What Drinks to Send to School -September 2017
The Ministry of Education in conjunction with the Ministry of Health mandated that drinks with ADDED sugar should not be sold in schools in Trinidad and Tobago from September 2017
The most frequently asked question we have heard is:
Can we as guardians and parents send certain soft drinks and juices with sugar to school?
YES you can send any drink you want, the schools cannot sell the drinks.
**Update 6 Sep 2017** Some schools have been asking children to bring drinks to school from with no added sugar! I do not know how enforceable that directive is. We will monitor it to see what happens during this term.
The question you should be asking is:
Should I be sending those drinks with added sugar to school?
The answer to that question is a resounding NO!
So what should we be sending with our children?
1. Water, water, water. Purchase a resusable water bottle and fill it up at home everyday. My children actually refill their bottles at school but you can choose two bottles if you have a concern. Even now we have a rule that they only get juice once a day. That means juice at lunch and water for the rest of the day.
2. Unsweetened Juice made at home. Squeeze two or three oranges and/or portugals and fill with water and ice. It tastes great and also has vitamin C as an added benefit.
3. Juice some watermelon. If you get some watermelon and toss it in the blender with some cubes of ice, it is wonderfully refreshing and if your melon is very sweet then your children will not miss the sugar. You may have to strain it if your children do not like the grittiness of the seeds. I love the fiber but children, not so much.
4. Milk. Some milk is filling and really enjoyable for some children. I have noticed that milk is not sent as a drink to school unless it is Milo or Ovaltine. Trust me milk without the chocolate and sugar will be fine.
5. 100% juice. There are some 100% juices out there being sold in the supermarket. I just picked up some 100% apple juice for home this evening. I am not advocating any particular brand but they are being sold everywhere just read the labels carefully. Make sure and try one before you give the children or before you buy a whole case. I learnt this the hard way, they may not like the taste of all of the 100% juices.
These are not all the available options, you can find and create your own versions that are the most suitable for your family. Try something different this September!! Please feel free to leave a comment saying your choice of drink for the kids!
