Choose plain still or sparkling water if you want a lunch drink without the additions found in flavoured varieties; pick the format and bottle size you will comfortably carry. Sugar-free flavoured water is another option if flavour helps you replace a sugary drink, but check the exact label for ingredients and energy as well as sugars.
If you usually buy a sweetened drink with lunch, plain water avoids the added flavourings of a flavoured water. If you prefer flavour, the NHS also suggests sugar-free drinks as an alternative to sugary ones; check the particular bottle’s label before choosing.
Check the bottle’s size and closure against the space in your bag. Highland Spring lists 330ml, 500ml and 750ml still-water formats with screw-cap or sports-cap options, while evian describes its 500ml bottle as portable.
Start with whether you want plain water, bubbles or flavour. Then check the exact variant’s label and choose a container you can carry with lunch.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and energy | Distinguish plain water from flavoured drinks. For a flavoured option, read sugars and energy per 100ml and per serving, noting the serving size. | I want a drink with lunch instead of a sugary fizzy drink or cordial. If I choose a flavoured water, I want to know what its label says about sugars and energy. |
| Taste and ingredients | Decide whether still water, plain sparkling water or added flavour appeals to you. Check the ingredients of the exact flavoured variant for sweeteners, acids and preservatives. | Plain still water does not appeal to me every day; bubbles or flavour might make it easier to choose water instead of my usual sweetened drink. |
| Size and closure | Check the container volume and whether its closure suits your bag. Compare an individual 500ml portion with larger bottles intended for keeping at a desk or elsewhere. | My lunch drink needs to fit alongside food and travel without an awkwardly sized container. |
| Sparkling water | Check that a sparkling drink is plain water rather than a flavoured fizzy drink. If dental erosion is a concern, consider how often and how much you drink. | I prefer bubbles, but I may need to discuss frequent sparkling-water consumption with a dental professional if I have a specific dental concern. |
Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 250ml serving for its Touch of Fruit Sugar Free Cherry drink, but its ingredients include citric acid, flavouring, a preservative and sweeteners. That is a different ingredient list from plain water.
Read the ingredients and nutrition panel for the exact flavour you plan to buy, rather than relying on “sugar-free” alone.
A larger bottle may be convenient to keep at a desk but awkward to carry beside a packed lunch. Highland Spring lists portable sizes as well as 1.5L and 2L still-water bottles.
Choose a size and closure that work for the journey; consider a larger format separately if you plan to keep water at work.
Buxton Water notes that some sparkling waters have a lower pH than still water. Its guidance relates potential erosion concerns to significant amounts consumed regularly over a long period, not to an occasional bottle.
If you have a specific concern about dental erosion or have been advised to limit acidic drinks, ask a dental professional about your drinking habits.
These ranges offer different water types and container sizes; a brand’s wider range does not describe every individual product.
Highland Spring lists still spring water in sizes from 330ml to 2L.
evian describes its 500ml natural mineral-water bottle as a portable format.
Volvic lists plain natural mineral water in 500ml, 1L and 1.5L sizes, alongside flavoured products.
Buxton lists sparkling natural mineral water in 500ml formats.
Tesco lists own-label British natural mineral water alongside branded bottled water.
These options include still and sparkling water in individual 500ml portions, plus a sugar-free flavoured option. Check each pack format and the exact drink label against what you want to carry with lunch.
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For a plain still-water lunch drink, this pack provides resealable 500ml containers. Check whether a 12-pack suits how often you will use them.
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If you prefer bubbles with lunch, this is sparkling water in resealable 500ml containers. The pack contains 12, so consider where you will keep the remaining containers.
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For a flavoured lunch drink rather than plain water, this pack contains six 500ml bottles. Check the exact Lemon & Lime label for ingredients and nutrition per serving as well as per 100ml.
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For a sparkling-water lunch drink, this pack provides eight individual 500ml bottles. Choose a still option instead if you do not want carbonation.
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This sparkling spring water comes as eight 500ml bottles for individual lunch portions. If you need specific sugars or energy figures, check the bottle’s nutrition label.
Yes, plain still or sparkling water is a straightforward alternative to a sugary lunch drink. The NHS recommends swapping sugary drinks for water or diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar options; check labels when choosing a flavoured drink.
Not necessarily. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars and 2 kcal per 250ml serving for its Touch of Fruit Sugar Free Cherry variant, which also contains flavouring, citric acid, a preservative and sweeteners. Read the ingredients for the exact flavour you intend to buy.
Yes, the NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who do not enjoy the taste of plain water. Buxton Water notes that some sparkling waters have a lower pH than still water; if dental erosion is a personal concern, seek advice about how often and how much you drink.
The NHS cites a general aim of 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. A lunch bottle is only part of that day’s drinks, so choose a size that suits the time you will be away from other drinks or a refill.