Day hikers packing a snack break
A can can accompany sandwiches, fruit or other snacks, but take water separately for the walk. The NHS identifies water as a choice for staying hydrated.
Who is this choice for?
The useful format depends on where you will drink it and who will carry the packaging afterwards.
Small groups sharing refreshments
Separate cans give each walker a portion; a bottle suits a stop where the group stays together. Plan to take every empty container home, as the Countryside Code advises.
Shoppers comparing sugar and ingredients
Compare the sugar in the portion you expect to drink, then read the exact pack for sweeteners, dietary information and any phenylalanine warning.
What should you check before buying?
Plan what you will carry during the walk, then compare packs for the snack stop.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks for the walk | Pack water separately. The NHS says water helps keep you hydrated; lemonade can also contribute to fluid intake. | I want a fizzy drink with my snack without relying on it as the only drink for the hike. |
| Sugar per portion | Read the sugar figure per 100ml and per can or intended glass. ASDA Groceries lists 7.9g per 330ml R Whites can and 15g per 330ml Sprite Lemon Lime can; these are specific packs, not figures for every variant. | If I will drink a whole can, the sugar in that can matters more to my choice than the per-100ml figure alone. |
| Pack format | Check can or bottle size, how many portions the group needs and where an opened bottle can be kept. The Countryside Code says to take litter home. | Separate cans work when we want individual drinks; for a fixed group stop, I can consider a bottle and plan how to carry it away. |
| Ingredients and labels | Check the exact variant for sweeteners, dietary statements and phenylalanine warnings. Do not assume another pack from the same brand has the same recipe. | I need the drink and its label information to suit whoever will have a portion. |
What can make a pack impractical?
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Using lemonade instead of packing water
A fizzy drink with food does not remove the need to plan drinks for an active walk.
Take water for the route and decide separately whether you want lemonade at a snack or post-walk stop.
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Looking only at sugar per 100ml
That figure helps compare drinks, but the portion you actually drink may be larger. ASDA Groceries lists 7.9g sugar in a 330ml R Whites can and 15g in a 330ml Sprite Lemon Lime can.
Read both the per-100ml and per-serving lines on the pack before choosing portions.
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Taking the whole multipack onto the trail
A carton of 18 or 24 cans is more to carry than the few portions a group may need at one stop.
Divide the unopened cans needed among walkers and make room for the empties on the return journey.
Every can taken onto the route also has to be carried out after use.
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Assuming every variant has the same ingredients
ASDA Groceries identifies a phenylalanine warning on the cited R Whites pack; ingredient and dietary details need checking for the particular drink being bought.
Read the current pack label, especially when changing flavour, bottle size or multipack.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show pack and label details worth comparing; they do not describe every drink sold under each name.
R Whites
The R Whites Lemonade pack listed by ASDA Groceries contains 24 individual 330ml cans, a format a group can divide before a walk.
- ASDA Groceries lists 7.9g sugar per 330ml can.
- The cited pack carries a phenylalanine warning; taking the whole carton would mean carrying 24 cans.
Sprite
ASDA Groceries lists Sprite Lemon Lime as an 18 × 330ml can pack for separate portions of a lemon-and-lime drink.
- The cited pack is labelled suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- ASDA Groceries lists 15g sugar per 330ml can; check the current pack for ingredients and warnings.
M&S
M&S Sparkling Cloudy Lemonade comes in a 750ml bottle, a format to consider for a fixed sharing stop rather than separate trail portions.
- M&S lists 3.4g sugars per 100g for this drink.
- M&S instructs shoppers to refrigerate it after opening and consume it within three days.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists a No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade in a 2-litre bottle, a larger format to assess for sharing at a fixed stop.
- The 2-litre size gives shoppers a bottle-format option to compare with individual cans.
- Check the exact bottle label for its sugar figure, sweeteners and dietary information before choosing it.
Joybuy drinks for a hiking snack stop
These can multipacks offer individual portions for a snack stop, including lemonade and related fizzy lemon-and-lime drinks. Choose how many cans to take onto the walk, pack water separately and bring the empties home.
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7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330ml
The 330ml cans give a group separate portions for a snack stop; take only the number needed rather than the full 24-can pack. If sugar or sweeteners matter to you, check the exact pack label.
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Fanta Lemon 8 × 330ml
Eight individual 330ml cans can be divided among walkers for a snack stop. Check the sugar per can on the current pack if you are comparing it with other drinks, and carry the empty cans home.
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7UP Zero 8 × 330ml
This eight-can pack provides 330ml portions of a lemon-and-lime alternative, rather than a drink named lemonade. Check the exact label for sugar, sweeteners and any warning relevant to your group.
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Schweppes Original Lemonade 12 × 150ml
The 150ml cans offer smaller individual portions of lemonade for a snack stop. Read the pack’s per-can sugar figure when comparing portions, and check its ingredient warnings if relevant.
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Sprite No Sugar 8 × 330ml
This eight-can pack offers separate portions of a lemon-and-lime drink, not one named lemonade. Check the current label for sugar, sweeteners and any phenylalanine warning before choosing it for someone with specific dietary requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Should lemonade be my main drink on a hike?
Take water as your main drink and keep sparkling lemonade optional for a snack stop. The NHS identifies water as a choice for staying hydrated and says other drinks can also contribute to fluid intake.
Are cans or a bottle easier for a group walk?
Cans make sense when walkers want separate portions; a larger bottle is more practical at a fixed sharing stop. Consider who will carry it and, if it will be opened, follow that product’s storage instructions. M&S, for example, says to refrigerate its Sparkling Cloudy Lemonade after opening.
How do I compare sugar across different packs?
Compare both the label’s per-100ml figure and the portion you intend to drink. For the specific cans listed by ASDA Groceries, R Whites has 7.9g sugar per 330ml and Sprite Lemon Lime has 15g per 330ml; check the label when choosing a different variant.
Do sweeteners and phenylalanine warnings need checking?
Yes, when they matter to someone who will drink the product. The cited R Whites listing carries a phenylalanine warning; read the exact pack’s ingredients and warnings rather than assuming variants share a recipe.
What should I do with empty cans and bottles?
Take them home. The Countryside Code published by Natural England advises countryside visitors to take their litter home and leave no trace.