CAPRI SUN is a juice-based beverage from Kraft Kraft Foods, a division of Philip Morris Companies Inc. It is known for coming in a heat-sealed mylar package. This package has a divet through which one can poke the provided pointed straw. While technically it is a fruit drink, it contains only ten percent real fruit juice. The second ingredient (After water) is fructose. Each 6.75 ounce pouch of Capri Sun includes 100 calories, all from sugars.
The Capri Sun sun product line also includes a new "BIG Pouch" and a drink mix. The BIG Pouch contains 2/3 more product than the normal pouch, bringing it to 11.25 ounces. Small pouches are sold in boxes of ten, and the large pouches are sold in boxes of six. As far as I can tell from websearching and my own experience, the drink mix is a myth. I've never seen it, or a picture of it.
Capri Sun is one of the most entertaining drinks I ever enjoyed as a child. First of all, anything flexible and reflective is entertaining, and the package is made of mylar. Second, it's full of sugar, so it's very sweet, which helps you get over the fact that other kids have carbonated beverages. Third, if you refill the pouch with water, you can use it as a water gun. Sometimes it misfires, meaning the straw comes out. You can also blow it up with air, put the straw loosely in the hole, and stomp on the packet, which causes the straw to be propelled out of the hole. Great fun, which could potentially take out someone's eye.
Capri Sun has thirteen flavors in the US, including Strawberry Kiwi (now a requirement in any juice line), Red Berry (My childhood favorite), and various "Cooler" flavors with names like "Surfer Cooler" and "Mountain Cooler", which I'm not sure I want to taste. The CapriSun BIG Pouch product comes in the same flavors as the normal-sized pouches, but comes in additional new flavors including Iced Tea, Raspberry Lemonade, and Dragon Fruit, whatever that might be. Germany gets Capri Sun BIG products as well, but they have some different lines; BIG Fun, BIG Action, and BIG Energy. The "Fun" drinks include added vitamins A, C, and E. BIG Action have added magnesium and calcium. Finally, the Energy Capri Sun drinks are souped up with guarana, taurine, and caffeine.
Possibly the only good things about Capri Sun as a children's drink are that children like them a great deal, and the juice will not stain clothing very much at all. Even white shirts are pretty safe, even if the juice is not washed out right away. They are also relatively inexpensive, costing about US$3.50-4.00 per 10-pack. And finally, one added bonus; If you keep them frozen, then they will keep your lunch cold. The only problem then becomes getting them to unfreeze when you want to drink them.
If you are looking to Capri Sun to provide you a healthy drink for your children, look elsewhere. Overdoses of sugars like those provided by capri sun can lead to child diabetes and at the very least are known to cause mood swings and metabolic imbalance. Consider instead using some type of real fruit juice.
References:
Webpage: Lu, Irene. Some Crabby Foods - Canned and Packaged Foods Don't Cut It. Digital High. (http://www0.mercurycenter.com/digitalhigh/teen/99crabby.htm)
Website: Capri Sun (http://www.kraftfoods.com/caprisun/cs_index.html?b=7&L=2)
Website: Kraft Foods (http://www.kraftfoods.com/)
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