Kids will drink more water if we tickle their tastebuds!

The thorny issue of obesity — especially childhood obesity — in Western society has become a hot topic. This recent article on the BBC website sharply underlines that drinking more water has huge benefits and can help to tackle this problem.

Kids today are bombarded with temptations, and drinks overloaded with sugar are part of the problem. At Vero Water, we are in total agreement with the Local Government Association quoted in the BBC article, but we would go one step further and say that while tap water is a more healthy alternative to sugary drinks, it would be easier to get kids to drink water in restaurants if it was filtered, chilled, maybe sparkling – which would make it taste so much more appealing.

We appreciate that, for most kids, water is never going to be as thrilling as a fizzy sweet drink, but in our culture of hydration, many are used to the concept of drinking water throughout the day. But going out for a meal in a restaurant can be an occasion, and it is here that kids want to drink something a bit special, so water often doesn’t feature in their dining experience.

Restaurants offering free tap water is a great start, but tap water can be very flat and tasteless for kids. Filtered, chilled, still or sparkling water from an on-site Vero system has all the health benefits of tap water, but tastes as good, if not better, than branded and expensive bottled water.

The ‘theatre’ of dining is important for kids as well. A glass of tap water…dull…they can get that at home! But a gorgeous, designed glass bottle of filtered sparkling water…well that looks so much more glamorous! Kids are very judgmental about these things.

As for the cost, tap water may be free, but Vero systems enable restaurants and bars to offer customers water at a very low cost indeed, usually as little as £1 per 1-litre bottle. A far cry from the £4-plus eateries ask for a small bottle of branded water.

So providing filtered water in restaurants is a very small price to pay for steering kids away from sugary drinks and onto fresh water. Why would you choose plain tap water if you could have a whole bottle of delicious chilled sparking water for just £1?

Taste is king, and kids often won’t compromise. But by offering them great-tasting water alongside their branded fizzy drinks we stand a better chance of them growing up fit and healthy and without all the health issue associated with too much sugar.

They need to know that, even when dining out, there is a better alternative to tap water. We can appeal to them if we tickle their taste buds and present them with something they will want to drink again and again. If children still demand something sweet, Vero Water also offer a selection of fruit based, lovingly made cordials which do not contain colourings, artificial flavouring, preservatives and are not made from concentrates.

To find out more about Vero Water, call us on 01953 857975 or email info@verowater.co.uk