Make water the main drink when a christening includes babies and young children. The NHS says sugars should not be added to food or drinks for babies under one, while Leeds Teaching Hospitals advises offering children no-added-sugar squash only at mealtimes. For older guests, diluted no-added-sugar squash can be an additional choice, but check the prepared drink’s sugars, ingredients and age instructions rather than treating the front-of-pack claim as a guarantee of suitability.
The ages and dietary requirements of guests matter more than choosing one flavoured drink for the whole table.
Keep water available rather than assuming a no-added-sugar squash is an infant drink. The NHS says not to add sugars to food or drinks for babies under one; Leeds Teaching Hospitals advises offering children no-added-sugar squash only at mealtimes. Check each bottle’s age and dilution instructions before serving it to an older child.
Compare the sugars in the drink as prepared, not just the claim on the bottle. Tesco, ASDA and Waitrose list different dilution ratios and serving sizes for their squash examples, so follow the instructions for the particular bottle when making up jugs.
Offer water and keep the packaging available so guests can check ingredients themselves. Some listed squash products contain sweeteners or sulphites, and Diabetes UK advises people with diabetes to seek individual guidance from their healthcare team when needed.
Decide which guests need a water-first option, then compare any squash using its prepared-drink label and serving instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Babies and age guidance | Keep water available. Read the product’s age instructions; Marks & Spencer states that its Orange Squash is not suitable for babies. | With babies at the party, I do not want a no-added-sugar claim mistaken for infant suitability. The NHS says sugars should not be added to food or drinks for babies under one. |
| Children’s serving times | Plan squash for mealtimes rather than leaving it out for continual refills. Leeds Teaching Hospitals gives this advice for children even when squash has no added sugar. | I want children to have water available throughout the gathering, with squash offered alongside food if I serve it. |
| Sugars in the prepared drink | Read the sugars figure and its serving size after dilution. Tesco lists 0.6g per 300ml prepared glass for its Quadruple Strength Apple & Blackcurrant Squash; ASDA lists less than 0.5g per 250ml diluted serving for Summer Fruits Squash. Those are different serving sizes. | If I offer a flavoured option, I need to know what is in the glass guests will drink, not assume “no added sugar” means zero sugars. |
| Dilution and quantities | Follow the bottle’s water-to-concentrate ratio. Tesco specifies 1:19 and 100 stated servings for its quadruple-strength example; ASDA specifies 1:9 and 60 stated servings for its Summer Fruits example. | For several jugs, I want a format I can measure consistently and enough prepared drink for the guests who choose squash. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredient and allergen label, and identify each prepared jug. ASDA’s Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant listing includes acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite; its Vimto No Added Sugar listing gives barley allergy advice. | I need guests to be able to recognise what is in each jug rather than assume every no-added-sugar drink has the same ingredients. |
| Guests with diabetes | Provide water and clearly labelled alternatives without choosing on a guest’s behalf. Diabetes UK describes water as an all-round drink option and directs people who need individual advice about sweeteners to their healthcare team. | Some guests may have their own drink preferences or diabetes management plans; I want them to be able to check the label and choose for themselves. |
The claim does not establish age suitability. The NHS says sugars should not be added to food or drinks for babies under one, and Marks & Spencer states that its Orange Squash is not suitable for babies.
Keep water available and check the age instructions on any squash before offering it to a child. Do not apply an instruction for older children to babies.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals advises that children should be offered no-added-sugar squash at mealtimes, rather than treating it as an all-day drink.
Put water on the drinks table throughout the party and, if serving children squash, offer it with food.
Listed products have different preparation ratios: ASDA’s Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant example specifies 1:4, ASDA Summer Fruits specifies 1:9, and Tesco Quadruple Strength Apple & Blackcurrant specifies 1:19. A bottle’s size alone does not tell you what a prepared glass contains.
Compare sugars using each label’s prepared serving size, then measure the concentrate and water according to that bottle’s instructions.
Ingredients differ between products. Listed examples include sweeteners, sulphites and, in ASDA’s Vimto listing, barley allergy advice; individual requirements may differ too.
Label jugs by product, retain the packaging for ingredient checks and offer plain water as another choice.
These label examples help distinguish formats and ingredients; details apply to the named products, not every squash from a brand or retailer.
ASDA lists Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Squash as a single-strength example.
Tesco lists a quadruple-strength no-added-sugar Apple & Blackcurrant Squash for hosts planning prepared-drink quantities.
Sainsbury’s lists Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash; this is a retailer example, not a nutrition profile for all Sainsbury’s squash.
ASDA Summer Fruits Squash is a 1.5L example with a stated yield for planning party jugs.
Marks & Spencer’s Orange Squash listing gives explicit instructions relevant to a mixed-age gathering.
Waitrose Essential No Added Sugar Apple & Blackcurrant Squash is another listed format with a stated serving yield.
These no-added-sugar squash concentrates are flavoured options to consider alongside water for older guests. Check each bottle’s current dilution, age and ingredient instructions before preparing drinks for the party.
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An orange squash option for a separate, clearly labelled party jug. Its product guidance says it is not suitable for children under 36 months and calls for extra water when serving toddlers; check the bottle’s dilution instructions before use.
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A 1.5L blackcurrant concentrate for a labelled flavoured option. Its product guidance says to dilute it and does not recommend it for children under three; check the prepared-drink nutrition panel when planning servings.
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The six-bottle format may be useful when making several jugs. Check the current packaging for its prepared-drink sugars, dilution ratio and age instructions before deciding how much to make or serving it to children.
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A single-bottle summer-fruits option when a smaller format suits the drinks table. Its product guidance recommends extra water for toddlers; check the bottle’s age instructions, dilution ratio and prepared-drink sugars.
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A lemon-flavoured concentrate for guests who prefer that option to the fruit blends. Check the current label for its dilution instructions, prepared-drink nutrition and age guidance before adding it to the party table.
Make water available rather than assuming squash is suitable for a baby. The NHS says sugars should not be added to food or drinks for babies under one, and Marks & Spencer explicitly states that its Orange Squash is not suitable for babies. Instructions for older children do not establish infant suitability.
No. For example, Tesco lists 0.6g sugars per 300ml prepared glass for its no-added-sugar Quadruple Strength Apple & Blackcurrant Squash, while Waitrose lists 0.5g per 250ml serving for its Essential No Added Sugar Apple & Blackcurrant Squash. Read the prepared-drink nutrition panel and note its serving size.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals advises offering children no-added-sugar squash only at mealtimes. Keep water available throughout the gathering and, if you offer children squash, serve it with food.
Offer water and clearly labelled drink choices so the guest can decide according to their own needs. Diabetes UK describes water as an all-round option and includes sugar-free alternatives among drink choices; it advises seeking individual guidance from a healthcare team where needed. Do not treat a party squash as a substitute for someone’s own plan for managing low blood glucose.
Keep the current bottles available for ingredient and allergen checks. ASDA’s Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant listing includes sweeteners and sodium metabisulphite, Marks & Spencer’s Orange Squash lists sulphites, and ASDA’s Vimto No Added Sugar listing gives barley allergy advice. Label each prepared jug so guests know which bottle to check.