What types of drinks are the healthiest options for children and young people?
Water, and plain and flavoured milks are the healthiest drinks for children and young people and should be readily available and promoted in schools. Fruit juices, and fruit drinks are high in acid and can contribute to tooth decay if consumed regularly. Q: Is the maximum serve size for fruit drinks 250mls and do fruit drinks have to be assessed against the Occasional (RED) food and drink criteria table. A: Fruit drinks DO need to be assessed against the Occasional (RED) food and drink criteria table. One serving needs to contain less than 300 kilojoules and 100mg of sodium to fit in the AMBER category. It is recommended that the serve size of fruit drinks is limited to 250mls or less, however, depending on the ingredients used, some large serve sizes may still fit into the AMBER category – check the label against the Occasional (RED) food and drink criteria table. Drinks containing artificial sweeteners fit into the RED category regardless of their energy (kilojoule) content or serve
