August 23, 2026, 3:48 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
My son (4) occasionally drinks non-alcoholic beer, or more precisely: 0.0-percent beer. I realized: A beer bottle conveys a symbolism that sugary soda does not. A personal story about everyday rituals and parental intuition.
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Non-Alcoholic as a Lifestyle
Children want to do the same things at the table as adults to feel included. So it was only logical that our son wanted to toast with a beer bottle early on.
Before you gasp: In our family, non-alcoholic beer is the norm. My husband doesn’t drink alcohol, but he loves non-alcoholic pilsner and wheat beer, often in 0.0 variants. I’ve been influenced by his non-alcoholic lifestyle. I used to love wine, but now I increasingly reach for our latest discovery: a non-alcoholic sparkling wine alternative made from Chardonnay and tea extracts.
Anyway: When my husband and I toasted with 0.0, our son naturally didn’t want apple spritzer.
Healthier Than Soda
For me, the calculation was always pragmatic: A 0.0 beer contains no measurable alcohol and often significantly less sugar than soda. While many “natural sodas” or juices have around ten grams of sugar per 100 milliliters, a non-alcoholic pilsner often has only two to four grams. It also contains minerals like potassium and magnesium, similar to an isotonic sports drink. So why demonize one for its appearance and allow the other despite the sugar?
Also interesting: 8 foods with hidden alcohol
Social Reactions
That some parents let their children drink sugar water is, of course, no argument for allowing your child to drink 0.0 beer instead. We received plenty of critical looks when our son first slurped the foam and then started drinking in a restaurant. Even friends with children laughed in confusion, asking: Is he drinking beer?!?
Every fruit juice that has been in the fridge a bit longer contains at least as much alcohol through fermentation as a bottle of non-alcoholic beer (up to 0.5 percent alcohol by volume). The same applies to fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir. Malt beer–once a typical children’s drink–contains 2.0 percent alcohol by volume, significantly more than any non-alcoholic beer.
But the full picture also includes: Non-alcoholic beer can be very high in calories, and many varieties contain added sugar. Studies show an unfavorable impact on blood sugar, especially from non-alcoholic wheat and mixed beers.1 On the other hand, compared to classic soda, this aspect hardly matters.
A “No-Go,” Says the Doctor
At some point, I realized: Ultimately, it’s not about which lesser evil is allowed, but about the social ritual. Even if the beer my son drinks contains no alcohol, it remains visually, tastefully, and socially: a beer. After all, he adopted the ritual: ‘Drinking something tasty means opening a bottle that looks like alcohol.’
But is it fundamentally okay to let the child drink 0.0 beer? The early exposure to bitter tastes and drinking rituals could lower the threshold for later, warns nutritionist Dr. Matthias Riedl. Giving children non-alcoholic beer is, in his view, a “no-go.” Parents should “consciously avoid such things.”
What Alcohol Does to the Bodies of Children and Adolescents
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Coming to a Different Decision
From the mouth of a nutrition expert, these are certainly compelling reasons why children shouldn’t drink non-alcoholic beer. It’s the safe framework. Nevertheless, we come to a different decision. First: We control the amount and context so that our child doesn’t register 0.0 beer as a normal everyday drink. Second: Anything strictly forbidden doubles its appeal.
I reject the idea of perfect parents to relieve the pressure on us. Instead, I like the idea of myself as a “good enough” mother. Our son should learn that life doesn’t have to be flawless. We parents set the framework for that. In this case, it means: It has to be 0.0, and for quenching thirst, there’s water.
Interestingly, his preference for beer is currently adjusting. At almost five, his interest has noticeably waned. I conclude: It was probably more about the desire to imitate us than a genuine liking for the taste.
Now Lemon Juice Is Cooler Than Beer
Right now, sparkling water with lemon juice is his thing. When he takes a sip, I have to make a face as if I’ve bitten into a lemon. Look what I can do, Mom! What would a dentist say about that? I’d rather not ask.