Keeping fat low in front of the TV
You’re looking for a fruity evening snack and want to choose based on its actual fat content, not just a claim on the pack.
Who is this buying guide for?
Mindful portion snackers
You want to enjoy a measured amount while watching and keep an eye on energy and sugars as well as fat.
Ingredient-conscious snackers
You check for added sugar and look for sulphites or warnings about nuts and peanuts if these are relevant to you.
What should you look for when buying?
For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for a ‘low fat’ claim. This is different from showing that a product has a reduced fat content compared with a similar product.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content and claims | Compare the fat per 100 g on the exact pack and distinguish between ‘low fat’ and ‘reduced fat’. | If fat is my main priority, I compare the exact variant rather than just looking at the front of the pack. Around 33% of consumers put fat content first when deciding what to buy. |
| Portion, energy and sugars | Check the energy and sugars per 100 g, weigh your portion in advance and count any portions you’ve already had that day. | When watching a film, I want to know in advance how much I’m serving and what’s in that portion. Around 27% of consumers put portion size and energy first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read both the ingredients list and the allergen information on the current pack. | If additives or allergens matter to me, I check both. Around 20% of consumers start by checking the ingredients. |
| Storage after opening | Follow the storage instructions on the exact pack and choose an amount that suits how you use it. | If I’m buying for several movie nights, I want to know how to store an opened pack. For around 13% of consumers, storage and ease of use come first. |
| Packaging and where to shop | Check the net weight and whether the retailer suits the way you shop. | I want an amount that suits how I use it and a shopping option that works for me. Around 7% of consumers put packaging and where to shop first. |
Pitfalls to avoid with dried fruit
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Confusing low fat with low energy
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 26 kcal and 0 g of fat for a generic dried apricot weighing 9 g. These figures are not the nutritional values for a specific supermarket pack.
Compare the nutritional values on the pack you’re buying and consider how much you actually set out to eat.
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Treating the whole bag as one snack portion
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises eating no more than 20 g of dried fruit a day; this is not the same as the contents of a pack.
Weigh out a portion in advance, take into account what you’ve already eaten that day and store the rest according to the pack instructions.
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Assuming a short ingredients list guarantees no allergens
The ingredients list on the Jumbo mango we checked mentions only dried mango, while the pack also warns that it may contain nuts and peanuts. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) notes that allergen information for prepacked products must appear on the label.
If certain allergens are relevant to you, check both the ingredients and the warnings on the current pack.
Supermarket brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s softened dried apricots are an option if you’re looking for apricots for a fruity snack.
- The product information lists 0.6 g of fat and 182 kcal per 100 g.
- The apricots contain sulphites. Once opened, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in the fridge at a maximum of 7 °C.
Jumbo
Jumbo Dried Mango 125 g is an option if you’re looking for mango with a short ingredients list.
- The ingredients list mentions only dried mango.
- The product information lists 319 kcal and 60 g of sugars per 100 g and warns that it may contain nuts and peanuts.
Lidl
Alesto is Lidl’s product range, which includes dried mango. Lidl describes the range as suitable for snacking or as a topping; this is the retailer’s own positioning.
- The Alesto range includes dried mango.
- Check the nutritional values and ingredients of your chosen variant on the pack; describing it as a snack or topping is not a nutritional assessment.
ALDI
ALDI sells Trader Joe’s Sun-dried Prunes, an option if you’re looking for pitted prunes.
- ALDI describes the prunes as soft and pitted.
- Check the nutritional values, ingredients and allergen information on the pack if these affect your choice.
PLUS
PLUS Dried Apricots are sold in a 375 g stand-up pouch.
- The product information lists 0.5 g of fat and 0 g of added sugars per 100 g.
- The apricots contain sulphites; the product information also lists 254 kcal and 53.4 g of sugars per 100 g.
Dirk
Sunshine Delights Dried Mango is available at Dirk; the pack mentioned weighs 200 g.
- The product description gives the product name and pack size.
- Check the nutritional values, ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack before choosing.
Dried fruit at Joybuy
The products below include dried dates, soursop, mango and apricots, which you can compare by fat, sugars and ingredients per 100 g.
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Haoxiangni Dr.Jujube Premium Gold-Grade Pitted 390g
An option if you’re looking for pitted dates that, according to the product description, are ready to eat.
Ingredient: 100% dates. The nutritional information lists 0 g of fat and 50 g of sugars per 100 g; the pack contains 390 g.
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OHLA dried soursop 180g
This dried soursop is an option if you want to compare different types of fruit by their ingredients and nutritional values.
The product information lists 2.21 g of fat and 72.6 g of sugars per 100 g. The ingredients include added white sugar, glucose and sodium metabisulphite.
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Haoxiangni Pitted Jujubes 500g
An option if you’re looking for pitted red dates that, according to the product description, are ready to eat.
Ingredient: 100% red dates. The nutritional information lists 0.5 g of fat and 60 g of sugars per 100 g; the pack contains 500 g.
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PHILIPPINE BRAND Dried Mango 100 g
An option if you’re looking for dried mango in individually wrapped pieces.
The nutritional information lists 0 g of fat and 56 g of sugars per 100 g. The product description lists sugar and E223 (sodium metabisulphite) among the ingredients.
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Three Squirrels dried red apricots 250g
An option if you’re looking for dried apricots that, according to the product description, are ready to eat.
The nutritional information lists 0 g of fat and 62 g of sugars per 100 g. The product description mentions sulphites; the pack is resealable.
Frequently asked questions
When is dried fruit low in fat, and does that also mean ‘reduced fat’?
For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for a ‘low fat’ claim. This is an absolute limit and does not prove that the fat content has been reduced compared with a similar product.
How much dried fruit should I set out for a movie night?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises eating no more than 20 g of dried fruit a day. Weigh your portion in advance and take into account any dried fruit you’ve already eaten that day; this advice does not automatically match a portion size shown on the pack.
Can I store any opened bag of dried fruit in the kitchen cupboard?
No, follow the instructions on the exact pack. Once opened, Albert Heijn’s softened apricots should be refrigerated at a maximum of 7 °C. General storage advice does not replace the product’s specific instructions.
Is fruit with only fruit as an ingredient sugar-free?
No. The Jumbo mango we checked lists only dried mango as an ingredient, but also contains 60 g of sugars per 100 g. So check the nutritional information and consider how much you eat.
Does a short ingredients list guarantee there are no allergens?
No, check the allergen information on the current pack as well. The Jumbo mango we checked warns that it may contain nuts and peanuts; the Albert Heijn and PLUS apricots we checked list sulphites.