Secondary pupils who want a fruit drink with lunch
A pupil choosing a smoothie needs to consider any other juice or smoothie they have that day. The NHS advises a combined daily maximum of 150ml.
Who is choosing the drink?
Parents packing regular school lunches
A labelled 150ml smoothie bottle makes the intended portion clearer than packing a larger bottle for one pupil.
Pupils who prefer fizz
Carbonation changes the choice of drink, not just the smoothie’s texture. Check the exact sparkling product and whether the school accepts it in packed lunches.
What should you check?
150ml still smoothie
Choose when: The bottle will be the pupil’s fruit-juice or smoothie portion for the day.
Bear in mind: Another juice or smoothie that day counts towards the NHS combined 150ml daily maximum.
Sparkling fruit drink
Consider when: The pupil wants a fizzy drink and the school’s packed-lunch policy allows the specific product.
Bear in mind: Sparkling drinks vary in their ingredients and are not interchangeable with smoothies; read the label before deciding.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothie portion | Check the bottle’s volume and any other juice or smoothie consumed that day. The NHS advises a combined maximum of 150ml daily. | I want a smoothie with lunch without overlooking juice or another smoothie served at a different time. |
| Drink type | Read the product description and ingredients: sparkling juice drinks and smoothies are different retail categories, as Waitrose’s sparkling drink range illustrates. | If it is fizz the pupil wants, I need to choose the actual sparkling drink rather than assume it is a carbonated smoothie. |
| Pack format | Compare a 150ml individual smoothie bottle with larger bottles. Tesco and Sainsbury’s list Innocent Kids 4 x 150ml multipacks; M&S lists smoothies in 350ml and 750ml bottles. | A ready-portioned bottle would be simpler for a single lunch; a larger bottle would need a separately measured serving. |
| School policy | Check the individual school’s packed-lunch rules, particularly before choosing a sparkling drink. Department for Education guidance on school food in England addresses food and drink provided in state-funded schools, not a universal packed-lunch rule. | Before buying drinks for school, I want to know which types my pupil can bring. |
Packed-lunch pitfalls
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ removes the smoothie portion limit
Innocent describes its smoothies as having no added sugar, but the NHS still advises a combined daily maximum of 150ml for fruit juice and smoothies.
Check the bottle size and account for any other juice or smoothie the pupil has that day.
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Treating every sparkling fruit drink as a smoothie
Waitrose’s sparkling drinks range includes different product types, such as sparkling apple juice, pressé and kombucha. The word ‘sparkling’ does not identify a standard smoothie format.
Decide whether the pupil wants a smoothie or fizz, then check the specific drink’s label.
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Packing a large smoothie bottle as one serving
A 350ml or 750ml smoothie bottle exceeds the NHS combined 150ml daily juice-and-smoothie amount if the pupil drinks it all.
Choose a clearly labelled individual portion or measure a serving from a larger household bottle.
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Assuming school-food guidance settles packed-lunch rules
Department for Education guidance concerns food and drink provided in state-funded schools in England; it does not establish what every UK school accepts in a parent-provided lunch.
Read the pupil’s own school food or packed-lunch policy before sending a drink that may be restricted there.
Relevant brands and ranges
These examples illustrate pack formats to compare; a brand name alone does not establish whether a particular drink suits a school lunch.
Innocent
Tesco and Sainsbury’s list Innocent Kids smoothie multipacks in a 4 x 150ml format.
- An individual 150ml bottle matches the NHS combined daily maximum for fruit juice and smoothies if no other juice or smoothie is consumed that day.
- Innocent’s ‘no added sugar’ description does not change that portion guidance; check ingredients and allergens for the chosen flavour.
Naked
Sainsbury’s lists Naked Green Machine as a 750ml smoothie.
- The larger bottle can be divided into separately measured servings.
- Drinking the full 750ml bottle would exceed the NHS combined daily 150ml juice-and-smoothie guidance.
Tesco
Tesco lists its Mango Passion Fruit Smoothie in a 750ml bottle alongside individual smoothie multipacks from other brands.
- A larger bottle offers a format for measured servings at home.
- The full 750ml bottle is not a single 150ml packed-lunch smoothie portion.
Sainsbury’s
Its smoothie range includes Innocent Kids 4 x 150ml multipacks and Naked Green Machine in a 750ml bottle.
- The listed formats allow a choice between a labelled individual portion and a bottle requiring portioning.
- Check the exact product and serving size rather than treating every bottle in the range as one lunch portion.
M&S
M&S lists ready-made smoothies in 350ml and 750ml bottles.
- These bottles provide formats from which a serving can be measured.
- Both listed sizes exceed the NHS combined daily 150ml juice-and-smoothie amount if consumed in full.
Sparkling drink option on Joybuy
This option is for considering a sparkling fruit drink, not for choosing a still smoothie. Check its label and the school’s packed-lunch policy before deciding whether to pack it.
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J2O Orange & Passion Fruit 12 x 250ml
If the pupil wants a sparkling fruit drink rather than a smoothie, check whether the school permits this type of drink. The pack is labelled 12 x 250ml; read the exact product label before treating it as a packed-lunch choice.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pupil pack a smoothie for lunch every day?
A 150ml smoothie can fit within the NHS combined daily maximum for fruit juice and smoothies, provided the pupil has no other juice or smoothie that day. Count drinks outside school as well as those packed for lunch.
Is a sparkling fruit drink a sparkling smoothie?
Not necessarily. Retailers list sparkling juice drinks separately from smoothies, and the sparkling range covers different types of drink. Check the particular product’s description and ingredients instead of relying on ‘fruit’ or ‘sparkling’ in its name.
Should I pack a 350ml or 750ml smoothie bottle for one pupil?
Not as a full individual serving if following the NHS combined 150ml daily guidance for smoothies and fruit juice. A larger bottle needs a measured portion, with any other juice or smoothie that day taken into account.
Do England’s school food standards decide what goes in a home-packed lunch?
The Department for Education’s school-food guidance covers food and drink provided in state-funded schools in England; it does not establish a rule for every parent-provided packed lunch across the UK. Check the individual school’s policy before buying a drink for that purpose.