Ready to take with you and hand out
You’re looking for dried fruit that you can take to work or hand out at drinks without any preparation. Individual boxes of raisins are suited to this use; Jumbo describes them as handy for when you’re on the go.
Who is this choice for?
Making small portions yourself
You want to decide how much fruit goes into each snack bag. If so, check the pack size and ingredients of the larger pack, and consider what you’ll do with any leftovers.
Buying for a group
You’re organising drinks and want to have enough fruit ready, store any leftovers and keep product information available for guests who need to check allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information for prepacked products must be shown on the label.
What should you look for when buying?
First decide what matters most to you: convenience when handing it out, control over portions, information for the group or storing leftovers.
| What to consider | What should you look for? | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to take with you | Check whether the portions are individually wrapped and how many grams each inner pack contains. | If I want to hand something out without weighing it, I look for individual portions; around 33% of consumers make convenience for taking with them their top buying priority. |
| Portion and ingredients | Read the ingredients and consider how much you actually want to eat, rather than looking only at the information per 100 g. | If you want to put together a small portion yourself, check the quantity and ingredients; around 27% of consumers put this need first. |
| Information for the group | Check the exact variety, allergen information and any warnings; if you’re portioning it yourself, keep the original label. | If I’m handing it out to someone with a relevant allergy, I want to be able to check the product information; around 20% of consumers put this need first. |
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the net weight with the number of portions you plan to make, and follow the storage advice for the variety you choose. | If I want to buy enough without having too much left over, I plan the portions and storage in advance; around 20% of consumers name quantity and leftovers as their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Confusing ‘no added sugar’ with ‘sugar-free’
Dried fruit contains sugar even when no sugar has been added. What’s more, a claim on the front of the pack doesn’t tell you how much you’re planning to eat.
Read the ingredients list and choose a portion based on how much you want to take with you.
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Treating a resealable pack as one portion
A resealable pack isn’t necessarily intended to be eaten all at once. ALDI lists a resealable 200 g pack in a product listing that covers several varieties.
Decide in advance how much you’ll take, and divide the contents into smaller portions if needed.
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Assuming a combined product listing means one fixed recipe
ALDI’s listing covers different varieties, including a mix with cashew nuts. The ingredients for one variety won’t necessarily apply to another.
Check the specific pack before portioning the fruit or giving it to someone with a relevant allergy.
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Applying the storage life for raisins to all fruit mixes
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened raisins can be kept in a kitchen cupboard for 6–9 months. This doesn’t automatically apply to other types of dried fruit or fruit mixes.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you choose, and check any leftovers before using them.
Supermarkets with relevant products
Albert Heijn
The range page lists products including dried pineapple and fruit and nut mixes.
- There are different product formats to compare.
- A fruit and nut mix isn’t the same as dried fruit on its own; check the ingredients for the variety you choose.
Jumbo
The product listings include raisins and dried apricots, including pitted apricots and softened varieties.
- The retailer describes its small boxes of raisins as handy for when you’re on the go.
- The format and preparation vary by fruit and variety; check the product listing.
Lidl
Lidl lists dried fruit and a dried fruit mix.
- The product listings offer several formats to consider.
- The dried fruit listing is available in selected stores; check the latest product information.
ALDI
The listings include Trader Joe’s raisins in a 500 g pack and a product listing for cranberries or a cranberry and raisin mix in a resealable 200 g pack.
- The listing for the mix specifically says that the pack is resealable.
- The combined listing also includes cashew nuts; check the variety you choose and its ingredients.
PLUS
The product listings include Sultana raisins in a 375 g stand-up pouch and golden raisins in a 375 g bag.
- The listed pack size can help you plan portions to put together yourself.
- PLUS advises customers to read the packaging; a stand-up pouch alone doesn’t mean it’s resealable.
Dirk
The search results include various dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries, pitted plums and apricots.
- The product formats listed offer different options to explore by fruit type.
- Search results may also include products containing raisins that aren’t dried fruit snacks; check the product category.
Dried fruit at Joybuy
These Joybuy products are larger packs of dried fruit that are suitable for making up your own portions for drinks. Check the ingredients and quantity for each variety before filling your snack bags.
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Medjool dates, 908 g
The 908 g pack gives you plenty to make up your own portions.
The product information lists dates and describes them as Medjool dates.
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Zohra Medjool dates (M), 908 g
The 908 g pack can be weighed out into portions of your choice.
The product information describes the dates as pitted.
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OHLA dried guava, 180 g
The 180 g pack can be weighed out when you’re making up your own portions.
The product information lists guava, sugar and a preservative. Check the ingredients list on the pack.
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OHLA dried soursop, 180 g
The 180 g pack can be weighed out to make your own snack bags.
The product information lists sugar, glucose and sulphite. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
Frequently asked questions
How much dried fruit should you put in a homemade snack bag?
You can use 20 g as a practical amount to weigh out a small portion of fruit. World Cancer Research Fund recommends a maximum of 20 g of dried fruit a day. This refers to your total daily amount and isn’t a required portion size for a snack bag.
How do you work out how much fruit you need for drinks?
Multiply the number of portions by the weight of each portion. For 12 portions of 20 g, you’ll need 240 g. This works out the amount for the portions you plan to make; it doesn’t predict how much your guests will eat.
What should you check before giving dried fruit to someone with an allergy?
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack for the exact variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information for prepacked products must be shown on the label. Keep the original label if you portion the fruit yourself.
How long can you keep an opened bag of raisins?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened raisins can be kept in a kitchen cupboard for 6–9 months. Follow the instructions on the pack too; this guidance doesn’t automatically apply to other types of dried fruit or fruit mixes.
Is a larger pack more convenient than individual portions?
A larger pack works well if you want to weigh out portions yourself and have a use for any leftovers. Individual boxes take less preparation if you want to hand something out straight away. Whichever format you choose, check the amount per portion and the product information for that variety.