Tips to encourage your children to drink more water!

1. Pack a water bottle whenever you go out.

2. In summer, put a frozen water bottle in your child’s lunch box. 

3. Have cold water available at all times at home instead of sweetened drinks. 

4. When participating in sports, encourage your child to drink water rather than sports/energy drinks. 

5. Gradually water down juices, sports/energy drinks and cordials until your child is happy to replace these with plain water. 

6. Use smaller glasses when serving sugary drinks for children and limit the number and serve size of sugary drinks they have.

Drinking water is the best way to quench thirst without getting the sugar and kilojoules found in fruit drinks and juices, soft drinks, sports drinks and flavoured mineral waters. Drinking water instead of sweetened drinks helps prevent dental problems and the Fluoride found in tap water also helps children develop strong teeth and bones.

What about milk?

Milk is a good source of Calcium and is important for the growth of strong bones and teeth in children. Reduced fat or lite milks should be encouraged for children over the age of two years. Reduced fat milks contain much the same nutrients as full-cream milks except they are lower in saturated fats and therefore in energy content. Children under two years of age should not drink reduced fat milks as they have higher energy requirements than older children. However, if you believe that your child is underweight or has a small frame for their age, i would recommend you take a visit to your local dietitian, they might prefer you to stick to the full fat option until your child has finished developing and growing.

What about fruit juices?

Fruit juice is often regarded as a healthy choice as it contains Vitamin C. When choosing a fruit juice try to choose a 100% fruit juice, rather than a juice that is made of sugary concentrate. Some children may prefer the pulp free alternative, but as i said try your best to steer clear of the concentrated fruit flavoured drinks.  However one small glass (125 ml) of most juices provides a child’s daily requirement for Vitamin C. More than this provides excess sugar and kilojoules that can contribute to weight gain. A piece of fruit is a better choice than juice as it provides fibre aswell, which is excellent for their health!