When my kids were babies and toddlers, they just drank water or milk. All was well. I was smug in the knowledge that they were not imbibing anything sugary to drink – and that was pleasing. Then they grew up and became a bit fussier. Things changed. I got annoyed. Whilst they will still drink water (although my daughter favours milk), it was proving a challenge to get them to drink much at all – particularly in the case of my daughter.
She suffers from chronic constipation. It’s been a real struggle – still is – as she goes from pull ups to pants depending on how much washing I can handle. Her diet is fine. But she doesn’t drink much. So I have gone from a water and milk only mum to a give her anything she likes, as long as it’s liquid mum.
Chronic constipation is SO common in kids. We went to a paediatrician and they told me they were seeing an awful lots of kids with this problem. I know a lot of mums who have a daughter or son that still struggles on medication (Movicol) or others whose kids seem to have come out the other side. She is improving and that is mainly down to me ensuring actively on a daily basis that she drinks enough. I do this by widening the variety of drinks, giving her a cool Frozen cup to drink them in – and just by generally hounding her! We also give her Lactulose to help.
Anyway. It’s not just constipated kids who need to drink more. If you’re anything like me, you do too. When I worked in a trendy office and gulped down gallons of water every day it just didn’t seem to be hard work drinking enough. But now I am so busy, juggling blogging, kids, dog, cats, house, husband – I do often forget and only realise, well, when I go to the loo and see that I am dehydrated. Sorry. I am very TMI today…
So, I got sent some lovely natural squashes from Rocks. Orange and Lemon Barley ones. I had to hide them as they were disappearing so quickly and I needed some left over for this post!
If, like me, you’d rather they are drinking nice, natural stuff – but your kids prefer squash to water or milk – then you need to have a look at this brand of natural drinks. Compare the ingredients label of these squashes to one from your local supermarket and there is such a huge difference. Massive. Rocks contain only organic fruit, organic cane sugar, and organic barley flour – as well as citric acid as the last on the list (which occurs naturally in fruits anyway and is used commercially as a flavouring agent). Standard squash contains a list as long as your arm of additives and un-pronouncables. I know which one I prefer to give them – and I will genuinely be buying Rocks from now on.
Obviously they taste great diluted with cold water, but here I have used them in 3 new drinks recipes – adding them to juices and smoothies is a great way of making them more palatable for children’s taste. Also the hot option is so soothing. Sipping one now and it’s better than Lemsip, I can tell you.
All the juices and smoothies I made in a Nutribullet but a standard blender would do the trick.
Kale, cucumber, lime zinger
Hot squash with turmeric and ginger
Beetroot, carrot, clementine booster juice
1 cooked beetroot | 1 carrot | 1 clementine | Water | Splash of Rocks orange barley
Citrus water
Banana and cocoa milkshake
