Choose water as a drink

Ways to encourage children to drink water

• Always take a bottle of water with you when you go out 
• Avoid buying sweetened drinks and having them in the house 
• Freeze fresh fruits and use them as ice cubes in water 
• Pack water in their lunch boxes and over-night bags 
  
• Add slices of lemon or orange to water to make it more interesting

Which drinks should you limit or avoid? 

Sweetened drinks contain a lot of sugar and sometimes caffeine, so they should only be consumed occasionally, or not at all.

• Cordial
• Energy drinks
• Soft drinks
• Sports drinks
• Flavoured mineral water

The sugar, sweeteners or caffeine in drinks may cause:

• Interrupted sleep
• Tummy problems & diarrhoea
• Fussy eating & poor appetite
• Unhealthy weight gain
• Tooth decay

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