure for dried plums is 40 kcal per 20 g, or 200 kcal per 100 g, so it doesn’t meet that claim limit.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a maximum of 20 g of dried fruit per day. This is dietary advice, not a legal limit on what you can buy, and it isn’t an additional amount for every individual coffee break.
For dried plums in general, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide recommends keeping them in a kitchen cupboard for 6–9 months after opening. Follow the storage instructions on the specific pack, as these may vary between products.
Read the allergen information on the specific pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information for pre-packed products appears on the label. An organic label doesn’t replace this check.
Compare packs on the same weight basis, and consider the total amount you need as well. The ALDI plum pack described is 250 g; the PLUS and Dirk packs mentioned are 375 g. So a lower total price doesn’t automatically mean a lower price per kilogram.
