Sugar free drinks for toddlers: what should a toddler drink?
The answer for ages 1 to 3 is refreshingly short. Two drinks, a small optional third, and a list of things you can stop buying.
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
Toddlers need plain water and plain milk, and that's it. A little 100% juice is optional, up to 4 oz a day. The best sugar free drinks for toddlers are the unsweetened ones: drinks with stevia, sucralose or other low-calorie sweeteners aren't recommended before age 5.1
1 cup = 8 oz. Ages 0 to 5 follow the 2019 consensus from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Ages 6 and up use the National Academies' daily intake for drinks. Sources
How much should a toddler drink?
| Age | Water | Plain milk | 100% juice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 24 months | 1 to 4 cups | 2 to 3 cups whole milk | 4 oz max, optional |
| 2 to 3 years | 1 to 4 cups | Up to 2 cups skim or 1% | 4 oz max, optional |
Amounts from the 2019 consensus of the AAP, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.1 1 cup = 8 oz.
Why "sugar free" for toddlers means unsweetened
Toddlerhood is when kids learn what food and drinks are supposed to taste like. The federal Dietary Guidelines say to avoid added sugars through early childhood.2 The pediatric consensus also says no low-calorie sweeteners before age 5, including plant-based ones like stevia and monk fruit.1 So for this age, the right sugar free drink is one with nothing sweet added at all.
Things you can stop buying
- Toddler milk and toddler formula. Marketed for ages 9 to 36 months, but experts say they aren't needed. Plain whole milk and food cover it.
- Juice drinks, fruit cocktails and pouches with added sugar.
- Flavored milk.
- Diet or "zero" kids' drinks with sweeteners.
- Sports drinks. Toddlers don't need electrolyte drinks unless a pediatrician recommends an oral rehydration solution during illness.
Tips that work with toddlers
- Move to an open cup or straw cup around their first birthday. Bottles make it easy to overdo milk.
- Serve milk with meals and offer water between them.
- If you do serve juice, pour 4 oz into a cup and dilute it with water. Don't send juice in a sippy cup to carry around all day, which is hard on teeth.
- Let them see you drink water. Copying is a toddler's favorite sport.
- Give whole fruit instead of juice whenever you can.
Under 12 months? Babies under 6 months need only breast milk or formula, no water. From 6 to 12 months, offer small sips of water (4 to 8 oz a day) with meals. No juice and no cow's milk before age 1. See water by age.
Common questions
What is the best drink for a toddler?
Plain water and plain milk. Whole milk from 12 to 24 months, then skim or 1% from age 2, with water as the everyday drink.
Can toddlers have sugar free drinks?
Unsweetened ones, yes: water, sparkling water and plain milk. Drinks with low-calorie sweeteners such as stevia or sucralose aren't recommended for kids under 5.
How much milk is too much for a toddler?
From 12 to 24 months, the guidance is 2 to 3 cups of whole milk a day. From ages 2 to 3, up to 2 cups of skim or 1%. More than that can crowd out iron-rich foods. Ask your pediatrician if your toddler drinks a lot more.
Should toddlers drink juice?
It's optional. If you serve it, keep it to 100% juice, no more than 4 oz a day, in a cup with a meal. Whole fruit is better.