Instead of a customary biscuit or a chocolate bar to combat the 4pm slump, people are reaching for a more natural sweet alternative: dates.

The sweet fruit has been thrust into the snacking spotlight by a combination of viral recipes on social media, growing awareness about fibre intake and increasing demand for alternatives to ultra-processed foods.

At Ocado, sales of medjool dates are up 100% year-on-year while searches for date butter and chocolate dates have increased by 458% and 135% respectively.

Nichola Ludlam-Raine, the author of How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed and a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said the trend tapped into a growing shift towards “whole food indulgence”. While people still wanted comforting snacks they were seeking versions “perceived as more natural or nutrient dense”.…