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Original poster

What kind of juice drink do you give your LO's

82 replies

curlygirl · 14/08/2006 23:04

I used to buy the organic diluted baby juices for my dd, she only likes the blackcurrant ones. Recently she started drinking much bigger beakers of juice with her meals (she has water between meals), and it was becoming really expensive. I tried her with diluted orange juice but she doesn't like it. I have searched for a juice or a squash that she can have but they all have added sugar or sweetners and goodness knows what else.I found an innocent looking organic squash that looked really healthy only to discover that sugar was the second highest ingredient. I have been giving her ribena with no added sugar as it stated that it was high in vit c and has few nasties in it, but my dh read on the label that it shouldn't be given to toddlers under 36 months old, dd is 21 months. Can anyone help?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 15/08/2006 10:45

If you have the world's fussiest toddler, I have the world's fussiests children. My DSs won't drink the grown up smoothies (because they're not perfectly smooth - bah!) but they will drink the children's ones in the cartons (which are, in fact, probably more epensive than baby juice! )

oliveoil · 15/08/2006 10:48

Mine have vvvvvv watered down apple juice, probably 1/4 juice 3/4 water.

Or FruitShoots when they go to McDonalds!

welshmum · 15/08/2006 11:03

Can't believe this but somehow mine get watered down Pomegranate and Apple juice with extra Omega 3s. How poncey am I?!

Marina · 15/08/2006 11:06

I will cheerfully own up to usually having a bottle of Rocks in the house - useful for guests and sometimes with meals. Mine still drink plenty of water and milk, and we also get through a couple of litres of Grove Fresh a week.
Mine are older though - squash has only appeared here since ds started primary school.

Bugsy2 · 15/08/2006 11:42

I'm way too mean to give my kids juice. Mine get weak squash, water or milk. The way I see it is fruit juice is loaded with sugar anyway, even if it is natural. Teeth can't tell the difference!

Piffle · 15/08/2006 11:48

soupy I'm with ya!
We bought dd a couple of the small bottled innocent (robbery btw) ones and kept the bottles
I refill it from the cartons The new blackberry and blueberry one is to die for

CaligulaCorday · 15/08/2006 11:53

I agree with moderation and common sense, that's why I don't buy this stuff. I find that as other adults appear not to be able to encounter a child without offering it some coloured sugary liquid, the squash intake of my children is moderate and commensensical without me spending a penny on it or needing to have it in the house.

alexw · 15/08/2006 12:17

My dd (19 mo) has developed a fascination with tea!! (I know it's bad, but at leasy there's no aspartame in it!) She will pick up tea mugs and drain dregs if I don't clear them away quickly.

Marina · 15/08/2006 12:52

alexw, you can get a variety of tea called redbush which has all the benefits of ordinary tea (refreshing, high in antioxidants) but with none of the tannin and caffeine. We drink it at bedtime and the children sometimes have a cup too.

fennel · 15/08/2006 12:57

mine (6,4 and 2) have fruit juice at breakfast. then mainly water or milk with occasional ribena on hot days, and regular juice ice lollies in hot water, and squash sometimes at other people's houses or toddler groups, and fizzy lemonade when we go to the pub.

not saying this is brilliant but it's our compromise on what we want them to drink and what they like and what is all around us.

Thomcat · 15/08/2006 12:57

She's only ever had water, milk, prune juice when badly constipated or the water left from steaming veggies.

fennel · 15/08/2006 12:58

lollies in hot weather not hot water....

ediemay · 15/08/2006 13:05

Avoiding squash isn't all about polished halos. My brother and I both had severe alergic reactions to it as children and I've avoided it ever since. I agree with sticking to milk and water for as long as you can - at least you can always get one or the other when you're out & about. I let my DS choose different cups and drinking bottles to make it more exciting!

fennel · 15/08/2006 13:08

every toddler group we have ever been to has squash and usually biscuits. do none of you go to these groups or do you manage to hold your toddler off the snacks and drinks?

even our lentil weaver toddler group (stories and crafts from the developing world etc) has juice and cookies (fair trade organic ones).

sorkycake · 15/08/2006 13:08

Another vote for Rocks organic cordial here. Or water.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 15/08/2006 13:12

I tend to give water or put a very little drop of orange juice/apple juice in the water.

Ds will drink squash, but only in tiny amounts and rarely, I worry more about the sugar on his teeth. But I suppose 'proper juice' also has sugar.

crazydazy · 15/08/2006 13:15

Uggggghhhhh at steaming water left from veggies!!!

Give my children Robinsons low sugar and brush their teeth twice a day.

FrannyandZooey · 15/08/2006 13:17

I have avoided the sweetener type squashes altogether, for health reasons, but feel a bit less precious about doing so now ds has actually tried some (a friend offered 'juice' for him to drink - I did think she meant actual juice, but it turned out to be squash with sweeteners in). He went ruddy bonkers after about an hour. I have never seen him had such a dreadful tantrum - he was absolutely beside himself. I will be avoiding them for the foreseeable future I think.

Marina · 15/08/2006 13:17

It's for constipation relief crazydazy, not for the delicious taste
Impressed you got her to drink it TC

crazydazy · 15/08/2006 13:18

Oh I see, DS suffers quite a lot with constipation at the moment but if I gave him that he would throw it all back and clear out his stomach but not his bowels.

FrannyandZooey · 15/08/2006 13:19

Oh , I didn't answer the question

I usually give milk / water, but he has diluted fruit juice for a treat, or occasionally the Rock's style squashes.

fisil · 15/08/2006 13:26

I only ever give milk or water because I am a mean and lazy cow. And also cos water is my favourite drink - so if that's what I always drink then ...

However, ds1 was not happy about water at first. He was bottle fed and just wouldn't drink water at all. When we weaned him I started freezing the water that I'd boiled his fruit mush in and then adding water to the cooking water. Amazingly he loved it, and as I cooked his fruit for less time (as he had it harder and harder) the water was less fruity, and so he got into water! So maybe just very very gradually reduce it.

Thomcat · 15/08/2006 13:30

The veggie water is actually for the taste, they both like it, DD1 - 4.5yrs and DD2 8 months.
I steam carrots and spinach etc and they happily drink the 'juice'.
Have always done it.

I tried it when I was pregnant with DD2 and nearly threw up but they happil;y drink it!

The prune juice is for the constipation but she seems to have gone off that so I give her bowel essence drops (!!!!!!!) in her water now.
PMSL at the name but it really is called bowel essence.
It's just tinctures of flowers and helps promote a healthy bowel, honest!

TheLadyVanishes · 15/08/2006 14:48

dd only has water and milk, i don't really want to get in the habit of giving her juice (but thats just me)

alexw · 15/08/2006 15:01

Thanks for the tip Marina. Will look out for it as she really seems to love the taste!