NHS guidance recommends water and milk as children’s usual drinks. If an older child wants flavour at a school-holiday lunch, a well-diluted no-added-sugar squash is an option, but check the prepared-drink nutrition, ingredients and age guidance on the bottle. A higher juice content does not make squash interchangeable with water.
The useful choice depends on whether a child will drink water or milk at lunch, and whether a flavoured drink meets their age and ingredient needs.
For parents and carers considering squash instead of a sugar-sweetened drink, the first choice is whether water or milk will work at lunch. NHS guidance recommends those as children’s usual drinks; the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition advises minimising sugar-sweetened drinks, including squash.
For a child who is reluctant to drink plain water, no-added-sugar squash may be a flavoured option rather than the default lunch drink. Healthier Together’s guidance for children aged 5 to 11 describes well-diluted sugar-free squash at one part squash to ten parts water.
A front-of-pack no-added-sugar claim is not enough when sweeteners, sulphites or age statements matter. Compare the current full label before choosing a squash for a particular child.
Decide whether a flavoured drink is needed, then compare squash as a prepared drink and check how it should be served to the child.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usual lunch drink | Start with water or milk. NHS guidance recommends them as children’s usual drinks; the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition advises minimising sugar-sweetened drinks, including squash. | If my child will drink water or milk at lunch, I do not need squash simply because it is available. |
| Sugar and serving basis | Check the sugars and energy figures for the prepared drink, including the stated dilution. Compare like-for-like serving sizes rather than a concentrate with a ready-to-drink beverage. | I want to compare drinks without assuming that ‘no added sugar’ means zero sugar. |
| Dilution | Read the bottle’s preparation directions and its age advice. Healthier Together describes one part sugar-free squash to ten parts water for children aged 5 to 11; a product’s standard serving may use another ratio. | When I make a lunch drink, I want to know how much concentrate goes into the glass my child will actually have. |
| Ingredients and age | Read the current ingredient and allergen panel for sweeteners and sulphites, and check any age restriction. NHS weaning guidance does not recommend diet or reduced-sugar drinks for babies and toddlers. | An ingredient restriction or a younger child in the household means I need to check the individual bottle, not just its front label. |
| Juice content | Compare the stated fruit-juice percentage alongside the prepared-drink nutrition and ingredients. M&S lists 50% fruit juice for its no-added-sugar Lemon and Lime High Juice, which also lists sucralose and sulphites. | I may prefer a higher-juice flavour, but I still need to decide whether squash is wanted at this lunch. |
A no-added-sugar squash can contain naturally occurring fruit sugars and sweeteners. For example, Waitrose & Partners lists naturally occurring fruit sugars in Vimto No Added Sugar Squash.
Check the prepared-drink nutrition and ingredients, and keep water or milk as the usual lunch choice in line with NHS guidance.
Dilution changes the amount of concentrate in the finished drink. The Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant label shown by Tesco gives one part concentrate to four parts water, while Healthier Together describes one part sugar-free squash to ten parts water for children aged 5 to 11.
Read the particular bottle’s directions alongside age-specific guidance before preparing a child’s drink.
No-added-sugar products can still list sweeteners or sulphites. The M&S Orange Squash label also states that it is not suitable for babies.
Check the current ingredients, allergens and age statement, particularly when buying for a child with an ingredient restriction.
M&S Lemon and Lime High Juice is labelled no added sugar and 50% fruit juice, but its ingredient list includes sucralose and sulphites. Juice percentage alone does not answer whether it suits the child.
Choose a higher-juice squash for its flavour preference only after checking the full label and how the drink fits into the usual lunch routine.
These examples show why the exact variant matters: flavours, juice content and ingredient lists differ within the squash category.
Its Apple & Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Squash is one example of a fruit-flavoured concentrate.
Its no-added-sugar range includes an Orange Squash and a Lemon and Lime High Juice concentrate.
Waitrose & Partners lists Essential No Added Sugar Apple & Blackcurrant Squash among its squash options.
Vimto No Added Sugar Squash is a mixed-fruit alternative for shoppers comparing flavours.
These concentrates are options for adding flavour to water at a school-holiday lunch. They do not replace the separate choice of water or milk as a child’s usual drink.
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An orange-flavoured concentrate to consider when a school-age child wants flavour in water. Check its dilution directions and ingredients before serving; the product information states that it is not suitable for children under 36 months.
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A summer-fruits concentrate for a child who prefers a fruit-flavoured drink. Check the current ingredients for sweeteners and sulphites, as well as the dilution and age guidance, before serving.
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A blackcurrant concentrate for flavouring water. Check the current pack for prepared-drink nutrition, dilution and ingredients, including sodium bisulphite; its product information says it is not recommended for children under 3.
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A pineapple-and-passion-fruit option when that flavour appeals. Check the full label for sulphites and a source of phenylalanine, and use its current age and dilution directions when preparing a child’s drink.
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A lemon squash concentrate for adding flavour to water. Read the current pack for its sweeteners, prepared-drink nutrition, age advice and dilution directions, particularly if ingredients affect your choice.
Water and milk are the usual choices recommended by the NHS for children. If a school-age child wants flavour, well-diluted no-added-sugar squash can be an option, but it need not replace water in the everyday routine.
Read the bottle and the guidance for the child’s age. Healthier Together describes one part sugar-free squash to ten parts water for children aged 5 to 11; standard serving directions on an individual bottle may be stronger.
No. The claim does not rule out naturally occurring fruit sugars or sweeteners. For example, Waitrose & Partners lists naturally occurring fruit sugars and sweeteners in Vimto No Added Sugar Squash, so check the ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition for the product you choose.
No. NHS weaning guidance says diet or reduced-sugar drinks are not recommended for babies and toddlers. Check product-specific age statements too: M&S labels its Orange Squash as not suitable for babies.
Read the current full ingredient and allergen panel for the exact variant. The listed Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant product contains sweeteners, while the cited M&S Orange and Lemon and Lime products list sucralose and sulphites.