A large bag is a good choice if you’ll also use the dried fruit at home after your picnic. A multipack is handy if you want to store your supplies in separate bags, while a smaller pack may suit a one-off occasion better. Match the quantity to what you’ll actually use, and check the ingredients, allergens and storage advice for the variant you choose.
You’re looking for a quantity that works for your picnic and for what you’ll use at home afterwards. So check the total quantity and how to store the pack once opened. Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe different pack sizes for raisins.
You want to bring enough for everyone and be able to seal any leftovers properly. A multipack with individual bags and a pack explicitly described as resealable offer different ways to divide up your supplies. Albert Heijn describes individual bags, while ALDI mentions resealability for a product range of fruit mixes.
You want to know what else is in the pack besides fruit and take your group’s needs into account. Always check the exact variant: Albert Heijn lists sunflower oil in one raisin variant, while PLUS lists sulphites in the apricots reviewed.
First decide how much you’ll take and what you want to keep after the picnic. Then check the packaging and ingredients for the exact variant.
| What to consider | What to look for when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity for home and the picnic | Compare the total quantity and number of bags with what you’ll actually use during and after the picnic. | I don’t want to buy more than our household will use; around 36% of consumers prioritise matching the quantity they buy to how much they’ll actually use. |
| Taking it along and sharing it | Check whether the pack contains individual bags or is explicitly described as resealable. | If I want to share the fruit easily and seal any leftovers, I check the packaging; around 29% of consumers prioritise taking it along and sharing it. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and check the allergens highlighted on the packaging for the exact variant. | If someone in my group needs to consider certain ingredients, I check the label before buying; around 21% of consumers prioritise ingredients and suitability for their diet. |
| Type of fruit and variety | Check the type of fruit, the weight of each variant and, for a mix, the full list of ingredients. | I want to bring different types of fruit without buying more than we need; around 14% of consumers make variety their main consideration. |
A bigger pack means more to store, but that doesn’t automatically make it the right amount for what your household will use.
Compare the quantity with how much you expect to use during and after the picnic. Choose a multipack only if you want to keep the individual bags for later too.
The 500 g AH Sun-Dried Raisins variant lists 0 g of added sugars and 59 g of total sugars per 100 g. These are different nutritional values, according to Albert Heijn.
Read the ingredients list and the full nutrition table. Don’t base your choice solely on the ‘no added sugar’ claim.
The 375 g PLUS apricots reviewed list E220 and sulphites. That doesn’t mean other apricots or fruit variants have the same ingredients.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you plan to buy, especially if anyone in your group has dietary requirements.
The AH Sun-Dried Raisins 4-pack contains four individual 500 g bags, totalling 2 kg; they’re not small individual snack portions. Albert Heijn describes the contents as separate items.
Check both the weight of each bag and the total quantity, and only take as much as you need.
The sun-dried raisins described are available in 500 and 750 g packs, as well as a multipack with four individual 500 g bags.
The sun-dried sultanas described are available in 500 and 750 g packs.
The Dutch Alesto product range includes dried mango strips.
The products described include 500 g packs of raisins, 250 g packs of sun-dried apricots and a range of 200 g fruit mixes.
The range described includes 375 g packs of sultanas, 375 g packs of apricots and 500 g packs of tutti frutti.
Dirk describes a 200 g pack of stoned apricots.
Multiply the amount you want to allow per person by the number of people. For example, eight people at 25 g each comes to 200 g; this is a calculation example, not nutritional advice. Albert Heijn lists 25 g as the labelled serving size for the 750 g raisins reviewed, but other packs may use a different serving size.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging for your product. For the Jumbo raisins reviewed, Jumbo advises storing them in a cool, dry, dark place, without explicitly recommending refrigeration. Voedingscentrum does advise keeping chilled picnic foods cold and using clean utensils.
Store dried apricots according to the label and seal the pack properly. Voedingscentrum advises storing dried apricots in a cool, dry, dark place; don’t assume that the same advice applies to another type of product without checking.
Check the ingredients list and any allergens clearly highlighted on it. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, 14 allergens must be declared. The PLUS apricots reviewed list sulphur dioxide and sulphites; always check the exact variant.
Contact the seller and follow the instructions for the product. ACM ConsuWijzer explains that the legal guarantee applies to an unsafe product if it has been used normally and the instructions have been followed. If you don’t get a satisfactory solution, you can ask for your money back. You can also report a potentially unsafe food product to the NVWA.
