Slush puppies dangerous for children under four

[IndependentEventually]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c725pzqzdgno

"The Food Standards Agency advises drinks with glycerol are not suitable for children under age four – but it is not mandatory for companies to print this on food labels."

This has been known about for a while (doesn't make it any less worrying)

www.ladbible.com/news/health/slushy-drinks-dangerous-glycerol-children-health-risk-104914-20240206

www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/not-suitable-for-under-4s-new-industry-guidance-issued-on-glycerol-in-slush-ice-drinks

Next to the ingredients , it does say not suitable for four and under.
The amount of shit in it is shocking.

Who would do this anyway? Like, why does it even need a warning? Parents should use their common sense. Of course this isn’t suitable.

My 3.5 year old has only ever had water and it’ll stay that way as long as possible, same with my 1 year old.

Surely it comes under school of commensense?

There's a difference between a drink having a list of ingredients that might not be wise for a child in terms of nutrition Vs a drink that will actually poison your child.

Just keep replacing sugar with shit created in a laboratory.

Why would anyone give that rubbish to their dcs anyway? Or drink it themselves? In no way does it come into the category of healthy eating.

Just look at all those lovely wholesome ingredients !!

Well, I didn't know that, and I quite possibly would have let my 2/nearly 3yo have a slurp out of a drink like that - in fact I definitely have because we all got them on holiday last summer! I can't remember if he had his own or shared, but we wouldn't have left him out as the youngest.

I would have seen it as being similar to ice cream, which is a perfectly normal summer treat, no need for pearl clutching. I wouldn't give it to them for breakfast! But on a day out it wouldn't have occurred to me that a small amount of something like that would be a problem. In fact I've never come across that packaging pictured, but I probably would have assumed that the warning referred to the lid being a choking hazard.

I had no idea about this, I just thought it was strong, iced juice.

@MoosesOnGooses both your kids are toddlers

Once they go to school the older one will be given sweets and crap at parties (and indeed by the school). At that point Pandora's box is open and the younger one will want such things too.

Certainly my younger kids got access to sweets, chocolate and bad TV at a younger age than my oldest

There is a soft play place near us that does parties. One of the menus they offer comes with a slushy for each child. They potentially have parties for 3yos as the soft play is suitable for that age.

It's not something I would want my child drinking, but as others say, I would assume it was safe, although unhealthy, and would allow it as a one-off at a party. My kids have tried them at parties and disliked them so not drunk much (and been over 4), but it is worrying to be that dangerous.

My eldest goes to preschool, she already attends lots of events where they try to hand out unsuitable sweeties and fruit shoots.

Nothing wrong with chocolate, biscuits and sweets that aren’t choking hazards. All food in moderation.

I don’t allow her to have sweets like lollies or hard boiled sweets, marshmallows or popcorn, as they are all high choking risks. I explain they are for older children, and when she does turn 5 and is at school she will be old enough for them.

Same with fruit shoots/juice/fizzy drinks.

Also I don’t want my 1.5 year old having chocolate, sweets, ice cream etc yet. So she doesn’t. That doesn’t stop my eldest having them.

It’s called parenting your children 🤷‍♀️

It should say 'Not suitable for human consumption'.

The amount of crap that is sold as food or drink - with a lot of it targeted at children - is shocking.

I didn't know this and I'm usually pretty hot on nutrition. (I'm not sure my kids ever had many slush puppies and certainly not as little kids).

They have these in a big machine at the local trampoline place- my almost three year old asks every time and I’ve always said no (and he has fruit shoots semi regularly) partly due to the fact they are yet more expense on top of an already expensive activity but I might have given in for a treat at some point, because I didn’t know this, although obviously assumed they were full of crap. Worrying how easily they can be bought for small children.