For a squash to have alongside gaming snacks, start with no-added-sugar options and compare the sugars in the drink after dilution. Standard and stronger concentrates call for different amounts of water; a high-juice squash can contain sugars even when none has been added. Check the current pack for its dilution instructions, sweeteners and allergens before choosing.
If you are having squash with crisps, sweets or other gaming snacks, compare the sugars in the prepared glass rather than relying on the words ‘no added sugar’. NHS guidance includes sugar-free, diet and no-added-sugar drinks as alternatives to sugary squash.
Concentrate strength matters when you make several glasses during a session or share a bottle at home. Check both the labelled serving size and the water-to-squash ratio before comparing bottles.
No-added-sugar squash can contain sweeteners and other ingredients that matter to you. Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information; the Vimto product described by Tesco, for example, lists barley.
Choose a flavour and format you would use, then compare nutrition on the same prepared-drink basis and check how each concentrate must be mixed.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars in the glass | Read sugars per prepared serving and note its size. Compare per 100ml where serving sizes differ; ‘no added sugar’ does not mean 0g total sugars. The NHS explains that labels give nutrition per 100ml and sometimes per portion. | I want to know how much sugar the squash contributes once it is mixed, particularly if I am choosing between a standard and a high-juice orange drink. |
| Dilution and servings | Check the stated ratio and serving size before using a bottle’s serving count. The Robinsons standard orange product listed by Sainsbury’s uses 1 part squash to 4 parts water; its double-strength version uses 1 to 9, while Tesco’s quadruple-strength orange uses 1 to 19. | If I make several drinks at home, I need a concentration I can measure consistently rather than assuming every squash uses the same amount per glass. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredients and highlighted allergen information for the particular product. Check named sweeteners, sulphites and cereal ingredients where relevant. | Perhaps I prefer to avoid a particular sweetener or need to check for barley or sulphites before putting a bottle in the basket. |
Fruit ingredients can still contribute sugars. Sainsbury’s lists 2.4g sugars per prepared 250ml serving for its High Juice Orange No Added Sugar squash, compared with 0g per prepared 250ml serving for the Robinsons orange product it lists.
Compare the sugars line for the prepared drink, especially when switching to a high-juice variety.
The labelled nutrition and serving count depend on how the drink is mixed. Sainsbury’s lists ratios of 1 part squash to 4 parts water for standard Robinsons orange and 1 to 9 for double strength; Tesco lists 1 to 19 for its quadruple-strength orange squash.
Use each pack’s instructions and prepared-glass size when comparing products.
Mixing a stronger drink than directed also changes how many glasses you get from the bottle.
No-added-sugar varieties can have different ingredient lists. Tesco’s listing for Vimto No Added Sugar Squash names barley; the Food Standards Agency also identifies sulphites as ingredients to consider for people with a relevant sensitivity.
Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information for the exact squash you choose.
These examples show why it helps to compare individual products, not assume every squash from a brand or retailer has the same nutrition or ingredients.
Sainsbury’s lists standard and double-strength Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar squash with different mixing instructions.
Tesco’s own-brand quadruple-strength orange no-added-sugar squash is an extra-concentrated option.
Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange No Added Sugar squash offers a different fruit-content choice from the orange examples above.
Tesco lists Vimto No Added Sugar Squash as a mixed-fruit alternative to orange squash.
Waitrose lists an Essential No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash for shoppers considering a summer-fruits flavour.
These no-added-sugar squash listings cover orange, summer-fruits, blackcurrant and lemon flavours for drinks mixed at home. Compare each pack’s prepared-drink nutrition and dilution instructions before deciding which fits your gaming snacks.
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A summer-fruits option for drinks made at home, with 0.6g sugars and 5kcal stated per diluted 250ml serving. The listing title says 6 × 1L, while the description gives a 1L quantity and serving estimate: confirm the pack quantity before buying. Check the current ingredients if sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
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An orange squash to compare with the snacks you plan to serve; its description states 3kcal per diluted 250ml glass. Check the current pack for the exact sugars figure and dilution ratio. The listed ingredients include sweeteners and sulphites.
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A summer-fruits choice if you prefer that flavour to orange. Its description states 2kcal per 100ml diluted; check the current pack for sugars per prepared serving and the dilution ratio. The listed ingredients include sweeteners and sulphites.
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A blackcurrant concentrate for mixing at home. The description states 18% blackcurrant juice and an instruction of 1 part concentrate to at least 4 parts water; check the current pack for sugars and energy in the prepared drink. The listed ingredients include sweeteners and sodium bisulphite, and the description says the product is not recommended for children under 3.
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A lemon-flavoured choice for mixing with water; the description states 10% lemon juice from concentrate. Check the current pack for the dilution instructions and prepared-drink sugars and energy before comparing it with other flavours. The listed ingredients include sweeteners and sulphites.
No. Sugars from fruit ingredients can remain. Sainsbury’s lists 2.4g sugars per prepared 250ml serving for its High Juice Orange No Added Sugar squash, while its listed Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar product gives 0g per prepared 250ml. Check the figure for the particular drink you are making.
Compare sugars and energy for the prepared drink, allowing for different serving sizes and dilution ratios. The NHS explains that nutrition information is given per 100ml and sometimes per portion; the per-100ml figure can help when the labelled glasses are different sizes.
You can use more water if you prefer a weaker flavour, but use the manufacturer’s stated ratio when comparing its prepared-serving nutrition and serving count with another product. Standard, double-strength and quadruple-strength squash have different mixing instructions.
Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information for the exact squash. The listed no-added-sugar examples include sweeteners; some list sulphites, and Tesco’s Vimto listing names barley. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as relevant to people with a sensitivity.
It is one option if you want to reduce the sugar contribution from your drink. NHS guidance suggests water, lower-fat milk, or sugar-free, diet or no-added-sugar drinks instead of sugary squash. Compare the prepared-drink label too, because no-added-sugar varieties do not all contain the same amount of sugars.