Dried Fruit and Nut Gift Box: A good mix for their next handful

What makes a mix worth giving?

Start with the foods they enjoy. A box might favour dried fruit, offer mostly nuts or give a fairly even balance of both. The number of compartments tells you little on its own; check the named varieties and the portions in the size you select.

Plain nuts, salted nuts and sweet or spiced coatings are different choices. So are soft dates and chewier dried fruit. Choose the mix they will actually eat, rather than treating the broadest assortment as the safest option.

Size it for the way they snack

A smaller selection can suit someone who likes a handful with a drink. A large tray is more useful for a household or a person who enjoys putting snacks out for guests. Compare the net weight, as a wide presentation box can hold surprisingly shallow portions.

Look at what happens after the first serving. Contents may need to be kept covered or moved into suitable containers. A clear lid is helpful only if the seller confirms how the food should be stored.

Read beyond the photograph

Check the ingredients and allergen information for the actual box. Added seasonings, coatings and dried-fruit ingredients can vary, and a mixed tray is not automatically suitable for every dietary requirement.

Keep the storage instructions with the gift and check the best-before information where supplied. If it is going directly to the recipient, intact packaging and useful time to enjoy the contents matter as much as the presentation.

For a Christmas gathering

If they like offering snacks to visitors, a fruit-and-nut selection can give people something to pick from. Leave the ingredient information available too; guests should not have to guess what the assortment contains.

For someone who would rather open a box of sweets, consider mithai or a chocolate assortment instead.