Festival hosts serving a mixed-age group
A ready-to-pour juice and a separately labelled diluted drink give guests distinct choices. Plan how you will prepare squash and serve opened juice.
Who is choosing drinks?
Shoppers comparing sugar in drinks
Compare the sugar value for each drink as served, rather than treating “no added sugar” as “zero sugar”. Check sweeteners and sulphites when choosing for guests with relevant requirements.
Shoppers who want apple-only juice
Choose an apple juice rather than an apple-flavoured diluted drink, then check the pack size and storage instructions against your event plans.
What should you check?
100% apple juice
Choose when: You want an undiluted apple drink that is ready to pour.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not mean no sugar. Tesco Groceries lists 15g of naturally occurring sugars per 150ml for its Tropicana juice, and the NHS counts sugars in unsweetened fruit juice as free sugars.
No-added-sugar apple squash
Choose when: You want an apple-flavoured drink made up with water and are comparing sugar per prepared serving.
Bear in mind: It is not 100% apple juice. The Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury's examples contain sweeteners and sulphites, and their prepared-drink values depend on following the label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar per drink | Compare “of which sugars” for the drink as served, noting the serving volume. Tesco Groceries lists 15g per 150ml of Tropicana juice and 0.6g per prepared 300ml of its apple squash diluted 1:19; these are different serving sizes. | I want to know how much sugar is in the glass I will serve, not just whether the front label says “no added sugar”. |
| Drink type | Check whether the product is 100% juice, squash requiring dilution or another apple-flavoured drink. Read the fruit-juice percentage and ingredients where stated. | If guests expect apple-only juice, I do not want to substitute a diluted apple-flavoured drink without making the distinction clear. |
| Preparation and ingredients | For squash, follow the stated dilution ratio and check the prepared-serving nutrition. Read the exact label for sweeteners and sulphites. | Making drinks with water works for my event, but I need to check the ingredients against guests' requirements. |
| Pack and storage | Check serving volume, pack size and instructions after opening. Tesco Groceries says to use its Tropicana juice within five days of opening; Sainsbury's says four days for its Copella juice. | I would rather open juice packs as needed than leave more open than I can store and serve as instructed. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
According to Tesco Groceries, its Tropicana 100% apple juice contains 15g of naturally occurring sugars per 150ml. The NHS counts sugars in unsweetened fruit juice as free sugars.
Read the sugar value and serving size on the nutrition label before comparing drinks.
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Comparing squash concentrate with ready-to-drink juice
Squash labels can give nutrition for the prepared drink. Tesco Groceries specifies one part of its apple squash to 19 parts water; Sainsbury's specifies one part of its Robinsons apple-and-blackcurrant squash to nine parts water.
Compare drinks at their stated preparation ratios and use those ratios when planning quantities.
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Assuming a lower-sugar drink is apple-only juice
The cited Tesco and Sainsbury's apple squashes are concentrated drinks containing sweeteners; the Robinsons example also includes blackcurrant flavour.
Label juice and squash as separate choices so guests know what they are being served.
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Opening more chilled juice than needed
Use-after-opening instructions vary: Tesco Groceries lists five days for its Tropicana juice, while Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer list four days for their cited apple juices.
Check each pack's current instructions and open bottles in line with how you plan to serve and refrigerate them.
Opened juice that cannot be used within its labelled storage period may go to waste.
Brand and retailer examples
Tropicana
Tesco Groceries lists a 1.5L pressed apple juice that is 100% juice and not from concentrate.
- The listed 150ml serving contains 15g of naturally occurring sugars.
- Tesco Groceries says to use this juice within five days of opening.
Copella
Sainsbury's lists a cloudy apple juice that is not from concentrate.
- Sainsbury's lists 15g sugars per 150ml serving.
- The listed juice must be kept refrigerated and used within four days of opening.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists a quadruple-strength, no-added-sugar apple squash rather than a ready-to-drink 100% juice.
- Its label states 0.6g sugars per prepared 300ml glass when diluted one part squash to 19 parts water.
- The listed squash contains sweeteners and sulphites; follow its dilution instructions.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists a no-added-sugar apple high-juice squash containing 50% fruit juice.
- The listed prepared 250ml serving contains 2.5g sugars.
- This concentrated drink contains sucralose and sulphites; it is not 100% apple juice.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists a 1L apple juice for comparing conventional juice nutrition and storage.
- Its product listing gives 10.3g sugars per 100g.
- Marks & Spencer says to refrigerate the juice after opening and consume it within four days.
Joybuy drink options
These options include apple juice and ready-to-drink apple-flavoured alternatives for serving alongside festival food. Check the drink type on each card: the alternatives are not the concentrated squashes discussed above.
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Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling 6x250ml
A lightly sparkling 100% apple juice in six 250ml units. It is not the still, not-from-concentrate juice route; check the sugar value for a full serving when planning drinks.
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Huiyuan Apple Juice 1L
A 1L apple juice option for pouring into glasses. Its no-added-sugar description does not mean zero sugar; check the nutrition panel and the pack's instructions for storing it after opening.
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Fruit Shoot Black & Apple No Added Sugar 8x200ml
An apple-and-blackcurrant drink in eight 200ml units, not apple-only juice or squash to dilute. It contains sweeteners; if serving young children, check the cap warning, which states that the caps are unsuitable for under-36-month-olds.
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Tango Apple Sugar-Free 24 x 330ml cans
A sugar-free apple-flavoured drink in a 24-can pack, rather than 100% apple juice. It contains sweeteners; handle the pressurised cans with care.
Questions about apple drinks
Does “no added sugar” mean an apple drink has no sugar?
No. Tesco Groceries lists 15g of naturally occurring sugars per 150ml of its Tropicana 100% apple juice, despite its no-added-sugar description. Its no-added-sugar apple squash lists 0.6g per prepared 300ml glass. Compare the sugar value and serving size for the drink you will serve.
Is a 150ml glass a useful reference for serving apple juice?
Yes, for understanding general guidance: the NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined total of 150ml per day. That is not an estimate of how much every festival guest will drink, so plan other drink choices too.
Do no-added-sugar apple squashes need diluting?
Yes, the cited concentrates do. Tesco Groceries instructs one part of its apple squash to 19 parts water, while Sainsbury's instructs one part of its Robinsons apple-and-blackcurrant squash to nine parts water. Follow the ratio for the exact product when preparing and comparing drinks.
Should I check sweeteners and sulphites for a group?
Yes. The cited Tesco, Sainsbury's and Robinsons squashes list sweeteners and sulphites. Check the current ingredients and allergy information on the exact bottle against guests' requirements.
How long can opened apple juice be kept?
Follow the instruction on each pack. Tesco Groceries says to use its cited Tropicana juice within five days of opening; Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer state four days for their cited juices. Refrigerate opened juice as its label directs rather than applying one product's timeframe to another.