To think fruit shoots are okay for 6-7 year olds?

[NameChanger2028]

...or do i need to find a healthier option? This is for DD's 7th party next week. Self catered, 25 x 6-7 year olds (most of them still 6). No access to drinking water due to venue location. I'm taking usual kids party food - ham / cheese sandwiches, cheese, fruit & veg platters, mini sausages etc. I'm struggling for drinks as will be unable to do the usual jugs of squash/water. So I'm looking for a pre-packed option. Will get bottles of water but a bit boring to have that as the only option at a kids party, so would like the kids to have an option of a flavoured drink - are fruit shoots okay to give out to all the kids or will the other parents judge? I know actual fruit juice cartons may be better - but serving, actual fruit, cake and sweet cones, so ideally the drink will be lower sugar. fruit shoots are what I'm thinking....

Pure fruit juice mixed with water and a load of crappy additives, which are the issue.

If you take a bamboo skewer, or the lid of a bic biro you can pierce the straw opening as you pass over the drink.

I think fruit shoots are fine for a party but they are small if it’s an activity party. I used to freeze bottles of water for parties like trampolining. You can sharpie their names on before freezing them.

It’s a kids party, fruit shoots are fine and some bottles of water too, you can get a large pack or two of both and people can choose what they want.
some kids will choose the water and some the fruit shoots. You are way overthinking it .

Please take water as an alternative. Or ask everyone to bring a water bottle?
my son only drinks water. He won’t drink anything else.

if you are going to a venue with no drinking water, I would’ve thought you need to tell the parents in advance as there will be some children who can’t / won’t drink fruit shoots

I bought these for my five year olds party this year. No straws and the kids all loved them. They do a strawberry one as well. Also provided bottles of water as an alternative.
https://share.google/1TlnjLwMZc5Ugm49F

Privately I think it's fine for that age. But I admit I'd be too embarrassed to have them at a party, they just have a certain reputation. I've been to one party where they were served and the parents weren't from the UK and didn't know the stigma they carry. I usually serve juice cartons, or watered down juice, plus bottles of water.

I prefer individual cartons or bottles at party, I always imagine large jugs being knocked over and cups get mixed up.

I'm not the person you're responding to, but I also think fruit shoots are gross, and it's not the sugar in them, it's the artificial sweetener which makes them taste vile. Fruit juice and smoothies may have sugar in them, but they also have nutrients from the fruit.

Innocent drinks don't have additives. That's their whole USP.

Innocent Kids Apples & Blackcurrants Fruit Smoothies | Waitrose & Partners

its a party. Just grab some reusable plastic cups and some fizzy drinks. It won't kill them. Team innocent smoothes can have water.

Isn’t a Fruit Shoot just squash in a little bottle?!

So you’re providing water and squash which is perfect. Have a lovely party!

Ha ha. Personally I wouldn't be touching either. Freshly squeezed coconut water all the way.

I don’t like fruit shoots but my kid enjoys, and I wouldn’t even think to turn my nose up at one at a party lmaooo
I think we did what another person did and got the big T drinks from Iceland, the kids loved them. Tbh I don’t even know the sugar content in them but they were good for the party

Couldn’t you just make some smoothies at home and take them in? You can sneak in loads of hidden veggies and fruit that way! It’s also quite easy to make your own elderflower cordial
@NameChanger2028

I’m really fussy with my children’s food and would never choose for them to have a fruit shoot. But if it was their only option at a party I wouldn’t even give it a second thought. It’s a one off, and it’s a fruit shoot. It’s not a big deal at all.

Besides, it’s not their only option anyway as you’re providing water!

That’s purely a matter of taste and whether you can stomach the texture. I’m a middle aged woman and I'll quickly drink a fruit shoot or similar when I come in from my run but even the thought of a smoothie is enough to make me gag. It’s just a quick and handy no added sugar squash drink. Make jugs of squash if you want cheap or fruit shoots if you want speed and convenience.

Fruit smoothies are absolutely packed with sugar. Why on earth people prefer to rot their children’s teeth with them rather than boarded sugar I’ll never know. Yes smoothies have more nutritional value but it’s essentially a drink, it’s supposed to quench thirst after running round, not feed you.

We try to give my daughter only whole foods and don't give fruit shoots and similar. She has allergies and some of them are used as natural colourings. Fruit shoots tend to make her quite loopy.

That said, I wouldn't bat and eye lid about her having one at a party

If health is your concern water is the best option.
I don't give DS prepackaged smoothies they are full of sugar and bad for teeth.
We do make them at home occasionally

@NameChanger2028 squash or fruit shoots will be fine for most, just make sure you also have water, if children are thirsty a fruit shoot isn't much liquid. Also some children don't drink squash (mine doesn't like it, but I also wouldn't be giving him carton smoothies!)

15g of sugar in an innocent smoothie cartoon, RDA maximum for a child is 19g, bizarre that some people see them as preferable!

It’s a party, serve them what they love…. Which is fruit shoots!

I hope you duly reported yourself to social services for child abuse 😂

As long as you have the option for water that's fine.

Unfortunately my 6yo gets an upset stomach with too much sweetener (any sweetener to an extent but one fruit shoot isn't going to make him shit himself so we allow it now he's old enough to understand it will give him a bit of a tummy ache... he usually chooses not to have one though) and he would defo need more than one drink during a party as he always gets so sweaty running about. Individual bottles of water would be good if you don't want to do paper cups etc.

Most kids parties tend to have a variety of drinks so you could do some fruit shoots, some smoothies/juice cartons, some bottles of water?

See no problem with a Fruit Shoot at a kid's party, most people are expecting some unhealthy choices at kids parties.
Personally though I have always preferred big pitchers of squash and water at parties, just because my son after running around would down a fruit shoot and still be thirsty. They are really tiny. But a lot of parties do provide small pre packaged drinks. Most parents will like me always bring a big water bottle.

Don't over think it.

Fruit shoots are absolutely fine.

My kids don’t often have juice anyway, and very rarely fruit shoots BUT they absolutely would have them at a parties, it’s like an extra treat for them. I 100% wouldn’t judge. Make sure you have a plain water option too…I know a few kids that don’t like juice/fruit shoots.