Parents of children who prefer fizzy drinks
Plain sparkling water is worth considering when a child likes bubbles but the aim is to avoid a sugary fizzy drink. Check that the product is plain water and that the school accepts it.
Who is this choice for?
Families packing individual lunches
A 500ml bottle is an alternative to putting a larger sharing bottle in a lunch bag. Highland Spring and Buxton list plain sparkling water in 500ml formats.
Parents checking school rules
Check the school’s packed-lunch policy before buying a multipack. Department for Education food standards apply to food and drink provided by schools in England; they do not establish what every school permits in a home-packed lunch.
What matters when choosing?
Plain sparkling water
Consider it: When the child likes bubbles and the school accepts fizzy water in packed lunches.
Trade-off: It will not suit a school that restricts fizzy drinks. Highland Spring reports a pH of 4–5 for its sparkling water, compared with approximately 7.8 for its still water.
Flavoured sparkling drink
Consider it: Assess the specific drink and the school’s rules if the child wants a flavoured option.
Trade-off: Sugar-free does not mean plain water: Volvic lists citric acid, flavourings and sweeteners in Touch of Strawberry Sparkling.
Still water
Consider it: Choose it when the child accepts still water or the school does not permit fizzy drinks.
Trade-off: It does not provide the bubbles a child may prefer.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| School rules | Read the current packed-lunch policy. Check whether it distinguishes plain sparkling water from other fizzy drinks. | I need a drink my child is permitted to take to school, regardless of what its front label says. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredient list for flavourings, citric acid and sweeteners. Volvic lists all three in Touch of Strawberry Sparkling, which it describes as a flavoured drink. | If I am choosing plain water, I do not want to mistake a sugar-free flavoured drink for it. |
| Portion and pack | Compare the individual container size, the number in the pack and whether the container fits the lunch bag. Highland Spring and Buxton list 500ml sparkling formats. | One container needs to fit in the lunch bag without sending a large sharing bottle. |
| Independent use | Check the actual cap or resealing mechanism and whether the child can open and close it. | My child needs to manage the drink at school without relying on someone else to open it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every sparkling water is plain water
A sugar-free flavoured drink can contain other ingredients. Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling lists citric acid, flavourings and sweeteners.
Read the full ingredient list when the aim is to pack plain sparkling spring or mineral water.
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Choosing a sharing bottle for one lunch
A larger bottle may not fit the space available in a child’s lunch bag.
Check the individual container size before buying a multipack; Highland Spring and Buxton both list 500ml sparkling formats.
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Skipping the school-policy check
Whether a drink contains sugar does not, by itself, establish that a school accepts fizzy drinks in packed lunches.
Check the school’s current packed-lunch policy before buying several packs. If fizzy drinks are not permitted, choose still water.
Brands and product types to compare
These examples show why bottle format and the distinction between plain water and flavoured drinks matter; a brand’s inclusion does not establish what a particular school permits.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring lists plain sparkling water in a 500ml bottle, as well as 1.5L and 6 × 1L formats.
- The 500ml format can be checked against the space available in a lunch bag.
- Highland Spring reports that its sparkling water has a pH of 4–5, compared with approximately 7.8 for its still water; the two are not identical in acidity.
Buxton
Buxton lists sparkling natural mineral water in single 500ml bottles and an 8 × 500ml format.
- The individual bottle size is relevant when comparing packed-lunch formats.
- A suitable bottle format does not establish whether the child likes fizzy water or the school permits it.
Tesco
Tesco lists a British Natural Mineral Water Sparkling 12 × 500ml own-label multipack.
- The pack contains individually sized 500ml containers.
- Check the label of the product you select rather than assuming all own-label sparkling drinks have the same ingredients.
Volvic
Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling is a flavoured sparkling drink in a 330ml can, not a plain sparkling-water example.
- Its product information identifies the format and lists the ingredients for comparison.
- Volvic lists citric acid, flavourings and sweeteners, so do not treat it as interchangeable with plain sparkling water.
Sparkling water options on Joybuy
These sparkling-water packs offer individual 500ml portions to consider when the child likes fizzy water and the school permits it. Check the container and ingredient label for the particular drink before packing it.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12 × 500ml
For a lunch where sparkling water is permitted, this pack offers individual 500ml portions. It is labelled resealable; check whether the child can open and close the container independently.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 0.5L
If the school accepts sparkling water, this six-pack provides individual 0.5L portions. Check that a container fits the lunch bag and that the child can open and reseal it.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500ml
For a child who likes sparkling water and can take it to school, this pack contains eight 500ml bottles. Check the bottle fits the lunch bag and can be opened and resealed by the child.
Frequently asked questions
Can plain sparkling water take the place of a sugary fizzy drink in a packed lunch?
It is a different choice if the product is plain sparkling water and the school permits it. The NHS recommends water and milk as drinks for children and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks; check the ingredients rather than relying on the word “sparkling” alone.
Is a sugar-free flavoured sparkling drink the same as plain sparkling water?
No. Volvic describes Touch of Strawberry Sparkling as a flavoured drink and lists citric acid, flavourings and sweeteners among its ingredients. Read the ingredient list if you want plain water.
What bottle size should I check for a school lunch?
A 500ml individual format is available for plain sparkling water from Highland Spring and Buxton. Check that the container fits the lunch bag and that the child can open and reseal it.