Hosts catering for different drink preferences
A chilled smoothie suits guests asking for a fruit-and-purée drink, while a sparkling fruit drink gives others a fizzy option. Bringing both means neither drink has to stand in for the other.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers short on cool-box space
Check whether you can keep a refrigerated smoothie cold through the journey and until serving. For a sparkling drink, follow its own storage label rather than assuming every bottle or can needs the same handling.
Families comparing bottle sizes and portions
A large bottle may be convenient to share, but its pack size is separate from its 5 A Day contribution. The NHS says smoothies and unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices together count as a maximum of one 150ml 5 A Day portion per day.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether the picnic calls for a smoothie, fizz or both; then compare the serving format, storage label and ingredients of the drinks you plan to take.
Chilled fruit smoothie
Choose it when: guests specifically want a fruit-and-purée drink alongside lunch.
Plan for: cold transport and, with a shared bottle, cups and a way to keep the remaining drink chilled.
Sparkling fruit drink
Choose it when: guests want carbonation rather than a smoothie-style drink.
Check: fruit content, sugars and sweeteners on the individual label; sparkling fruit drinks do not all have the same ingredients.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink style | Look for fruit purée and juice in a smoothie, or carbonation in a sparkling drink. Check the exact product rather than relying on a fruit flavour alone. | I want a smoothie with lunch, or I need a fizzy drink for guests who would rather have one. |
| Chilled transport | Follow the pack’s storage instructions. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping foods normally stored in the fridge cool at a picnic. | Can I keep a refrigerated drink cold during the journey and until it is served? |
| Serving format | Compare individual 250ml or 350ml bottles and cans with larger shared bottles. For a shared drink, plan for cups and storage after opening. | Individual drinks would be simpler to hand out, or I have a group ready to share one bottle. |
| Fruit portions | Read the pack’s serving information separately from its size. The NHS says smoothies and unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices together count as a maximum of one 150ml 5 A Day portion per day. | I want to understand what a large smoothie bottle’s serving claims mean without counting it as several extra daily 5 A Day portions. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Compare the ingredient list, sugars per 100ml, serving size and any sweetener declaration. “No added sugar” does not mean that a fruit drink contains no naturally occurring sugar. | If sugars or sweeteners matter to me, I’ll compare the actual packs rather than treating all fruit drinks alike. |
What can go wrong when packing drinks?
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Expecting a sparkling fruit drink to be a smoothie
The sparkling examples from Waitrose combine fruit juice with sparkling water; the chilled smoothie examples use fruit purée and/or juice. They answer different drink preferences.
Choose the drink style first. If guests want both a smoothie and fizz, take separate products.
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Packing a refrigerated smoothie without keeping it cool
The innocent smoothie’s product instructions require refrigeration. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance says food normally kept in the fridge also needs to be kept cool at a picnic.
Follow the drink’s label and use a cool bag or cool box for refrigerated items. Keep the drink chilled until it is needed.
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Counting a large smoothie as several daily 5 A Day portions
A bottle can contain several stated servings without increasing its daily 5 A Day contribution. The NHS sets a combined maximum of one 150ml portion from smoothies and unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices per day.
Use the pack’s servings to plan what to pour, and the NHS guidance to interpret its 5 A Day claim.
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
Fruit juice and purée can contain naturally occurring sugars even when sugar has not been added.
Check sugars per 100ml and the portion size, then read the ingredients for added sugar or sweeteners on the exact drink.
Which brands offer relevant drinks?
innocent
The innocent Strawberries, Bananas & Apples Smoothie is a 250ml chilled option for someone who wants an individual smoothie.
- Sainsbury’s lists a 150ml serving as one 5 A Day portion for this product.
- Its product instructions say to keep it refrigerated; the 250ml bottle holds more than one stated 150ml serving.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists own-label 750ml smoothie flavours, including Strawberry & Banana, Mango & Passionfruit, and Pineapple, Banana & Coconut.
- A larger bottle provides a sharing format for a group with cups.
- Check the chosen bottle’s storage instructions and current label before packing it.
M&S
M&S Food lists ready-made fruit smoothies in 350ml and 750ml bottles.
- The two listed formats let shoppers compare an individual bottle with a larger one for sharing.
- Check the selected product’s ingredients, allergens and storage instructions on its label.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists sparkling fruit drinks, including Pip Organic Sparkling Apple Fizz and Cawston Press Sparkling Rhubarb.
- The Pip product lists 60% organic apple juice and 40% sparkling water; the Cawston product lists pressed apple and rhubarb juices with sparkling water.
- Those ingredient proportions differ, so compare individual drinks rather than assuming one sparkling-drink recipe applies to the range.
Naked
Tesco lists Naked Green Machine as a 750ml fruit-juice drink with added vitamins, rather than a sparkling option.
- The 750ml bottle offers a format to consider when several people want to share a chilled drink.
- Tesco’s product instructions say to keep it refrigerated.
Sparkling fruit drinks on Joybuy
These options are for the fizzy-drink side of a picnic lunch, with individual multipacks and one bottle for sharing. If you also want a fruit smoothie, plan separately for a chilled smoothie and its storage requirements.
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Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling 6x250ml
For a picnic where guests want sparkling apple juice in separate drinks. The pack contains six 250ml units; check the current pack’s nutrition and allergen information before serving.
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J2O Sparkling Apple & Mango 4x250ml
Four 250ml drinks provide separate portions for guests choosing apple-and-mango fizz. Check the current ingredients label if added sugar or sweeteners matter to your group.
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J2O Sparkling Apple & Raspberry 4x250ml
This four-pack of 250ml drinks suits separate servings when guests want apple-and-raspberry fizz rather than a smoothie. Read the current pack for its ingredients, sweeteners and allergens.
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J2O Orange & Passion Fruit 12x250ml
Twelve 250ml drinks offer individual portions for a larger group wanting a fizzy orange-and-passion-fruit option. Consider how many guests need a drink, and check the pack’s ingredients and storage instructions.
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De Vina Sparkling Apple 750ml
A 750ml sparkling-apple bottle is a sharing format, so bring cups if guests will have separate servings. The listing identifies a glass bottle and says the drink is not suitable for children under 4; handle the bottle carefully and check the physical pack before relying on its nutrition figures.
Picnic drink questions
Are sparkling fruit drinks the same as smoothies?
No. The smoothie examples here are fruit-purée and/or juice drinks, while the sparkling examples combine fruit juice with sparkling water. Choose according to whether guests want a smoothie-style drink or fizz, and check each product’s ingredients and storage label.
Does a large smoothie count as more than one 5 A Day portion?
No. The NHS says smoothies and unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices together count as a maximum of one 150ml 5 A Day portion per day, regardless of how much is drunk. A bottle’s stated number of servings does not increase that daily contribution.
How should I take a chilled smoothie to a picnic?
Follow the product’s storage label and keep a refrigerated smoothie cool during transport and at the picnic. The Food Standards Agency advises that foods normally kept in the fridge at home also need to be kept cool on a picnic; a cool bag or cool box helps you plan for that requirement.
Does “no added sugar” mean a fruit drink contains no sugar?
No. Fruit ingredients can contain naturally occurring sugars even when none has been added. Check sugars per 100ml, the serving size and the ingredients on the exact drink you intend to bring.
What should I check if a guest has a food allergy?
Check the current physical pack’s ingredients and allergen information for the exact drink before serving it. Do not rely on the drink category or fruit flavour to establish what else it contains.