Hosts making drinks for a group
If you are filling several jugs, compare the bottle’s stated servings and dilution instructions. Remember to plan the water and ice as well as the concentrate.
Who is this for?
Shoppers checking ingredients for guests
A no-added-sugar claim does not tell you the drink’s total sugars or which sweeteners and allergens it contains. Read the current bottle label before serving it.
Hosts offering a choice of flavours
Orange, blackcurrant, grapefruit and mixed-fruit squash offer different flavour choices. Compare fruit content and sugars on the stated diluted-serving basis where those details matter to you.
What should you check before buying?
Start with how many prepared drinks you need, then compare flavours and labels using each product’s own mixing instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Prepared servings | Check the stated serving size, serving count and squash-to-water ratio. Compare yields on the same prepared-drink basis. | I am making several jugs and need enough squash and water for the guests expected, rather than choosing by concentrate volume alone. |
| Sugars after dilution | Read sugars and energy per prepared serving, using the label’s mixing instructions. Sainsbury’s lists 2.0g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for its no-added-sugar Pink Grapefruit High Juice squash. | I want to know what is in the drink as served. ‘No added sugar’ need not mean that fruit sugars are absent. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the named sweeteners, allergen declaration and any phenylalanine statement on the particular bottle. Do not treat the front-of-pack claim as an ingredient list. | Some guests may need to avoid particular ingredients, so I need a flavour they can assess from its current label. |
| Flavour and leftovers | Compare the stated fruit content and flavour, then read the instructions for storage after opening. | I would like a choice guests will use at the BBQ without overlooking how any remaining squash must be stored. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
Fruit-based squash can still contain naturally occurring sugars. Waitrose & Partners says this applies to its Essential No Added Sugar Orange Squash.
Compare sugars on the nutrition panel for the diluted drink, not just the claim on the front.
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Buying by bottle size alone
Concentrates can have different mixing instructions, so bottle volume does not by itself tell you how many jugs you can prepare.
Use the stated dilution and serving size to plan the drinks, water and ice for your guest count.
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Assuming every guest can have the same squash
Individual products can contain different sweeteners and declared allergens, including sulphites.
Ask about relevant ingredient restrictions and check the label on the bottle you will serve.
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Using an old listing as the final label
Recipes and packaging details can change, making an earlier product description a poor substitute for the bottle in hand.
Recheck its ingredients, dilution and opened-bottle storage instructions when it arrives.
Which brands offer relevant options?
These brand and own-label examples illustrate different flavours and formats; check the particular product rather than assuming every squash in a range has the same ingredients.
Robinsons
Its no-added-sugar range includes fruit flavours and different concentrate formats.
- Orange and summer-fruit choices give hosts alternatives to compare.
- The ingredients and phenylalanine statements differ by product; read the exact bottle label.
Ribena
A blackcurrant option for guests who prefer berry flavour to citrus.
- Waitrose & Partners gives a mixing suggestion of one part squash to at least four parts water for its No Added Sugar Blackcurrant listing.
- Check sweeteners, sulphites and opened-bottle instructions on the version you buy.
Vimto
A mixed-fruit alternative to single-fruit or citrus-style squash.
- Waitrose & Partners describes its No Added Sugar Squash as a mixed-fruit drink with sweeteners and vitamins C and D.
- Check the product’s ingredients and mixing instructions before planning quantities.
Sainsbury's
Its no-added-sugar Pink Grapefruit High Juice squash is a citrus-style choice.
- Sainsbury's states 50% fruit juice for this product.
- Its stated 250ml diluted serving contains 2.0g sugars, so compare the prepared drink rather than equating ‘no added sugar’ with no sugars.
M&S
Its Orange Squash offers a no-added-sugar orange option in a double-strength format.
- M&S describes the product as containing 20% fruit.
- Check the current ingredients and any suitability instructions on the bottle before serving it.
Waitrose Essential
Its No Added Sugar Orange Squash is another orange concentrate to compare for group servings.
- Waitrose & Partners describes this product as double strength and containing 20% fruit.
- It also states that the squash contains naturally occurring sugars; check nutrition for the drink as prepared.
Joybuy squash options
These no-added-sugar squash options cover summer-fruit, citrus, blackcurrant and tropical-fruit flavours for BBQ drinks. Use each bottle’s label to plan dilution and check suitability for guests.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 6×1L
A summer-fruit option in a six-bottle pack for making several jugs. Check the dilution and opened-bottle storage instructions, along with ingredients relevant to your guests.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Real Fruit Lemon Squash 1L
A lemon-flavoured choice if you want to offer a citrus jug. Use the bottle’s dilution instructions to plan servings and check its ingredient and allergen statements.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
An orange option for guests who prefer a familiar squash flavour. Compare its prepared-serving nutrition and dilution instructions with any other orange squash you are considering.
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Ribena No Added Sugar Blackcurrant Squash 1.5L
A blackcurrant choice instead of citrus. The mixing guidance for this 1.5L product is one part squash to at least four parts water; check the current label for ingredients and storage after opening.
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Ribena No Added Sugar Pineapple and Passion Fruit Squash 850ml
A pineapple and passion fruit alternative if you want another flavour on the drinks table. Check its mixing instructions to work out the prepared quantity and read the current ingredients before serving.
Questions about BBQ squash
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean squash contains no sugars?
No. A squash can contain naturally occurring fruit sugars even when no sugar has been added. Waitrose & Partners says this of its Essential Orange product, while Sainsbury's lists 2.0g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for its Pink Grapefruit High Juice squash.
How much squash should I get for a BBQ?
Plan from the number and size of drinks you expect to serve, using each bottle’s stated servings and dilution instructions. Concentrates can use different mixing ratios, so comparing bottle volumes alone will not tell you how much prepared drink they make.
What should I check before serving guests with ingredient restrictions?
Ask which ingredients guests need to avoid, then read the current bottle’s ingredient list and allergen declaration. GOV.UK says food businesses must provide information when any of 14 specified allergens are ingredients in a food or drink product.
Are sweeteners listed in no-added-sugar squash?
They can be, so check the ingredients of the particular product. NHS guidance says sweeteners approved for use in Great Britain undergo safety assessment; that does not replace checking whether a named ingredient is suitable for an individual guest.
What should I do with squash left after the BBQ?
Follow that bottle’s instructions for storage and use after opening. Check them before preparing more jugs than you need, as instructions can differ between products.