Choose dried fruit as the fruit component, and look to pair it with foods such as quark, yoghurt or nuts for extra protein. According to general nutrition tables from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, 20 grams of raisins contain 0.6 grams of protein and one dried apricot weighing 9 grams contains 0.4 grams; exact values may vary by product. Base your choice on portion size, ingredients and whether perishable ingredients can be kept chilled. Don’t treat the presence of protein alone as proof that a product can make an authorised protein claim.
Would you like to think about your protein intake as well as having something sweet after a workout? Look at the protein source in the complete snack and consider your portion, rather than focusing only on the type of fruit. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests quark and yoghurt as ways to get extra protein.
For a day out, it’s useful to think in advance about how you’ll store your snack. A dry fruit-and-nut mix needs different preparation from a snack containing chilled dairy; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping perishable ingredients chilled.
Want to tailor your portion or avoid certain ingredients? Check the packaging for naturally occurring and added sugars, allergens and any sulphites. Dried fruit with no added sugar doesn’t automatically mean it contains no sugars.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Protein in the complete snack | Check the grams of protein per 100 grams and per portion. Assess any added protein source separately. | If I want extra protein after a workout, I look at the whole combination and portion, not just the type of fruit. Around 36% of consumers focus on the protein contribution of the complete snack. |
| Taking it with you and storage | Read the storage instructions for all the ingredients and work out whether you can store the combination appropriately. | For a day out, I want to know whether I can take my snack without keeping it chilled or whether I’ll need chilled ingredients. Around 29% of consumers prioritise portability and suitable storage. |
| Portion size and sugars | Consider how much you eat, and check the nutrition table and ingredients list separately. | If I want to choose my portion carefully, I check both the sugars present and the ingredients. Around 21% of consumers prioritise portion size and sugars. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the allergen information on the exact packaging and for every ingredient you add. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check the whole combination. Around 14% of consumers make dietary suitability their top priority. |
General portion values for raisins and dried apricots show that they provide only a small amount of protein. A product containing some protein isn’t automatically a high-protein snack.
Assess the nutritional value of the whole portion and anything you add to it. Don’t simply eat more dried fruit to get more protein.
Adding a separate protein source, such as dairy or nuts, means choosing and taking another ingredient with you.
Raisins contain naturally occurring sugars. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 13.8 grams of sugars in a 20-gram handful of raisins; that figure alone doesn’t tell you whether sugar has been added to a particular product.
Read both the ingredients list and the nutrition table, and decide in advance how much you want to take with you.
A combination with quark or yoghurt isn’t the same as a dry fruit snack: perishable ingredients need to be kept properly chilled. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing highly perishable food in the fridge at 4 °C.
Choose your combination only once you know how you can store it while you’re out, and follow the instructions for the specific ingredients.
A chilled snack takes extra preparation and a way to keep the ingredients cool.
A mixed snack may contain nuts or milk, while dried fruit may also contain sulphites. Ingredients can vary between packs and combinations.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, check the information on each specific pack, including the packaging for any ingredients you add yourself.
Albert Heijn lists dried fruit and fruit-and-nut combinations, including blueberries with cashew nuts.
Jumbo lists sultanas in different pack sizes, to use as a fruit component or ingredient.
The Alesto range includes nuts and dried fruit; Lidl also lists dried mango strips for home or on the go.
ALDI lists 250-gram Trader Joe’s sun-dried apricots and describes them as soft.
PLUS lists dried apricots in a 375-gram stand-up pouch.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste apricots in its cupboard and baking range.
These Joybuy products range from dried fruit to fruit-and-nut combinations. Assess the nutrition information for each pack and portion; the presence of protein alone doesn’t confirm that a product can make an authorised protein claim.
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A handy choice if you want to take small portions of raisins with you. The product information lists ten 14 g boxes, organic raisins and no added sugars; this doesn’t mean the product contains no sugars.
According to the product information, this product is suitable only for children over 12 months; supervise them while they eat. It isn’t suitable for children with swallowing difficulties.
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A good fit if you’re looking for almonds with strawberries as a snack or topping for yoghurt or porridge, for example. The product description lists 20.9 g of protein per 100 g; this is product information, not an independent measurement, and doesn’t by itself confirm an authorised protein claim.
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A good fit if you’re looking for cashew nuts and dried cranberries in one mix. The product information lists 10.9 g of protein per 100 g; this doesn’t by itself confirm an authorised protein claim.
The cranberries are sweetened; the ingredients list includes sugar and sunflower oil. The information lists cashew nuts and possible traces of peanuts and other nuts.
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A good fit if you’re looking for a selection of fruit and nut snacks for outdoor activities. The product information lists raisins, cranberries, plums, banana chips and various nuts, among other ingredients.
The ingredients information lists added sugars and aspartame in the plums, among other things. According to the product information, the pack should be refrigerated after opening and eaten within one day; check the individual packs if you have dietary restrictions.
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A good fit if you’re looking for a raisin snack to take with you or use as a topping. The product information lists raisins as the main ingredient and states that the product contains 99.5% raisins and sunflower oil.
According to the product information, store the pack in a cool, dry place and seal it tightly after opening.
According to general nutrition tables from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, 20 grams of raisins contain 0.6 grams of protein and one dried apricot weighing 9 grams contains 0.4 grams of protein. Check the label for the nutrition information for a specific pack.
Not necessarily: it depends, among other things, on how hard you’ve exercised and when you’ll be exercising again. The Association of Sports Nutrition Experts in the Netherlands emphasises that recovery nutrition is particularly important when you need to exercise again soon; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists everyday foods as options for getting extra protein.
Follow the storage instructions for perishable ingredients and don’t treat the combination as a dry fruit product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing highly perishable food in the fridge at 4 °C.
No. The wording doesn’t mean that the fruit contains no sugars. Check both the ingredients list and the nutrition table on the specific pack.
Check the allergen information on every pack and for all the ingredients you add. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) includes nuts, milk and sulphites in its allergen information; the Food Allergy Foundation describes sulphites as a possible cause of intolerance reactions. This doesn’t mean that every pack of dried fruit contains sulphites.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a maximum of 20 grams of dried fruit per day as dietary advice, not as a legal limit on a purchase or pack size.
No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) confirms that protein claims must meet legal criteria, and the European Commission states that only authorised nutrition claims may be used under the conditions that apply to them. The presence of protein alone therefore doesn’t substantiate such a claim.
