Hosts serving children of different ages
Plain still water makes it easy to offer one clearly identifiable main drink. If you also provide a flavoured option, keep the bottles distinguishable so parents can check what their children are drinking.
Who is this choice for?
Hosts comparing fruity drinks
If guests may prefer a fruit flavour, compare the exact products rather than assuming every flavoured water has the same sugar content or ingredients.
Hosts expecting formula-fed babies
Keep party drinks separate from infant feeding arrangements. The NHS does not recommend bottled water for making up formula.
What should you check?
Decide what to serve as the main drink, then compare any flavoured alternative by its exact label and the way you plan to serve it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Main drink | Choose a plain still-water format; check bottle size and pack quantity. | I want a straightforward drink that guests can recognise. The NHS identifies water and milk as suitable drinks for children. |
| Flavoured choice | Read sugars per 100ml and the ingredients on the exact flavour. Check for sweeteners and other added ingredients. | A fruity option might be useful for some guests, but I do not want to assume that “sugar free” or “no added sugar” means plain or sweetener-free. Tesco’s Water Splash Orange & Pineapple listing, for example, gives 0g sugars per bottle and lists sucralose. |
| Serving format | Compare bottle volume, bottles per pack and total volume. Consider whether drinks will be handed out or poured into cups. | Individual bottles would simplify serving, while larger bottles would suit a table with cups. I also need somewhere to store the drinks. |
| Infant feeding | Keep bottled party water separate from formula preparation; follow NHS formula-preparation guidance. | If formula-fed babies are coming, their carers need a suitable feeding arrangement. The NHS does not recommend bottled water for making up formula. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating flavoured water as plain water
A sugar claim does not describe every ingredient. Tesco’s Orange & Pineapple Water Splash listing gives 0g sugars per bottle but includes the sweetener sucralose.
Offer plain water as the main drink and read the ingredients of each flavoured alternative.
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Assuming every flavour in a range is sugar free
Volvic UK lists 0g sugars for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, while its Lemon & Lime Touch of Fruit lists 2.3g sugars per 100ml and 5.8g per 250ml serving.
Compare the nutrition panel for the precise flavour and bottle, including both per-100ml and serving figures.
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Using party water to make infant formula
The NHS says bottled water is not recommended for making up formula because it is not sterile and may contain too much sodium or sulphate.
Arrange formula preparation separately and follow NHS guidance, which calls for fresh cold tap water.
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Choosing a multipack by bottle count alone
The same number of bottles can represent different amounts of water when bottle sizes differ. Larger bottles also need cups if guests will not drink directly from them.
Work out how drinks will be served, then compare total volume and available storage space.
Brand ranges to compare
These brand examples show why the exact water or flavour matters; they do not imply that every product in a range has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
Compare its plain still water with its separately labelled flavoured drinks.
- Plain still water avoids the ingredient questions raised by a flavoured alternative.
- A Highland Spring sugar-free flavoured-water listing at Tesco gives 0g sugars but includes sucralose; check the exact flavour’s label.
Evian
Sainsbury’s lists Evian among its plain still-water formats.
- Check the available bottle and multipack sizes against your serving plan.
- A brand name alone does not establish which pack size will suit your guest count.
Volvic
Volvic has plain still water and Touch of Fruit flavours, but the flavoured variants differ.
- Volvic UK lists 0g sugars for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free.
- Volvic UK lists 2.3g sugars per 100ml for Lemon & Lime Touch of Fruit; do not apply one flavour’s figures to another.
Buxton
Buxton’s still natural mineral water comes in several bottle sizes.
- Buxton lists still-water bottles including 500ml, 750ml, 1L and 1.5L formats.
- Check the size and pack quantity rather than choosing by brand alone.
Tesco
Tesco lists flavoured waters in both individual-bottle and larger formats.
- Its Water Splash Orange & Pineapple listing is for a 300ml bottle and gives 0g sugars per bottle.
- That product also lists sucralose, so check its ingredients if sweeteners matter to your choice.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists plain still water as well as no-added-sugar flavoured water.
- Its still-water range gives hosts plain-water formats to compare.
- Its Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar flavoured water is described as a drink with sweetener; read the current label.
Joybuy water options
These options include plain still water for the main party drink and one strawberry-flavoured alternative. Compare pack sizes according to whether you will hand out bottles or pour drinks into cups.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 12 × 500ml
A plain still-water option for handing out individual bottles. The pack contains twelve 500ml bottles.
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Buxton Still Water, 8 × 500ml
Plain still water in eight individual 500ml bottles. Check the pack quantity against the number of guests you expect to serve.
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Volvic Still Natural Mineral Water, 6 × 500ml
A plain still-water choice in six 500ml bottles, suited to serving as individual bottles rather than pouring from a larger one.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 6 × 1.5L
Plain still water in six 1.5L bottles, totalling 9L. This format suits pouring into cups rather than handing each guest a bottle.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, 6 × 500ml
A strawberry-flavoured option in six 500ml bottles, rather than a substitute for the plain-water choice. If sweeteners or acids affect your decision, check the current pack label before serving it.
Questions about party water
What bottled drink should I serve as the main option?
Plain still water is a straightforward main option for a children’s party. The NHS identifies water and milk as suitable drinks for children; choose a bottle size that works with your serving plan.
Is sugar-free flavoured water the same as plain water?
No. Sugar-free flavoured water can contain other ingredients: Volvic UK’s Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free listing gives 0g sugars and lists sweeteners. Read the label for the exact product if its ingredients matter to you.
Does “no added sugar” mean there are no sweeteners?
No. Sainsbury’s describes its Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar flavoured water as a drink with sweetener. Check both the nutrition panel and ingredients instead of relying on the front-of-pack wording.
Can party bottled water be used to make infant formula?
The NHS does not recommend bottled water for making up formula because it is not sterile and may contain too much sodium or sulphate. Keep formula preparation separate from the party drinks and follow NHS guidance on using fresh cold tap water.