For a flavoured party drink, start with no-added-sugar squash rather than sugar-sweetened squash, then compare sugars per prepared serving, dilution instructions and the ingredients on the bottle. Keep water readily available throughout the party: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance recommends water or milk between meals, and a no-added-sugar label does not mean every squash is sugar-free or suitable for every child.
If you are making squash for a group, check the dilution instructions before filling a jug and keep the bottle available for anyone who needs to check its ingredients. A no-added-sugar option avoids choosing a sugar-sweetened squash as the default flavoured drink.
Put water within easy reach for refills rather than relying on squash for the whole event. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance recommends water or milk between meals and limiting the time teeth are exposed to sugar-containing drinks.
Ask parents about any relevant ingredients before the party and check the exact bottle you intend to serve. The product examples include different sweeteners and sulphite-containing ingredients; the reviewed Ribena Blackcurrant label also carries a source-of-phenylalanine statement.
Choose how drinks will be served first, then compare squash labels on the basis of the prepared drink—not the concentrate alone.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Choice of drink | If serving squash, distinguish no-added-sugar from sugar-sweetened varieties. Keep water available between meals; Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance recommends water or milk at those times. | I'd like a flavoured option, but I also need an easy drink for children to return to throughout a longer party. |
| Sugars in the glass | Read sugars per prepared serving and the stated serving size. No added sugar does not mean zero sugar: Sainsbury's lists 2.4 g sugars per prepared 250 ml serving of its No Added Sugar High Juice Orange squash. | A fruit-forward flavour may matter to me, but I want to compare what is in the diluted glass before choosing it over another no-added-sugar squash. |
| Ingredients | Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for each flavour. The reviewed Robinsons Summer Fruits and Ribena Blackcurrant products list sweeteners and sulphite-containing ingredients; the Ribena label also states that it contains a source of phenylalanine. | If a child has a relevant dietary requirement, I need to know which exact drink will be served, not just that its front label says no added sugar. |
| Dilution | Use the ratio on the bottle and check whether its nutrition figures refer to concentrate or prepared squash. The reviewed Robinsons Summer Fruits product specifies one part concentrate to four parts water; other strengths need their own instructions. | I'm preparing a jug for several guests and want each serving made to the intended strength. |
| Servings | Compare labelled prepared servings and dilution ratios, not bottle size alone. Waitrose & Partners lists 40 servings for the reviewed 2 litre Vimto No Added Sugar squash. | For a group, I want to plan how much prepared drink to make without assuming that every concentrate yields the same number of glasses. |
Fruit juice can contribute naturally occurring sugars. Sainsbury's lists 2.4 g sugars per prepared 250 ml serving of its No Added Sugar High Juice Orange squash.
Compare nutrition for the diluted serving and check the juice content, rather than deciding from the front-of-pack wording alone.
A lower-added-sugar choice does not settle how drinks are served. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance recommends water or milk between meals and limiting exposure to sugar-containing drinks.
Keep water accessible throughout the party and serve prepared squash in portions rather than relying on a continuously available squash station.
No-added-sugar products can have different sweeteners and other ingredients. The reviewed Robinsons, Ribena and Sainsbury's examples list sulphite-containing ingredients.
Ask parents about relevant dietary needs and check each bottle's current label before serving it.
Concentrates need water added before serving, and their required ratios may differ. Bottle volume alone does not tell you how many correctly diluted portions you can pour.
Use the labelled ratio or prepared-serving count to plan the batch, and follow the instructions for the particular strength purchased.
These examples show why the flavour name and no-added-sugar claim are only starting points; compare the particular bottle you plan to serve.
The reviewed Summer Fruits no-added-sugar squash is a standard-strength example with a stated one-part-concentrate-to-four-parts-water ratio.
The reviewed no-added-sugar Blackcurrant squash offers a blackcurrant flavour with an instruction to use at least four parts water to one part concentrate.
The reviewed no-added-sugar mixed-fruit squash comes in a 2 litre format that Waitrose & Partners lists as 40 servings.
Its reviewed No Added Sugar High Juice Orange squash is an own-label option for hosts comparing juice content alongside prepared-drink nutrition.
Its no-added-sugar squash category provides examples of branded choices and a Waitrose High Juice option.
These concentrates offer orange, blackcurrant, summer-fruit and pineapple-and-passion-fruit flavours for a party serving squash. Check each bottle's preparation and ingredient information before making drinks for children.
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An orange concentrate for preparing party portions. The product information states 10% orange fruit from concentrate and gives nutrition for a diluted 250 ml glass. It lists sweeteners and sulphites, says it is not suitable for children under 36 months, and advises extra water for toddlers. Follow the ratio on the bottle when mixing a batch.
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A 1.5L blackcurrant concentrate for mixing a group batch. Its product information specifies 18% blackcurrant juice from concentrate and at least four parts water to one part squash. Check sugars on a prepared-drink basis before comparing it with another flavour. The ingredients include sweeteners and sodium bisulphite; the product is not recommended for children under three and advises extra water for toddlers.
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A summer-fruit flavour for a prepared party drink. The product information states 10% fruit juices and 2 kcal per 100 ml diluted serving. Check the bottle's dilution instructions before making a jug, and its ingredients if guests need to avoid sweeteners or sulphites; extra water is recommended for toddlers.
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Six bottles provide a multi-bottle option if you plan to prepare more than one batch or flavour station. The product information states 9% pineapple juice and 1% passion fruit juice, and says to dilute to taste; check the bottle when deciding how much to prepare. It lists sulphites and a source of phenylalanine and gives a refrigerated use period of 21 days after opening.
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A single 850ml bottle if you want to serve this flavour alongside other drinks. The product information states 10% fruit juice and instructs you to dilute it with water. Its nutrition figures refer to undiluted squash, so check the prepared serving before comparing sugars with another bottle. The ingredients include sulphites and a source of phenylalanine; refrigerate after opening and use within the stated 21 days.
No. Fruit juice can still contribute naturally occurring sugars. Sainsbury's lists 2.4 g sugars per prepared 250 ml serving of its No Added Sugar High Juice Orange squash, so check the diluted-serving nutrition rather than treating the claim as a sugar figure.
Follow the instructions on the bottle you are serving. The reviewed Robinsons Summer Fruits product specifies one part concentrate to four parts water, while the reviewed Ribena Blackcurrant product calls for at least four parts water; do not assume another strength or flavour uses the same ratio.
Keep water available as well. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme guidance recommends water or milk between meals; choosing no-added-sugar squash does not remove the need to consider how often children are sipping drinks during the event.
Check the current bottle against any dietary information parents have given you. The reviewed Robinsons, Ribena and Sainsbury's products list sulphite-containing ingredients, and the reviewed Ribena Blackcurrant label states that it contains a source of phenylalanine; sweeteners also vary by product.
A no-added-sugar claim describes the product's formulation, not an overall health benefit. The UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition says non-sugar sweeteners can maintain a sweet taste while allowing free sugars to be reduced; for a party, still check the exact ingredients and keep water available between meals.