For a large BBQ drinks table, compare each bottle’s stated servings and dilution directions: Tesco’s quadruple-strength lime squash states 50 servings from 750ml, while Belvoir Farm’s lemon and lime cordial states 14 from 500ml and offers a citrus option for still or sparkling water. Neither figure tells you the sugars in every prepared drink; check the nutrition panel at the labelled dilution and the ingredients for the particular bottle you choose.
The useful distinction for a BBQ is whether you are planning many glasses, checking the prepared drink’s ingredients and sugars, or putting together a citrus drinks station.
Concentrate can be prepared by the glass or in batches. Compare stated servings and dilution directions, not bottle size alone: Tesco’s lime squash states 50 servings from 750ml, while the Ribena blackcurrant squash listed by Sainsbury’s states 30 from 1.5L.
A no-added-sugar label does not establish the sugars in a diluted glass. Read the prepared-drink nutrition panel, where available, and check the fruit ingredients and sweeteners on the bottle you will serve.
Belvoir Farm’s lemon and lime cordial is an option for still water, sparkling water or cocktails. Its stated 14 servings per 500ml bottle make quantity planning important if many guests will use the station.
Start with the number of glasses you plan to make, then compare each drink as prepared—not concentrate figures or front-of-pack wording in isolation.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Servings and dilution | Compare the stated servings per bottle, glass size and each product’s own mixing ratio. Tesco Groceries lists 50 servings and a 1:19 squash-to-water ratio for its 750ml lime squash; its Belvoir Farm listing gives 14 servings and 1:6 for the 500ml cordial. | I’m making drinks for a group and need to know how much concentrate to use in each jug. Bottle volume alone will not answer that. |
| Sugars in the prepared drink | Look for nutrition values at the labelled dilution and note the serving size. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars for a 250ml diluted serving of Belvoir Farm lemon and lime cordial. | I want to compare the drinks guests will actually pour, rather than assume that “no added sugar” means sugar-free. |
| Ingredients and sweeteners | Read the exact bottle’s ingredient and allergen information, particularly if a guest avoids a named sweetener or ingredient. Recipes and labels can differ between flavours. | Some guests may have ingredient preferences or sensitivities, so I need the label available when serving. |
| Flavour and serving style | Decide whether the drinks station calls for lime squash, blackcurrant squash or a lemon and lime cordial. Check the intended mixers as well as the preparation directions. | I might want a citrus drink with still or sparkling water, or a familiar squash that guests can dilute by the glass. |
| After-opening storage | Check the bottle’s refrigeration and use-after-opening instructions before buying ahead or opening several flavours at once. | There may be concentrate left after the BBQ, so I need room to store opened bottles as their labels direct. |
Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars to the finished drink. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Belvoir Farm’s no-added-sugar lemon and lime cordial.
Compare nutrition on a diluted-serving basis where the label provides it, and read the ingredients alongside the front-of-pack claim.
Concentrates have different mixing ratios, so a larger bottle does not necessarily state more servings. Tesco Groceries lists 50 servings for its 750ml quadruple-strength lime squash and 14 for the 500ml Belvoir Farm cordial.
Plan glasses or batches using each bottle’s stated servings and its own dilution instructions.
No-added-sugar products can use different sweeteners and other ingredients. The claim does not tell you whether a particular bottle suits a guest’s ingredient needs.
Check the physical pack before serving, especially when a guest has a known allergy, intolerance or ingredient they avoid.
Opened-bottle instructions matter when concentrate will be kept after the event. The Belvoir Farm cordial and Ribena blackcurrant squash described in the retailer listings require refrigeration after opening and state use periods of three weeks and 21 days respectively.
Check each bottle’s instructions, refrigerate it as directed and keep the label with any leftovers.
Opening more bottles than the event uses can leave less time to use the remainder within each product’s stated period.
These examples illustrate different squash and cordial styles; the details apply to the named ranges or products, not every drink from each brand.
Sainsbury’s lists Robinsons no-added-sugar squash in flavours and formats including a 1L orange bottle and a 1.75L double-strength apple and blackcurrant bottle.
Tesco Quadruple Strength Lime No Added Sugar is a high-strength squash for dilution.
Its no-added-sugar Sicilian lemon and lime cordial provides a citrus option for still water, sparkling water or cocktails.
Sainsbury’s lists a 1.5L no-added-sugar blackcurrant squash for dilution.
These concentrates offer blackcurrant, orange, tropical fruit, lemon and summer-fruit squash choices for a BBQ drinks table. Check each bottle’s directions before deciding how many to prepare; the products shown here are squash options, not a comparison of every cordial and squash route discussed above.
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A blackcurrant concentrate for serving by the glass or preparing for a group. The product information gives one part squash to at least four parts water, with 50ml squash making a 250ml drink.
It lists aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium bisulphite. Check the current pack for ingredient needs and prepared-drink nutrition; the concentrate’s nutrition information should not be read as a diluted-serving value.
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An orange squash option for a BBQ drinks table. The product information identifies orange fruit from concentrate and advises refrigeration after opening and use within four weeks.
It lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sulphites. Check the bottle’s mixing directions and prepared-drink nutrition when planning quantities or comparing sugars.
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A pineapple and passion fruit squash for guests who want a different fruit flavour. Its ingredient information lists aspartame, acesulfame K and sulphites, and notes a source of phenylalanine.
Check the physical pack for its dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition before making a batch; concentrate nutrition is not a prepared-serving figure.
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A lemon squash option for a citrus drinks station. The product information lists 10% lemon juice from concentrate and advises refrigeration after opening and use within four weeks.
Check the current bottle for its sweeteners, nutrition and dilution directions before buying, particularly if a guest avoids a specific ingredient: the product information gives conflicting sweetener and nutrition details.
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A summer-fruit squash option for a shared drinks table. Its ingredient information lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites.
Use the bottle’s dilution and after-opening instructions when preparing and storing it, and check its prepared-drink nutrition if comparing sugars with another flavour.
No. Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars even when sugar has not been added. Tesco Groceries lists 1.1g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Belvoir Farm’s no-added-sugar lemon and lime cordial, so compare the prepared-drink panel for the bottle you choose.
Compare stated servings first if you need to prepare many glasses: Tesco Groceries lists 50 servings for its 750ml quadruple-strength lime squash, against 14 for Belvoir Farm’s 500ml lemon and lime cordial. The cordial offers a citrus option for still or sparkling water; neither serving figure establishes which flavour your guests will prefer.
Use the directions on that bottle, then keep the same ratio when making a larger batch. Tesco’s lime squash specifies one part squash to 19 parts water, Belvoir Farm’s lemon and lime cordial specifies 1:6, and the Ribena blackcurrant squash listed by Sainsbury’s recommends one part squash to at least four parts water.
Check the exact bottle’s ingredients before serving rather than relying on its no-added-sugar claim. Tesco’s lime squash lists sucralose and acesulfame K, while the Ribena blackcurrant squash described in the research lists aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose.
Follow each bottle’s after-opening instructions. The Belvoir Farm lemon and lime cordial calls for refrigeration and use within three weeks; the Ribena blackcurrant squash described in the retailer listing also calls for refrigeration and use within 21 days. Check the current pack before storing leftovers.