Sports drinks for kids, hold the artificial everything

We're all a little prone to dehydration in the summer around here, so I'm not above letting my kids grab swigs of my Gatorade on a really hot day. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not the best. So I'm all for trying out an…

Sports drinks for kids, hold the artificial everything
We're all a little prone to dehydration in the summer around here, so I'm not above letting my kids grab swigs of my Gatorade on a really hot day. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not the best. So I'm all for trying out an electrolyte-enhanced drink made just for kids, especially when the ingredients are 100% natural.


Grombomb is a very cool little mom/pop devised beverage with flavors definitely made to appeal to kids--sour apple, lemonade, watermelon, fruit punch. Lemonade is the most subtle (says the mom) and the only one I could see drinking myself, but I'm sure kids will be delighted to indulge in Wipeout Watermelon any old time.

They are definitely not healthy in the "wheat grass shot" sense of the word, but as far as electrolyte beverages go, they're not bad. The nutritional values are comparable to Gatorade, but with far less sodium. Plus they're made with cane sugar and natural flavors, and get their color from fruit and veggie juices instead of food coloring which is good for kids with sensitivities.

I also like that the company is all about supporting athletes under 18. The site is packed with inspirational pictures of the Bombsquad Athletes they sponsor, flipping on skateboards and catching serious air on BMX bikes. (Look away, Helicopter parents! Look away!) If nothing else, adventuring kids will probably love browsing the photo galleries on the website.

Distribution is pretty limited right now-mostly the Southern California area (surprise!) but I'm sure they'll start coming east soon.

Find these natural kids' sports drinks at the Grombomb website but it's more reasonable to find them at a store near you. Distribution is pretty limited to the SoCal area right now, like Albertsons plus various gas stations, delis, and 7-11s.

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