Desk-lunch juice drinkers
A small glass of juice may fit lunch, but a portable bottle can hold more than one serving. Pack size matters if you intend to drink it all at once.
Who is choosing?
For a quick desk lunch, the useful distinction is whether you want pure juice, a ready-to-drink fruit blend or a drink you can dilute.
Shoppers comparing total sugars
If the no-added-sugar wording caught your eye, compare “of which sugars” for the amount you will drink. A juice drink may contain water and sweeteners rather than being 100% fruit juice.
People planning a drink for the desk
A ready-to-drink pack needs no preparation. Squash is another option if you have water available and are happy to dilute it as directed.
What should you check?
Decide whether you want pure apple juice or an apple-containing alternative, then compare sugars for the serving you will actually drink. NHS guidance is to limit fruit juice and smoothies to one 150ml glass a day and have it with a meal.
100% apple juice
Choose it when: You want apple juice rather than a blended juice drink and can measure a glass with lunch.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not remove the sugars naturally present in juice.
No-added-sugar juice drink
Choose it when: You want a ready-to-drink apple-containing option and are comparing its total sugars with those of juice.
Bear in mind: The Sainsbury’s Apple & Pear example contains sweeteners and is not 100% apple juice, according to Sainsbury’s product information.
No-added-sugar squash
Choose it when: You have water at your desk and want to prepare a diluted apple drink.
Bear in mind: Squash is concentrate, not a ready-to-drink juice; follow the dilution instructions when comparing servings.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Read “of which sugars” for the amount you plan to drink. Compare like-sized servings where possible; “no added sugar” does not mean sugar-free. | I want to know how much sugar is in my drink, not just whether sugar was added. |
| Juice portion | Check bottle size and servings per pack. NHS guidance limits fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml a day with a meal; Tesco lists its 300ml Copella bottle as two servings. | A whole bottle might be more juice than I intended to have with lunch. |
| Fruit content | Check whether the label says 100% juice, juice drink or squash. Read the fruit percentage and ingredients for blends or diluted drinks. | Pure apple juice matters to me more than an apple-and-pear drink, or I am happy with a blend. |
| Preparation | Check whether the pack is ready to drink or concentrated. For squash, follow the label’s dilution directions; NHS advice is to dilute squash or cordial well. | With little time at my desk, I may prefer a drink I can open immediately. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information if particular sweeteners or sulphites matter to you. Formulations differ between juice drinks and squash. | I want to check what is in this particular pack before choosing it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Fruit juice can contain naturally occurring sugars even when none has been added. The front-of-pack wording alone does not tell you the total sugars in your serving.
Compare the “of which sugars” figure and serving size, then check whether the product is pure juice or a juice drink.
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Treating a whole bottle as one juice portion
According to the NHS, fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to one 150ml glass a day and drunk with a meal. Tesco lists its 300ml Copella bottle as two servings.
If you choose juice for lunch, check the bottle size and pour the amount you intend to drink.
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Buying squash for an immediate drink
The Sainsbury’s Apple High Juice Squash is a concentrate, according to Sainsbury’s product description. It needs preparing rather than drinking straight from the bottle.
Choose a ready-to-drink format if you will not have water available; otherwise, check the squash’s dilution instructions.
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Checking sugar but not ingredients
Sainsbury’s describes its no-added-sugar Apple & Pear Juice Drink as containing sweeteners. Other apple-drink formulations need their own ingredient checks.
Read the label for sweeteners and any allergens relevant to you, including sulphites where listed.
Brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate different apple-drink formats; check the particular product label rather than assuming every drink from a brand has the same ingredients.
Tropicana
Tropicana describes its Orchard Apple product as 100% pressed apple juice, not from concentrate.
- A reference point if you are looking specifically for pure apple juice.
- Being 100% juice does not make its naturally occurring sugars disappear; check the serving label.
Copella
Copella Cloudy Apple is a pressed apple-juice option offered in a portable 300ml bottle.
- The bottle size is useful to check when planning a measured lunch serving.
- Tesco lists the 300ml bottle as two servings, rather than one 150ml juice serving.
Tesco
Tesco’s Copella 300ml product page provides an example of why pack size and stated servings should be read together.
- The Copella pack is listed as containing two servings.
- Check the current pack label for the product you pick up; a portable bottle is not necessarily one juice serving.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s product descriptions show two alternatives to pure apple juice: a no-added-sugar Apple & Pear Juice Drink and a concentrated Apple High Juice Squash.
- The juice drink offers a ready-to-drink fruit blend; the squash can be diluted with water.
- The juice drink contains sweeteners, while the squash must be prepared according to its label. Neither is the same format as 100% apple juice.
M&S
M&S describes its 200ml Apple Juice as cloudy pressed apple juice.
- The small carton makes its pack size clear when choosing a drink to take to lunch.
- A full 200ml carton is larger than the 150ml daily fruit-juice glass advised by the NHS.
Joybuy apple-drink options
For a quick desk lunch, these options include ready-to-drink apple-containing blends and a sparkling 100% apple juice. Check the pack size against the amount you intend to drink.
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Fruit Shoot Black & Apple No Added Sugar 8x200ml
Eight individual 200ml bottles offer a ready-to-drink apple-and-blackcurrant choice for lunch, rather than pure apple juice. Check the pack’s sugars and sweetener information if either affects your choice.
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Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling 6x250ml
This sparkling apple-juice option comes in 250ml cans. Each can is larger than the NHS-advised 150ml daily glass of fruit juice, so consider how much you intend to pour with lunch.
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CAWSTON PRESS Apple & Pear Fruit Water 3x200ml
Three 200ml cartons provide a ready-to-drink apple-and-pear option for lunch. It is a fruit-water blend rather than 100% apple juice; compare the sugars on its label if total sugars are your deciding factor.
Questions about apple drinks
Does “no added sugar” mean an apple drink is sugar-free?
No. Apple juice can contain sugars naturally present in the fruit, even when no sugar has been added. Compare “of which sugars” for the serving you will drink, and check whether the product is 100% juice or a juice drink containing other ingredients.
How much fruit juice should I pour with lunch?
NHS guidance is to limit fruit juice and smoothies to one small 150ml glass a day and have it with a meal. Check the pack size before treating a whole bottle as one serving: Tesco lists its 300ml Copella bottle as two servings.
Can I drink apple squash straight from the bottle?
Not if it is a concentrated squash such as Sainsbury’s Apple High Juice Squash. Follow that product’s dilution instructions; NHS guidance also says to dilute squash or cordial well.
What should I do with an apple drink after opening it?
Follow the storage and use-after-opening instructions on the particular pack. If you plan to drink only part of a larger bottle with lunch, check those instructions before saving the rest.