Parents packing daily school lunches
If the drink goes to school regularly, start with water or milk, as the NHS advises for children. Check the school’s packed-lunch policy before choosing a flavoured or fizzy alternative.
Who is choosing the drink?
Families comparing no-added-sugar squash
A no-added-sugar label does not tell you everything about the ingredients. Compare sweeteners, allergen information and dilution directions on the particular bottle.
Families considering a fizzy drink
Distinguish ready-to-drink sparkling flavoured water from squash concentrate. A child’s preference for fizz does not establish whether the drink fits their school’s policy.
What should you check before choosing?
Check the school’s rules and the type of drink first. Then read the label for preparation directions and ingredients.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| School policy | Read the current packed-lunch policy for restrictions on fizzy or sugary drinks and containers. Welsh Government guidance notes that schools may set their own packed-lunch policies. | I want to know whether this particular drink and container can go into my child’s lunchbox. |
| Everyday drink | The NHS names water and milk as its preferred drinks for children. Food Standards Scotland advises against sweetened drinks, including squash and fizzy drinks sweetened with sugar or sweeteners, for primary-school-age children. | For a regular lunch, I would start with a drink my child can take to school without relying on flavour or fizz. |
| Drink format | Identify whether the product is squash concentrate, plain sparkling water or ready-to-drink flavoured sparkling water. Check whether preparation is needed before it goes into the lunchbox. | I want the packed drink to be ready to consume, rather than sending a bottle of concentrate by mistake. |
| Dilution | Follow the concentrate’s own serving measure and water volume. Waitrose & Partners says Robinsons Orange Mini must not be drunk undiluted and specifies one 3.3ml squeeze per glass of water. | If I choose concentrate, I can prepare the drink before school and check the directions for that exact product. |
| Ingredients | Compare the current ingredients and allergen information, not just a no-added-sugar claim. Robinsons lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite for its Orange Mini. | I need to check ingredients relevant to my child, even when the front of the pack says no added sugar. |
Packed-lunch drink mistakes to avoid
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Treating every ‘sparkling squash’ as the same drink
A squash concentrate needs dilution; ready-to-drink sparkling flavoured water does not. Plain sparkling water is another distinct format.
Identify the format on the label before deciding how to prepare it or whether the school permits it.
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sweeteners’
Robinsons Orange Mini is labelled no added sugar but lists sweeteners and sodium metabisulphite.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product, particularly when an ingredient matters to your child.
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Assuming the school accepts fizzy drinks
Packed-lunch policies can differ by school. Welsh Government guidance notes that a school’s policy may restrict sugary drinks or encourage water.
Read your child’s school policy or ask the school before choosing a sparkling drink specifically for packed lunches.
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Packing concentrate as though it were ready to drink
The Waitrose & Partners directions for Robinsons Orange Mini say not to drink it undiluted.
Prepare concentrate according to its own label before packing it, rather than expecting a child to drink it straight from the bottle.
Brand and retailer references
Robinsons
Robinsons Orange Mini is a 66ml no-added-sugar squash concentrate, not a ready-to-drink bottle. It is a different pack from the Robinsons 1L product shown below.
- Robinsons gives a serving basis of 3.3ml concentrate per 250ml water for Orange Mini.
- Its ingredients include sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite. Waitrose & Partners says not to drink it undiluted or let children under 36 months handle it.
Tesco
Tesco lists No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry Sparkling Flavoured Water in a 4 × 500ml ready-to-drink format, rather than as squash concentrate.
- The listed sparkling format does not need squash dilution.
- Check the individual product label and your child’s school policy before choosing it for a packed lunch.
M&S
M&S lists plain and flavoured sparkling waters, including lemon-and-lime and summer-berries formats.
- These listings give families sparkling-water formats to compare separately from squash concentrate.
- Check the particular drink’s ingredients and the school’s packed-lunch policy; the listings do not establish school acceptance.
Joybuy drinks to compare
These options cover two squash concentrates to prepare as still drinks and one ready-to-drink sparkling flavoured water. They serve different packed-lunch choices; check the school policy and each current label before deciding.
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Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Concentrate 1.5L
This is a squash concentrate for a still drink, not a ready-to-drink sparkling option. Follow the current bottle’s dilution directions before packing it, and check its ingredients and the school policy.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
This 1L squash is a concentrate for preparing a still drink; it is not the 66ml Orange Mini. Use the dilution directions on this bottle, and check its current ingredients and the school policy.
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Chi Forest White Peach Sparkling Water 480ml × 3
This white-peach sparkling water is a fizzy option rather than squash concentrate. Check its current ingredients and whether your child’s school permits a sparkling drink in a packed lunch.
Packed-lunch drink questions
What drink should I start with for a school packed lunch?
Start with water or milk: the NHS names them as its preferred drinks for children. Check the school’s packed-lunch policy before choosing another type of drink.
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a squash has no sweeteners?
No. Robinsons Orange Mini lists sucralose and acesulfame K, as well as sodium metabisulphite. Read the current label of the exact squash you plan to pack for ingredients relevant to your child.
Can a child drink squash concentrate straight from a mini bottle?
Not Robinsons Orange Mini: Waitrose & Partners says not to drink it undiluted and gives one 3.3ml squeeze per glass of water as its preparation instruction. Follow the directions on the particular concentrate you use.
Can I use sparkling water to make a squash drink?
If you combine sparkling water with squash concentrate, follow the concentrate’s dilution directions rather than treating it as ready to drink. Before packing the resulting fizzy drink, check your child’s school policy and the ingredients.