Hosts serving individual drinks
If guests need their own sealed drinks, compare the number of cans as well as their size. A 150ml can is a smaller serving than a 330ml can, regardless of how many cans are in the pack.
Who is this for?
Hosts considering sugar information
NHS guidance says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks and identifies water as the main hydration choice. If you also offer fizzy drinks, check whether the pack is labelled no added sugar or zero sugar rather than assuming every lemonade has the same ingredients.
Hosts checking ingredients for guests
Read the current pack label when a guest has a relevant dietary requirement. Sainsbury’s lists Sprite Zero Sugar as containing a source of phenylalanine, which matters for guests with phenylketonuria (PKU).
What should you check?
Decide how many individual drinks you may serve, then compare can size, sugar information and the current label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks offered | Offer water separately. For fizzy drinks, read the sugar information rather than relying on the drink name. | I want water available throughout the party, with any canned fizzy drink offered as an option. NHS guidance says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks. |
| Individual servings | Check both can count and volume: six 330ml cans provide six servings, while twelve 150ml cans provide twelve smaller servings. | If several guests may choose a can, I need enough unopened cans for them without mistaking a larger can count for a larger serving. |
| Drink type | Check whether the product is lemonade or a lemon-lime drink, and whether its label says no added sugar or zero sugar. | I may want a particular lemonade flavour, or be happy to serve a lemon-lime drink instead. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredients and warnings, including any statement about phenylalanine. Check the physical pack before serving. | If a guest has PKU or another relevant dietary requirement, I need to check the specific drink they will be offered. |
Common buying mistakes
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Counting cans without checking their size
Twelve 150ml cans contain 1.8 litres in total; six 330ml cans contain 1.98 litres. The higher can count does not mean more drink.
Match the number of individual servings to the guest list, then check whether a smaller or larger can suits the drinks you plan to offer.
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Treating a no-added-sugar fizzy drink as water
NHS guidance identifies water as the main hydration choice and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks. A no-added-sugar label describes the product’s sugar formulation, not its role as a drink at the party.
Put out water and make any canned fizzy drink an optional choice.
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Overlooking warnings on sweetened drinks
Sainsbury’s product information for Sprite Zero Sugar states that it contains a source of phenylalanine. That warning is relevant for guests with PKU.
Ask about relevant dietary requirements and check the current label on each pack before serving.
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Choosing bottles when sealed servings matter
A bottle needs cups and pouring if guests are to receive separate servings; cans come pre-portioned.
If individual sealed drinks are important, check that the listing specifies cans, the pack count and the volume of each can.
Relevant brands and retailers
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists Diet Lemonade in a six-pack of 330ml cans.
- Listed as no-added-sugar carbonated lemonade with lemon juice from concentrate and sweeteners.
- One pack provides six individual cans; check how many guests are likely to choose one.
Sprite
Sainsbury’s lists Sprite Zero Sugar as an eight-pack of 330ml lemon-lime cans.
- The listing identifies it as a zero-sugar drink.
- Sainsbury’s product information says it contains a source of phenylalanine; check the current label if a guest has PKU.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists its own Diet Lemonade in a six-pack of 330ml cans.
- The listed pack gives six individual servings.
- Check the current product label and pack details before choosing it for guests with dietary requirements.
Schweppes
Asda Groceries lists Schweppes Lemonade as twelve 150ml mini cans.
- The mini-can format provides twelve smaller individual servings.
- Asda’s nutrition information lists 6.3g sugars per 150ml serving; it is not a zero-sugar option.
M&S
The M&S Food lemonade range includes bottle formats, including Diet Lemonade in 1-litre and 2-litre bottles.
- A bottle format may suit a party where drinks will be poured into cups.
- Bottles do not provide sealed individual cans.
Asda
Asda Groceries lists Schweppes Lemonade in 12 × 150ml cans and Barr Lemonade in 24 × 330ml cans.
- These listings show different can counts and serving sizes to compare.
- Check the current label of the specific product, rather than applying one drink’s ingredients or nutrition information to another.
Joybuy can multipacks
These options include eight-can lemon-lime drinks, a larger lemonade multipack and smaller 150ml lemonade cans. Compare the stated pack contents and sugar information for the guests you expect to serve.
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Sprite No Sugar 8 × 330ml
Eight individual 330ml lemon-lime cans suit a plan for eight standard-size fizzy drinks. The product information lists 0g sugars per 100ml and states that it contains a source of phenylalanine; check the current pack label for guests with relevant dietary requirements.
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7UP Zero 8 × 330ml
This lemon-lime multipack provides eight individual 330ml cans. Its nutrition information lists 0g sugars per can; the product information also lists sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine, so check the current pack label for relevant dietary requirements.
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7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330ml
The title specifies 24 individual 330ml cans, a format to consider when the guest list is large enough to use them. The description identifies pink lemonade flavour and lists 0g sugars per 100ml, but does not independently confirm the can count; check the pack contents before ordering. It also states that the drink contains a source of phenylalanine.
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Schweppes Original Lemonade 12 × 150ml
Twelve 150ml cans provide smaller individual servings than the 330ml options. The nutrition information lists 4.2g sugars per 100ml, so this is not a zero-sugar choice. The description also states that it contains a source of phenylalanine; check the current label for relevant dietary requirements.
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Fanta Lemon 8 × 330ml
This pack contains eight individual 330ml lemon soft drinks. Its nutrition information lists 15g sugars per can, and the product description says it is not suitable for children under three and contains a source of phenylalanine. Check guests’ needs and the current pack label before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Should lemonade cans be the main drink at a children’s party?
Offer water as the main drink. NHS guidance identifies water as the main hydration choice and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks; if you offer cans as an optional party drink, check their sugar information.
How many cans should I plan for?
Start with the number of guests likely to choose a canned drink, then check the pack count and allow for any extra servings you expect to need. A six-pack supplies six individual cans regardless of can size; provide water separately.
When might 150ml cans suit the party better than 330ml cans?
Choose 150ml cans when smaller individual servings matter more than offering a standard-size can. Check the sugar information too: Asda lists 6.3g sugars per 150ml serving for Schweppes Lemonade mini cans, so smaller does not mean sugar-free.
What ingredient checks do zero-sugar cans need?
Read the current ingredients and warnings for the particular drink. Sainsbury’s states that Sprite Zero Sugar contains a source of phenylalanine, which is relevant for guests with PKU; check the physical pack before serving, as Asda cautions that product information can change.