Breakfast commuters
If you take breakfast with you and want a flavoured drink, compare a mini that can be added to a water bottle with concentrates you can mix before leaving home.
Who is this for?
Households comparing morning drinks
If you want an alternative to sugary drinks, check the sugars and energy for squash as prepared. A no-added-sugar label alone does not tell you the sugar content of a glass.
Shoppers checking ingredients
If particular sweeteners or allergens matter to you, read the current pack label when changing flavour or product. Tesco Groceries cautions that food ingredients and allergen information can change.
What should you check?
Start with the prepared drink and its mixing directions, then choose a bottle format that fits where you will make it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and energy | Read both figures for the diluted drink and note the serving size. Tesco Groceries lists 0.5 g sugars and 5 kcal per 300 ml glass of its Quadruple Strength Orange squash when diluted as instructed. | I want a flavoured morning drink and need to know what is in the glass I will actually drink. |
| Bottle format | Check whether you need a small concentrate for a water bottle or a larger bottle for mixing at home. Robinsons describes its Orange Mini as a 20-serving product for adding to a water bottle. | I may need to prepare my drink quickly before leaving, or mix it once I have access to water. |
| Dilution | Use the directions for the exact product. Tesco Groceries specifies 1 part squash to 19 parts water for its Quadruple Strength Orange; Sainsbury's lists 1 part to 9 parts for Robinsons Double Strength Orange. | A smaller bottle appeals to me, but I need a way to measure the concentrate and add enough water. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredients and allergen declaration, including named sweeteners and sulphites where listed. Tesco Groceries lists barley malt in Vimto No Added Sugar Squash. | I check particular ingredients before choosing a new flavour or strength. |
| Fruit content | Compare fruit content separately from sugars. Marks & Spencer describes its Pink Grapefruit High Juice squash as 50% fruit juice with no added sugar, while listing 1.0 g sugars per 100 g of product. | I might prefer a fruitier recipe, but I do not want to mistake “no added sugar” for “zero sugar”. |
| Breakfast food | Treat squash as a drink, not the food portion of breakfast. Compare its prepared-drink nutrition with what you intend to eat alongside it. | If I need breakfast rather than just a drink, I will bring food as well. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming no added sugar means zero sugar
Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars. Tesco Groceries lists 0.8 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving of Vimto No Added Sugar Squash and 0.5 g per 300 ml diluted glass of Tesco Quadruple Strength Orange.
Compare the sugars line for each drink as prepared, keeping its serving size in view.
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Using the same measure for every concentrate
The cited products have different mixing directions: Tesco Quadruple Strength Orange uses 1 part squash to 19 parts water, while the cited Vimto squash uses 1 part to 4 parts water.
Follow the directions on the bottle you are using, particularly when mixing a drink away from home.
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Choosing by the front label alone
No-added-sugar products can have different sweeteners and declared allergens. Tesco Groceries lists sweeteners and barley malt in the cited Vimto squash, and warns that food formulations can change.
Check the current physical label for ingredients relevant to you whenever you change product or flavour.
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Taking only squash when you need breakfast
A diluted squash is a drink rather than a substitute for breakfast food.
Bring food as well if you intend to have breakfast on the move.
Brands and ranges to compare
These examples show why the exact flavour, strength and pack label matter more than the brand name alone.
Robinsons
The cited Orange products include a mini for mixing in a water bottle and a double-strength concentrate.
- Robinsons describes Orange Mini as providing 20 servings. Sainsbury's lists 3 kcal and 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving of Robinsons Double Strength Orange, mixed 1 part squash to 9 parts water.
- Check the directions and ingredients on the specific Robinsons pack; the mini and double-strength bottles are not interchangeable mixing measures.
Tesco
Tesco Quadruple Strength Orange No Added Sugar is a concentrated own-label option for preparing drinks from a larger bottle.
- Tesco Groceries lists 50 servings from its 750 ml bottle and 5 kcal and 0.5 g sugars per 300 ml glass when diluted as instructed.
- Its specified ratio is 1 part squash to 19 parts water. Measure it using its own directions rather than another squash's ratio.
M&S
The cited range includes double-strength Orange Squash and a Pink Grapefruit High Juice squash.
- Marks & Spencer describes its Orange Squash as 20% fruit with no added sugar, and Pink Grapefruit High Juice as 50% fruit juice with no added sugar.
- The Pink Grapefruit product lists 1.0 g sugars per 100 g of product. Higher fruit content does not establish a zero-sugar prepared drink.
Waitrose Essential
Waitrose & Partners lists own-label no-added-sugar squash alongside branded products.
- Its no-added-sugar listing includes own-label Apple & Elderflower and Blackcurrant High Juice options.
- Check the individual bottle for its dilution directions, nutrition and ingredients before comparing it with another range.
Vimto
The cited No Added Sugar Squash is a mixed-fruit concentrate with its own prepared-serving figures.
- Tesco Groceries lists 5 kcal and 0.8 g sugars per 250 ml serving, with directions to mix 1 part squash with 4 parts water.
- The cited ingredients include barley malt, sucralose and acesulfame K. Check the current label if any of these ingredients matter to you.
Joybuy squash options
These are no-added-sugar squash concentrates for making a drink alongside breakfast. Compare their flavours, bottle sizes, mixing directions and ingredients; they are not ready-to-drink breakfast products.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1 L
An orange concentrate for making a flavoured drink to take with breakfast.
The product information lists 3 kcal per 250 ml diluted glass and names sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite. Check the pack for its mixing directions and prepared-drink sugars.
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Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Concentrate 1.5 L
A blackcurrant concentrate for preparing a drink before leaving home.
Its stated direction is 1 part squash to at least 4 parts water. The product information names sweeteners and sodium bisulphite and says it is not recommended for children under 3; check the pack for prepared-drink nutrition.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1 L
A summer-fruit concentrate if you prefer that flavour with breakfast.
The product information describes 10% fruit juices from concentrate and lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites. Follow the current pack's dilution directions when assessing the prepared drink.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit No Added Sugar Squash 850 ml
A pineapple-and-passion-fruit concentrate for a different breakfast-time flavour.
The product information names aspartame, acesulfame K and sulphites and states that it contains a source of phenylalanine. Check the current pack for dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition.
Questions about breakfast-time squash
Does no added sugar mean the squash contains no sugar?
No. A no-added-sugar squash can still contain sugars from its ingredients. Tesco Groceries lists 0.8 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving of Vimto No Added Sugar Squash and 0.5 g per 300 ml diluted glass of its Quadruple Strength Orange squash. Check the prepared-drink figure for the product you choose.
Can squash replace breakfast when I am in a hurry?
No. Squash is a drink, not a replacement for breakfast food. If you intend to eat breakfast on the move, take food alongside it.
How much water should I add to squash?
Follow the directions on your bottle. Tesco Groceries specifies 1 part squash to 19 parts water for Tesco Quadruple Strength Orange, whereas Sainsbury's lists 1 part to 9 parts for Robinsons Double Strength Orange. One ratio will not suit every concentrate.
What should I check if I avoid certain ingredients?
Read the current physical label for named sweeteners and allergens before using a new squash. The cited Vimto product lists barley malt, sucralose and acesulfame K; other cited products list different ingredients. Tesco Groceries cautions that formulations and allergen information can change.