I was asked to take part in some research following a recent study of 2,000 parents that revealed, as much as 45% of parents don’t think their children drink enough water. Why? Well nearly half of those said they didn’t choose to provide just water at the dinner table because of the additional stress.
Now I, like lots of other parents (55% according to the survey) do have lots to drink at the dinner table but its fruit juices, or squash rather than water. I am aware of the sugar content, and it is something I think/worry about. I do think I agree, that I do this fr an easier life, and well its what I prefer to drink too? However, both of my daughters do drink water during the day as well as squash. I would love it if we also as a family, drank water during dinner, so that’s why I agreed to do the challenge. I think we as adults really should lead by example, and I confess I am not great at drinking water at dinner time or throughout the day, so was very happy to try to change my habits.
So for the past week, instead of our SodaStream living on our kitchen counter-top, its been on our dining table, so that we can add some bubbles into the water during our meal, to try to make it more exciting. When I’m making dinner, I just remember to fill a couple of the soda stream bottles with water, and keep them in the fridge until dinner time. I’ve also been including a little bowl of fruit, so that can be added to the fizzy water too. I was also provided with bottled water, so I made sure this was available each dinner time, to see if anyone would rather reach for plain bottled water, rather than the fizzy.
At first my youngest daughter (5) refused to drink the fizzy water, everyone else took to it easily though. My eldest daughter who is 12 absolutely loved it straight away, not once wanting the bottled water. Miss A- 5 really loved eating the fruit that was in the fizzy water. I think she just wasn’t used to the bubbles. She said they tickled her nose too much!
It only took three days though, so she soon got used to it, and now loves her bubbly water!
I think it was the fruit that really helped her get over her initial scepticism, so we’ve carried on using different fruit each evening. If you want to try the same then I would definitely recommend, orange and cherries.
Kiwi was a hit too!
The only one that didn’t work was Lychee, it made the water flat instantly and well, no one liked the lychee flavour.
Making the water more exciting by adding bubbles and fruit has definitely increased the amount that all of us as a family drink during dinner time, and therefore throughout the day. So the bubbly water definitely won in our house. I am delighted by the results of how much more we drink. I think that my intake has doubled, my youngest too, as she now easily drink 8 small glasses of water throughout the day.
Want to know more? SodaStream has teamed up Change4Life, in thinking up solutions to help parents cut the amount of sugar their children’s drinks, you can read more HERE and HERE.
Join in the conversation by following the #watermadeexciting @SodaStreamUK
We were given a SodaStream, and bottled water in order to carry out the challenge.
What a great way to encourage more water! I’ve just done a detox so am actually quite impressed with my water intake these days, my youngest is quite a big water drinker too…but my eldest won’t have it..except mixed with squash..I do try and make it as weak as possible to get as much water in him as possible but this sounds like a good thing to try for him for sure.
Its the combination of fizz and fruit I think that does it. Hope you manage to crack it 🙂