Mum shamed for putting "alcohol-free" vodka in child's lunchbox
<p>What's the difference between an alcohol-free bubbly drink and a soft drink? Although they sound the same, there is a world of a difference - as one NZ mum and gym director has discovered.</p>
<p>After putting cans of zero alcohol Pals (a vodka seltzer) in her kids' lunchboxes, the mum shared a photo to Instagram with the caption: "perfect addition to school lunches too."</p>
<p>While the drinks are free from alcohol the post caused a bit of a stir, especially on Twitter where a screenshot was shared.</p>
<p>"I'm already imagining young kids grabbing the wrong Pals from the fridge for an after school drink ... very irresponsible marketing. And not from Pals," one person wrote.</p>
<p>"Wow putting a non alcoholic drink in a school lunch! How irresponsible," another commented.</p>
<p>When the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/mum-criticised-for-putting-zero-per-cent-alcohol-pals-in-childrens-lunchboxes/FG7IHR3MEPFBFACYPRT5MUURSE/" target="_blank">NZ Herald</a><span> </span>contacted the mum for comment she claimed that the post had been a "gag."</p>
<p>"Just like I have the personal rights to pop down to the booze shop and purchase a zero per cent Heineken and put it into my kids lunch boxes. For a gag," she explained.</p>
<p>"A lot of my content is appealing to the general population and our clients who can have a laugh, not those who have the capacity to spin something completely out of context and actually think I sent my kids to pre-school and school with a Pal in their lunch boxes."</p>
<p>Alcohol-free beverages are becoming quite popular amongst a wife group of people, from pregnant and breastfeeding mums to non-drinkers to people who just want to cut down on their consumption.</p>
<p>But there are still some misconceptions about them and how they differ from soft drink.</p>
<p>Irene Falcone is the founder of Australia's first physical alc-free bottle shop,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://sansdrinks.com.au/" target="_blank">Sans Drinks</a>.</p>
<p>"Alc-free drinks are not soft drinks – they taste and smell just like alcohol," she says. "They have the same rules and regulations as alcohol."</p>
