For a few small snacks on the go, individually wrapped portions are handy if you don’t want to weigh them out yourself. With a larger bag, you can choose your own portion, but taking it with you requires more preparation. Check the weight per portion and the ingredients of the exact variety. The World Cancer Research Fund advises eating no more than 20 g of dried fruit a day; if you have several portions on the same day, count them all.
Want to take individual snack portions with you around New Year without weighing them out from a larger bag first? Check the number of individual packs and the weight per pack. For example, Jumbo lists a pack containing twelve boxes of 14 g each.
Want to limit how much dried fruit you eat or check for added sugar? Look at both the portion weight and the ingredients; words such as ‘fruit’ or ‘organic’ don’t tell you how much you’re eating.
Bear in mind any known allergies or sensitivity to sulphites among the people you’re buying for. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) says to check the allergen information on the label of prepacked products; check fruit and nut mixes individually too.
First decide whether you want ready-portioned snacks or would rather weigh them out yourself. Then check the ingredients and how much you actually want to take with you.
| What to consider | What should you look for? | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Taking small portions with you | Check the number of individual packs and the weight per pack; you’ll need to weigh out portions from a larger bag yourself. | Want to take a few snacks with you without any preparation? Around 36% of consumers give top priority to convenience when taking snacks with them. |
| Portion and ingredients | Read the weight per portion and check the ingredients for added sugar or syrup. | Want to keep an eye on the total amount and ingredients yourself? Around 22% of consumers put portion size and sugar at the top of their list. |
| Allergies or sensitivity to sulphites | Check the ingredients and warnings for the exact variety, especially for a mix. | Taking something for someone with a known allergy or sensitivity to sulphites? Around 14% of consumers put suitability first. |
| Variety of fruit | Check which types of fruit are included and whether it’s fruit on its own or a fruit and nut mix. | Want something other than raisins or a more varied mix? Around 14% of consumers give variety of flavour top priority. |
| Stocking up and leftovers | Compare packs on a like-for-like basis and think about how much of the remaining contents you’ll use. | Want to choose a pack that suits the amount you’ll actually get through? Around 14% of consumers focus mainly on cost and what they’ll have left over. |
A 375 g or 500 g bag is a bulk pack, not a guide to how much to take with you at once. The World Cancer Research Fund advises eating no more than 20 g of dried fruit a day.
Weigh out the amount you’ll actually take with you and eat; don’t treat the full contents of the bag as one portion.
Weighing it out yourself takes preparation, and you’ll need to store what’s left.
The label doesn’t tell you how much dried fruit you’ll eat in a day. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that sweetened dried fruit is not included in the Wheel of Five.
Check the portion weight and ingredients separately; don’t assume an organic label tells you the portion size.
A fruit and nut mix contains ingredients other than dried fruit alone. Dried fruit can contain sulphites; the Food Allergy Foundation describes sensitivity to sulphites as an intolerance reaction.
If someone has a known allergy or intolerance, check the label of the exact variety and keep the product information to hand.
Albert Heijn’s range information includes unsweetened dried pineapple and an organic raisin, pineapple, mango and almond mix.
Jumbo lists Woezel & Pip Organic Snack Raisins in a pack containing twelve boxes of 14 g each.
Lidl lists dried mango strips among the options for on-the-go snacking in its Alesto range.
ALDI’s Dutch product information includes 500 g packs of raisins and a resealable 200 g pack on a page featuring several varieties.
PLUS lists Sultana raisins in a 375 g stand-up pouch.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste Blanke raisins in a 375 g pack.
These products include boxes of raisins and other dried fruit snacks that you can take with you in individual packs or in portions you’ve weighed out yourself.
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The individual boxes are handy if you want to take raisins with you without weighing out a portion yourself.
The product information lists ten boxes of 14 g each, containing organic raisins with no added sugar or sulphites. The product is listed as suitable for children aged 12 months and over; supervise them while they eat and don’t use it if they have swallowing difficulties.
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This dried mango is an alternative to raisins if you want to take a different type of fruit with you.
The product description mentions individual packs and ingredients that include sugar and sulphites (E223). Check this information if you want to avoid added sugar or sulphites.
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This dried mango may suit you if you want to take a different type of fruit from raisins with you.
The title lists a 50 g pack; the product description says it is individually packed. According to the description, the product contains sugar and sulphites (E223).
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These dried mango slices are a ready-to-eat snack option if you want a change from raisins.
The product description lists sugar and sulphites (E223) and says to store in a cool, dry place.
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This portable bag of dried plums is designed to take with you or share; for smaller portions, choose how much you take with you.
The product description lists white sugar and salt.
The World Cancer Research Fund advises eating no more than 20 g of dried fruit a day. This is dietary advice, not a legal limit for pack sizes; add together any portions you eat on the same day.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the exact variety. The Jumbo Woezel & Pip raisins reviewed say to store in a cool, dark place; this isn’t general storage advice for all dried fruit products or mixes.
Check the allergen information on the exact pack. The NVWA says that allergen information must be shown on the label of prepacked products; this doesn’t mean that every fruit mix is suitable for everyone.
Compare packs on a like-for-like basis and think about how much of the contents you’ll actually use. The PLUS bag reviewed contains 375 g and the ALDI pack of raisins contains 500 g; you’ll need to portion both yourself for small snacks. A larger pack doesn’t automatically mean a lower cost per snack you eat.
Read the date on the pack you’re actually buying. The NVWA distinguishes between ‘use by’ dates for highly perishable foods and ‘best before’ dates for other foods; also follow the storage instructions for the variety you choose.
