Parents packing holiday lunches
If a child accepts plain water, it keeps the choice straightforward. For a child who prefers fruit flavour, check a flavoured drink’s label before putting it in a lunch bag.
Who is choosing the drink?
Families replacing sugary drinks
A sugar-free or no-added-sugar claim is more relevant to this aim than a general “low sugar” description. The ingredients list also matters if you want to avoid sweeteners.
Holiday-club organisers in England
For an organised activity day, check the provider’s drink policy. The Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food programme guidance concerns local-authority holiday provision for eligible children; it does not set a drink choice for every family-packed lunch.
What should you check?
Decide first whether plain water will work for the child, then compare the label of any flavoured alternative. Bottle format matters too when the drink has to travel with lunch.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim | Distinguish “low sugar” from “no added sugar” or “sugar free”. Read the sugars figure per 100ml and for the bottle you plan to pack. | I want a lunch drink without added sugar, not simply a drink described as lower in sugar. |
| Ingredients | For flavoured water, read beyond the sugar claim for sweeteners, flavourings and other ingredients. Tesco’s Perfectly Clear and Sainsbury’s Strawberry & Kiwi listings both identify sucralose. | Fruit flavour could help with the switch from sugary drinks, but I may also want to avoid sweeteners. |
| Caffeine | Look for caffeine and child-use warnings on functional flavoured drinks. Buxton’s Peak FOCUS label states 75mg caffeine and 9.2g sugars per bottle and says it is not recommended for children. | I need to avoid mistaking an adult-oriented functional drink for ordinary flavoured water. |
| Bottle format | Check the volume, number of bottles and cap format against the outing. Read the chosen pack’s instructions if a bottle may be opened before lunch. | A bottle needs to be practical for the child to carry and use during the day. |
Label mistakes to avoid
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Reading “low sugar” as “no added sugar”
A low-sugar description does not rule out added sugar. Buxton lists sugar syrup and 9.2g sugars per bottle for Peak FOCUS.
Check the exact claim, ingredients and whole-bottle sugars figure before choosing a flavoured drink for this lunch.
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Assuming flavoured water has plain water’s ingredients
Flavoured drinks labelled sugar free or no added sugar can still contain sweeteners. The cited Tesco and Sainsbury’s products both list sucralose.
If avoiding sweeteners is part of the choice, read the ingredients list or choose plain water.
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Overlooking a functional drink’s warning
Buxton’s Peak FOCUS contains caffeine and is labelled as not recommended for children, despite being a flavoured water product.
Check for caffeine and age-related warnings rather than choosing by the bottle’s appearance or flavour name.
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Relying on an older product listing
Stock and the label on the bottle you receive may differ from a listing you saw earlier.
Check current availability and read the chosen bottle’s ingredients, nutrition panel and storage instructions.
Relevant brands and retailers
These examples show why the exact product and flavour matter; a brand name alone does not establish what is in a particular bottle.
Highland Spring
Offers plain spring water alongside flavoured still-water products.
- Highland Spring lists 330ml, 500ml and 750ml formats for its plain spring water.
- The brand described its five flavoured products as sugar free in April 2026; check the selected flavour’s current ingredients and bottle size.
Evian
A plain natural mineral-water option for families choosing an unflavoured drink.
- Evian describes bottle formats intended for carrying on the go.
- Check the particular pack’s bottle size and quantity for the lunch you are preparing.
Volvic
Offers plain mineral water and a Touch of Fruit Sugar Free range.
- Volvic identifies a 500ml format in its Touch of Fruit Sugar Free range.
- Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the particular flavour rather than assuming every variant is identical.
Buxton
Its plain mineral water and Peak functional flavoured drinks call for different checks.
- Plain Buxton mineral water is an unflavoured option.
- Buxton’s Peak FOCUS contains sugar syrup and caffeine and is labelled as not recommended for children; do not substitute it for plain lunch water.
Tesco
Its listed flavoured-water options include Perfectly Clear Sugar Free Cherry & Raspberry 500ml.
- The cited listing reports 0g sugars and identifies sucralose in the ingredients.
- Check current availability and the label on the product offered.
Sainsbury’s
Lists a Strawberry & Kiwi no-added-sugar flavoured still-water multipack.
- The cited listing identifies a 4 x 500ml pack and states that it contains a sweetener.
- It lists sucralose and other ingredients, so check the pack if you want more than a no-added-sugar claim.
Bottled-water options on Joybuy
These options include plain mineral water for a child who drinks it and sugar-free fruit-flavoured water for a lunch where flavour matters. Check the exact pack and label before choosing.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 6 x 500ml
A strawberry-flavoured, sugar-free option when a child prefers fruit flavour to plain water. The pack contains six 500ml bottles; check the ingredients if you also want to avoid sweeteners, and follow the bottle’s instructions after opening.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Water 1.25L
A sugar-free strawberry-flavoured option in a single 1.25L bottle rather than an individual lunch-sized pack. Its product information identifies sucralose and declares sulphites; check the current label if either matters to your choice.
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Evian Mineral Water 4 x 6 x 500ml
Plain mineral water for a lunch where fruit flavour is not needed. The product name specifies 4 x 6 x 500ml; confirm the bundle quantity against the current product details before ordering.
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Volvic Still Natural Mineral Water 6 x 500ml
Plain still mineral water in six 500ml bottles, suited to packing an individual bottle with lunch. Check the current pack label for any product details important to your choice.
Common questions
Should I choose plain or no-added-sugar flavoured water for a child’s lunch?
Choose plain water if the child will drink it; NHS guidance identifies water and milk as the drinks to give children. If flavour helps them move away from sugary drinks, check a no-added-sugar or sugar-free alternative’s ingredients and nutrition panel.
Does “no added sugar” mean zero sugars?
No. A no-added-sugar claim and the total sugars figure tell you different things. Read both the claim and the nutrition panel on the bottle you are buying, as well as the ingredients if sweeteners matter to you.
Can sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
Yes. The cited Tesco Perfectly Clear and Sainsbury’s Strawberry & Kiwi listings both identify sucralose. If you want to avoid sweeteners as well as added sugar, check the ingredients or choose plain water.
Is a low-sugar functional water suitable for a child’s lunch?
Do not assume so from “low sugar” or a water-style bottle. Buxton’s Peak FOCUS lists sugar syrup, 9.2g sugars and 75mg caffeine per bottle, and its label says it is not recommended for children.
Do holiday-club rules apply to a family-packed lunch?
A family lunch and organised holiday provision are different settings. The Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food programme guidance concerns local-authority provision in England; if the lunch is for a school or holiday club, check that organiser’s drink requirements.