Hey Moms, want to help this Gram out? ;)

[Yardbird]

We will be taking our grandsons, 6, & 2 yrs, to WDW, and I plan on buying juice boxes for them. Now, juice boxes were not around when my son was little, so I have no idea if these things can be frozen? I thought it might be a good idea to freeze a couple to take to the parks. Would this work? I know that liquid expands when frozen, so I don't want to create a mess in the freezer. Anybody have any experience with this?

Thanks!

 

[TSWJan78]

They will freeze fine... and work well to keep other things cool too... Have a great trip!!!

 

[Nanu57v]

Yes, juice boxes can be frozen. I use them as icepacks all the time.

 

[Yardbird]

Thanks!

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes, you can freeze the juice boxes but ... if you can find the "bags" like capri sun or koolaid they freeze much better and turn to a nice slushey type drink. In my experience sometimes the boxes can sog (from the inside out) and become messy while the bags hold up great.

I also carry a ziplock baggie of koolade powder in case we run out. Ice water is free and bottled water is easily purchased. Just add a teaspoon of powder and you have your drink of choice without carrying as much with you.

For the adults crystal light makes an on the go package that mixed with the large bottle of water makes a great drink. I don't use it for the kids as it has nutrisweet but dh and I love it.

HTH
TJ

 

[matdamom]

We bought the Capri Sun and Kool-Aid Jammer pouches and froze them. Put them in ziplock baggies and they also served to keep other things cool. My girls thought that when they were "slushy" it was a treat!

 

[tlbwriter]

Small bottles of water freeze well too, and you don't get sticky if you accidentally squeeze them too hard...

 

[tbelfonti]

Just a heads up:

We stayed at CR and our fridge did NOT have a freezer. However our friends stayed at WL and Poly and had a freezer. If it's important to have one - be sure to ask.

 

[tjmw2727]

Small bottles of water freeze well too, and you don't get sticky if you accidentally squeeze them too hard...

Yes - we like the dannon - kid size and they stay frozen longer than the juice to help keep everything else cold. Nothing like having a nice cold water an the end of an exhausting evening at the parks!!

TJ

 

[goofyforlife]

Fruit 2 0 which is usually a no calorie flovered water now comes in drink pouches. I saw them in Sams Club.

However, for some reason they contain 35 calories in the pouch version vs bottles.

I'm going to buy some for my daughter to take in her lunches to camp. For her they're healthier than juice boxes.

 

[tjmw2727]

Fruit 2 0 which is usually a no calorie flovered water now comes in drink pouches. I saw them in Sams Club.

However, for some reason they contain 35 calories in the pouch version vs bottles.

I'm going to buy some for my daughter to take in her lunches to camp. For her they're healthier than juice boxes.

A little OT but do you know if these have nutrisweet or splenda?

My dd's love the flavored water but I don't want them having the artificial sweeteners. They prefer water or a very light taste over juices or soda so I just add a tiny bit of powder mix to water if they want something other than water.

If someone makes a fruit water without aspartine or splenda that would be terrific!!

Off do do a google - TIA
TJ

 

[goofyforlife]

I think they are splenda.

unfortunately, pretty much all low or no calorie stuff has artificial sweeteners.

Guess we have to pick our evils. (empty calories or chemicals)

Still better than a soda though...

 

[tjmw2727]

I think they are splenda.

unfortunately, pretty much all low or no calorie stuff has artificial sweeteners.

Guess we have to pick our evils. (empty calories or chemicals)

Still better than a soda though...

ITA - thanks that is great, I would choose spenda over aspertane. To tell the truth I would rather juices in moderation than brain damage but that's just me. Since soda isn't allowed in school or camp and we don't drink it at home it isn't an issue......yet.

I am lucky as my girls still choose water over everything else at 8 and 10yo. One reason why I hesitate to change to flavored water. They love to order water with a slice of lemon at a restaurant and make their own "lemon water".

Ok - thanks again and I bet the bags of fruit 2-0 are terrific frozen, yummy.

TJ

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

You may want to buy some of the plastic box holders ( I think I have seen them at Wal-Mart). One of my sons always manages to squeze their juice box and squirt it all over. They don't seem to do much better with the pouch drinks and I usually squirt myself trying to help them get the straws in.

 

[sarsah]

Yes, as others have already said, you can freeze them.

Just be careful giving a juice box to a 2 year old. Mine likes to make a 'fountain', much more than he likes to drink them. One way around this for the pouch type Capri Sun, etc. drinks is to put the whole thing (unopened) in a cup and let the child hold on to the cup, instead of the pouch. The child is still able to use the straw and it's no mess if they 'spill', but they aren't holding on to the pouch and tempted to squeeze it.

You can also buy the drink box holders (Target sells some with either Sponge Bob or Dora on them -- look in the baby aisle, near the sippy cups).

Sarah

 

[Yardbird]

Yes, as others have already said, you can freeze them.

Just be careful giving a juice box to a 2 year old. Mine likes to make a 'fountain', much more than he likes to drink them. One way around this for the pouch type Capri Sun, etc. drinks is to put the whole thing (unopened) in a cup and let the child hold on to the cup, instead of the pouch. The child is still able to use the straw and it's no mess if they 'spill', but they aren't holding on to the pouch and tempted to squeeze it.

You can also buy the drink box holders (Target sells some with either Sponge Bob or Dora on them -- look in the baby aisle, near the sippy cups).

Sarah

I actually did purchase one of those. I had no idea that they existed until I spotted them at Target. Initially, I had ruled out juice boxes as a choice because I could just see the two year old doing just as you said, making a fountain out of it. Two is such a fun age.

Thanks everyone, for the ideas!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Hi Gram, the other ladies had good suggestions, the only thing I would add is make sure to get the kind that are 100% juice, some of them have high fructose corn syrup and that is not so good for the little ones, that's all I would ask is that my mom or MIL would buy the 100% juice kinds.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

A little OT but do you know if these have nutrisweet or splenda?

My dd's love the flavored water but I don't want them having the artificial sweeteners. They prefer water or a very light taste over juices or soda so I just add a tiny bit of powder mix to water if they want something other than water.

If someone makes a fruit water without aspartine or splenda that would be terrific!!

Off do do a google - TIA
TJ

I have been looking for a "grown-up" version of this, like the powdered teas that you can pour in your water bottle, without any aspartame or Splenda. FTR, Splenda is basically CHLORINATED regular sugar. I don't know about any of you, but no way am I drinking chlorine or letting my ds drink it when he is older! I found some links online about how it's really bad for ya but I'm sure other people can find the same stuff if they just type in Splenda or aspartame. It can be very challenging to find TRULY healthy stuff to drink or eat!

 

[Jacksmom99]

I have been looking for a "grown-up" version of this, like the powdered teas that you can pour in your water bottle, without any aspartame or Splenda. FTR, Splenda is basically CHLORINATED regular sugar. I don't know about any of you, but no way am I drinking chlorine or letting my ds drink it when he is older! I found some links online about how it's really bad for ya but I'm sure other people can find the same stuff if they just type in Splenda or aspartame. It can be very challenging to find TRULY healthy stuff to drink or eat!

Most, if not all tap water has chlorine in it, it's really difficult to avoid. As far as splenda, while I'm not 100% convinced that we're not going to sprout green tenticles in 40 years, I use it for my DD who at 3 is 45 1/2 lbs, and needs to watch her calorie intake per drs order. Splenda is made my manipulating the sugar molecule so that it does not break down in the body. From what I was told (by a chemist) and my limited understanding of cheistry, is that the chlorine molecule is added to the sugar molecule so that none of it breaks down in the body. I give it to my DD in the form of juice, popsicles, and yogurt. All kid treats which I don't want to deprive her from when others have them, but this way I can give her an option with far fewer calories than the regular versions.

As for Disney, she LOVES water bottles with the sport top, like the kid sized Dannon ones. I buy a bunch of those, freeze a couple, and take them with us into the park.

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

they have those little gatorades too. They are great frozen and last really long. They work well in disney because if you bring a backpack they can just go in the side. They also work well in lunches and have all kinds of flavors. I think they are called gatorade all stars