Lunchbox and party drinks
Plain water is a tough sell at a birthday party. Here are easy ways to make the good choice the fun one.
Written from AAP, federal and National Academies guidance and checked against each source. Medical review by a pediatric registered dietitian is in progress. Updated November 2026.
Quick answer
Pack a cold bottle of water. For parties, set up a water bar with fruit, and keep sweet drinks the special treat. Fruit-infused water has almost no sugar. A homemade fruit cooler in Harvard's sugar chart had about 4 g per 12 oz, versus 28 to 63 g in bottled smoothies.11
The lunchbox
- Cold water bottle. Freeze a half-full bottle overnight, fill it with cold water in the morning, and it doubles as an ice pack.
- Plain milk carton for kids ages 1 and up, with the lunch.
- Whole fruit instead of a juice box.
- Let your child pick the bottle. A favorite bottle gets used.
Three fruit-water recipes
All three are about 1 quart (4 cups) of water. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Citrus-berry. 1 orange, sliced, plus ½ cup of berries.
- Cucumber-mint. ½ cucumber, sliced, plus a handful of mint leaves.
- Watermelon-lime. 1 cup of watermelon cubes plus 4 lime slices.
Strain out the fruit for kids under 4, and keep fruit pieces out of their cups.
A fizzy spritzer, for kids 5 and up
Mix 6 oz of plain sparkling water with 1 oz (2 tablespoons) of 100% juice. That's about 3 g of sugar, under a teaspoon, and it still feels like a treat. Serve it with a meal, not as an all-day sipper, because acidic drinks are easier on teeth that way.8
The birthday party water bar
- Fill 2 or 3 big pitchers with the fruit waters above and label them with a fun name.
- Set out cups, straws and a little bowl of extra fruit to drop in.
- For older kids, add a pitcher of plain sparkling water and a splash-of-juice station.
- For toddlers, water and plain milk only.
- Serve the cake. Skip the soda. Nobody misses it.
Going to someone else's party?
Pack your own bottle and tell your kid it's their special one. If you're the host, ask the other parents if any kids have a drink rule, and keep water in easy reach.
More: Is this drink OK for my kid?, 7-day water challenge.
Common questions
What should I put in my kid's lunchbox to drink?
A cold bottle of water. Plain milk with lunch is fine for kids age 1 and up. Skip juice boxes and sweetened drinks.
What drinks should I serve at a kid's birthday party?
Water, ideally with fruit slices, and plain milk for little ones. A water bar with fruit and sparkling water makes plain water feel special.