For a camping lunch carried away from the pitch, choose individual bottles or cans that each person can carry and finish with the meal. A 1.5L to 2L bottle makes more sense for a group sharing a drink at a fixed pitch, provided you can follow its storage instructions after opening. Check the label before treating a flavoured version as equivalent to plain sparkling water.
How far you carry the drink, and whether everyone eats together, matter more than choosing one bottle size for the whole trip.
A larger bottle can be passed around at a fixed pitch instead of carrying separate drinks to the table. Highland Spring lists a 1.5L sharing bottle; check whether you can follow the chosen bottle’s directions once it is open.
An individual bottle or can is easier to allocate to each meal than a shared open bottle. Highland Spring lists 500ml bottles, while S.Pellegrino describes its 50cl PET bottle as a lunch format and Perrier lists a slim can.
If you want fizz without choosing a flavoured fizzy drink, look for plain sparkling water and read the label. The NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who dislike still water and advises checking drink labels.
Start with where the meal will happen, then check the pack and storage directions for the drink you intend to take.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portions | Check the volume of each bottle or can, the number in the pack and whether the container can be closed again. | I want everyone to carry their own drink to lunch rather than share an opened bottle on a walk. |
| Shared meals | For a fixed pitch, compare 1.5L and 2L formats. Read the chosen product’s instructions for storage after opening. | We will eat together at camp and can share a larger bottle without carrying it on a walk. |
| Plain or flavoured | Read the ingredients and nutrition panel if choosing a flavoured drink; the word ‘water’ alone does not tell you what else it contains. | I want plain sparkling water with the meal, or I want to know what is in a flavoured alternative. |
| Container handling | Check pack material and handling directions. The M&S sparkling-water listing identifies a pressurised container and says to avoid shaking, impact and extremes of temperature. | Drinks will travel with camping equipment, so I need a place to secure them and open them carefully. |
| Glass or lighter packaging | Check whether the selected format is glass, PET plastic or a can, and how you will carry and dispose of the empties. | For a picnic blanket or uneven ground, I would rather not carry glass unless I can transport and use it safely. |
A group-sized bottle has to be carried between meals and repeatedly opened if people drink at different times.
Choose individual bottles or cans for meals away from the pitch; keep a larger bottle for a group eating together at camp.
A larger opened bottle also needs a suitable place to store it. The M&S 2L listing says to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days.
Flavoured drinks can have different ingredients, so the front-of-pack name is not enough to establish what is in the bottle.
Read the ingredients and nutrition panel if sugar, sweeteners or flavourings affect your choice.
The M&S sparkling-water listing calls its container pressurised and instructs users to avoid impact and extremes of temperature, not shake it and open it with care.
Secure bottles during travel, keep them away from direct sun and follow the handling directions on the pack before opening near a meal.
S.Pellegrino presents its glass range for table dining and its PET format for lunch on the go. Glass adds weight and a breakage consideration when moving around camp.
Consider a can or PET bottle for a walk or picnic; take glass only if you have a suitable way to transport and use it.
These ranges illustrate container and pack choices; check the exact product label when selecting a drink.
Highland Spring lists sparkling water in a 500ml bottle, a 1.5L sharing bottle and a 6 x 1L pack.
Ocado lists M&S Sparkling Scottish Mountain Water in 6 x 500ml and 4 x 2L packs.
S.Pellegrino describes a 50cl PET bottle for lunch on the go and presents its glass range for meals at a table.
Perrier lists glass-bottle, slim-can and plastic-bottle formats for its carbonated mineral water.
Tesco Groceries lists Tesco British Natural Mineral Water Sparkling in 12 x 500ml and 6 x 2L formats.
These packs contain individual bottles or cans to take with camping meals. Compare the size of each serving with the number of containers you would need to carry to camp.
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Six 0.5L bottles provide separate drinks for a camping meal away from a shared table. Plan how you will carry the bottles and bring the empties back.
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Eight 500ml bottles allow individual portions for several camping meals. If you plan to open bottles before serving, check the pack’s storage directions.
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This eight-bottle pack provides 500ml portions for people eating separately or away from the pitch. Check the label for ingredients and storage instructions when the pack arrives.
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Twelve 500ml servings can be allocated to separate outdoor meals. The product is named as resealable; check the delivered closure before relying on it to carry an opened can.
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The 330ml ring-pull cans provide smaller individual servings for a meal. The 24-can pack needs a transport plan if you are carrying supplies to camp on foot.
Yes. The NHS includes water in fluid intake and suggests sparkling water for people who dislike still water. It says fluid needs may increase in hot conditions or during prolonged physical activity, so take enough drink for the conditions and activities you have planned.
Take individual bottles or cans when people will carry their own drinks to a meal; consider a 1.5L to 2L bottle when a group can share it at a fixed pitch. Highland Spring lists 500ml and 1.5L bottles, while Ocado lists M&S sparkling water in 500ml and 2L formats. Check the selected bottle’s directions for storage after opening.
Follow the directions on the particular container rather than assuming heat is suitable. The M&S sparkling-water listing says its pressurised container should be protected from impact and extremes of temperature, not shaken, and stored away from sunlight.
Not necessarily: read the ingredients and nutrition panel to see what the flavoured product contains. The NHS advises checking drink labels, so choose using the information on the particular pack rather than its name alone.
Do not use bottled water as a guide to storing perishable food. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping chilled food below 5°C and notes that a cool box is unlikely to keep it chilled for an extended period. Keep food protected from contamination, and follow the drink’s own storage instructions, particularly after opening.