I Tested the 10 Best Flavored Waters for Kids (+ Is It Healthy?)

Does your kiddo struggle to drink enough water? Are they obsessed with juice and soda?

Flavored water can be a great way to keep your little ones hydrated while avoiding all the excess sugar.

But the question lingers: is flavored water a healthy option for toddlers and kids?

If so, which brand is the best? And perhaps a strange question: is flavored water still… water?

Disclaimer: This article is sponsored by Cirkul. I’m very thankful that the brand with the best flavored water for kids was kind enough to support this project! All opinions are my own.

3 Best Flavored Waters for Toddlers and Kids

After a ton of evaluating and testing, here are the best flavored waters for toddlers and kids:

• Best overall: Cirkul Wild Splash
• Best zero-sweetener option: Hint Kids
• Best squeezable liquid: Stur

We’ll dive in a lot more on these winners and the other seven flavored waters we tested, but first: is flavored water healthy for kids?

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Is Flavored Water Healthy for Kids?

Is flavored water unhealthy? It depends on the brand, but generally, flavored water is perfectly healthy for kids.

There are pros and cons to drinking flavored water, though. Let’s take a deeper look at them.

Pros of Flavored Water for Kids

Rebecca Novak, Registered Dietician and Founder of Hungarian Chef, explains that flavored water can be a really great tool for getting kids to drink more water.

“Introducing children to flavored waters and packets is a great way to get them interested in drinking more water. These drinks are typically lower in calories and sugar than juice or soda, making them a better option for kids who crave something flavorful but don’t want the added sugar.”

Rebecca Novak, RD

Not only is flavored water a better alternative to juice or soda, but it can help you wean your kids off of sugary-laden drinks.

Swapping just one glass of orange juice for flavored water can cut your child’s sugar intake by up to 18 grams.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends kids aim for 25 grams of added sugar or less per day, so you can see how one simple swap can make such a big difference.

At the end of the day, flavored water can help your toddler or child stay hydrated without all the sugar and other junk you’ll find in juice and soda.

Cons of Flavored Water for Kids

The main beef with flavored water is the added sweetness, even if it contains no calories or sugar.

Catherine Gervacio, Registered Dietician and Nutrition Writer for Living.Fit, explains:

“Introducing children to artificial sweeteners at a young age could potentially impact their taste preferences and perception of sweetness. This could lead to an increased desire for sugary foods, potentially undermining efforts to encourage a balanced diet.”

Catherine Gervacio, RD

Ideally, your child would only drink plain water to limit their exposure to sweetness.

Novak recommends no more than 1-2 servings of flavored water daily for kids to avoid negative ramifications.

Which Flavored Water Sweeteners Are the Best?

When it comes to sweeteners, the 10 flavored waters I tested had the following sweet ingredients:

• Stevia
• Sucralose
• Fruit juice blends (that claim to add negligible amounts of added sugar)
• Cane sugar
• Acesulfame potassium
• Monk fruit extract

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener, and Novak recommends avoiding it as much as possible.

Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia plant, and monk fruit is a super fruit that gets its powerful sweetness from its unique antioxidants.

Both Novak and Gervacio recommend you choose flavored water with natural sweeteners like Stevia instead of options that use artificial sweeteners.

Only one of the flavored waters in the bunch – Cirkul – used only Stevia as its sweetener.

There were also two flavored waters in the bunch that didn’t use any sweetening ingredients at all – only natural flavors.

What to Look For In Flavored Water for Kids

When evaluating flavored water for kids, here are the five things you should look for:

1. Natural sweeteners like Stevia or monk fruit extract (or no sweeteners at all!)
2. No synthetic dyes like Red 40, Blue 1, or Yellow 6
3. Kid-approved flavor
4. No caffeine
5. Affordable price point

Gervacio points out that synthetic dyes can cause allergic reactions in some individuals and may have other health implications. Besides, who needs dyes in their water?

Something else to consider is whether or not you want flavor packets, squeeze bottles, or something that’s pre-mixed.

Obviously, flavor packets or squeezable liquids are more compact, and they’re easier to travel with.

However, it does require an extra step, which is why the juice box or water bottle format can be more convenient, albeit heavier.

Most Popular Flavored Waters, Compared

I’ve ordered the chart below from best to worst, in my opinion. Rethink is a popular flavored water option for kids, but it was sold out, so I couldn’t purchase and test it.

Product	Brand	Price per serving	Sweetener	Artificial colors	Flavoring	Format	Calories
	Cirkul	$0.29	Stevia	None	Natural	Cartridge	0
	Hint Kids	$1.03	None	None	Natural	Juice box	0
	Stur	$0.21	Fruit juice blend, Stevia	None	Natural	Squeezable liquid	0
	Boxed Water	$2.42	None	None	Natural	Milk carton with cap	0
	True Lemon	$0.40	Cane sugar, Stevia	None	Natural	Powder packets	10
	Splash	$0.42	Sucralose	None	Natural	Full plastic bottles	0
	Propel	$1.49	Sucralose	None	Natural	Full plastic bottles	0
	Crystal Light	$0.08	Sucralose	Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6	Natural	Squeezable liquid	0
	Mio	$0.15	Sucralose, Acesulfame potassium	Red 40, Blue 1	Natural	Squeezable liquid	0
	Jelly Belly	$0.15	Concentrated white grape juice, Sucralose	Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6	Natural	Squeezable liquid	0
	Rethink (Sold out)	$0.84	Juice from concentrate, Monk fruit extract	None	Natural	Juice box	0

Reviews of the Best Flavored Waters for Kids

Here’s a closer look at our experience with the three flavored water winners.

Cirkul Wild Splash Review

Cirkul stands out in the flavored water market in two big ways: the clean ingredient list and unique cartridge format.

The cartridge allows you to adjust how intense the flavoring is on a meter from 1 to 9. I also love that you can add as much ice as you want, and the flavor will never get watered down.

The cartridge format also means less work – one cartridge can be used for 13 servings, so you don’t have to swap it out each time you fill the bottle with water.

The ingredient list is also very clean, giving me a ton of peace of mind.

My favorite flavor was the Shark Strawberry, my husband’s was Parrot Punch, and my kids seemed to enjoy them all.

This is a flavored water option I can feel good about, not only for the clean ingredients but also for the price point! A total win.

Hint Kids Review

Hint Kids is one of two options with no sweeteners added. This means it definitely tastes more like a fruit essence water, and your kiddos may be more likely to refuse it.

However, what makes this one unique is the juice box format.

My kids did not like the other zero-sweetener option on this list, but they seemed to tolerate this option from Hint Kids.

I imagine it’s because of the juice box – maybe it’s a brain teaser, but I think it’s worth trying if you want something as close to plain water as possible.

If you’re really interested in having this type of juice box format, Hint Kids is a heck of an alternative to juice boxes or Capri Sun!

Stur Review

Stur is the best squeezable option out of the bunch. It’s the only squeezable water flavoring with no artificial coloring or sucralose.

If you want a water flavoring option that you can just toss in your purse and share easily, Stur was the clear winner.

Reviews of the Flavored Waters I’d Skip

Not all flavored waters can be the best. Some were lackluster, and some were honestly garbage. Here’s a closer look.

Boxed Water

I wanted to love Boxed Water.

The aesthetics are to die for, it’s sustainable, the ingredient list is squeaky clean… but man, it has a weird taste. It was the only flavored water that my kids gave a thumbs down.

While Boxed Water looks cute in your fridge, it’s not one I plan to buy again.

True Lemon

True Lemon has a nice taste, but it includes cane sugar, meaning it’s not technically water anymore.

While True Lemon wasn’t bad, it fell in the middle of the pack for us. It’s not one we plan to purchase again.

Splash

Splash tasted absolutely disgusting to me and my husband, but my kids loved it.

The problem is the ingredient list, how bulky these are to store, and how much waste they produce.

There are other flavored water options suitable for kids that don’t include sucralose and that cost less. Splash was a pass for us.

Propel

Propel is another flavored water option that includes sucralose.

Propel was a quick pass for me because it has a poor ingredient list, and it’s one of the priciest options at $1.49 per bottle. Hard pass!

Crystal Light

Crystal Light might be one of the most popular water flavoring options on the market, but don’t let that fool you. The ingredient list is honestly disgusting with sucralose, Red 40, Blue 1, and Yellow 6 making an appearance.

I don’t think adults should ingest these ingredients, let alone your kids. At the very least, keep them out of your water!

Mio

Mio may look like an upscale version of Crystal Light, but once again – do not be fooled!

I wouldn’t give Mio to my kids because it includes dyes like Red 40. If there’s even a chance that Red 40 could cause behavioral and attention span issues, why on earth would you give it to your child in their water?

Jelly Belly

Same story, different brand. Jelly Belly is like the other squeezable water flavorings with food dyes and artificial ingredients.

Do not let the 0-calorie claim fool you with these low-quality water enhancers!

Flavored Water FAQs

Is flavored water good for kids?

Flavored water can be good for kids, especially as an alternative to juice or soda. It’s also a great way to encourage toddlers and kids to drink more water, especially if they struggle with it. While plain water is always preferred, flavored water is a fantastic backup.

Is flavored water still water?

According to Novak, flavored water is still considered to be water. She explains, “The key difference between soda and flavored water is that the latter contains no added sodium or sugar.”

What are the acids you see on many flavored water ingredient lists?

Phosphoric acid, citric acid, and lactic acid can all be found in natural food sources like fruits and vegetables. Malic acid is not an actual ingredient but rather a moniker for the preservative Potassium Sorbate. The good news? Most acids on flavored water ingredient lists are safe.

Is Hint water safe for toddlers?

Hint water is definitely safe for toddlers as it includes no artificial ingredients. In fact, the ingredient list is only purified water and natural flavors – that’s it.

Is Mio safe for toddlers?

I would not give Mio to a toddler as it includes artificial colorings like Red 40 and Blue 1. It also includes sucralose, an artificial flavoring. Novak says, “Artificial sweeteners like sucralose should be avoided as much as possible since they can have potentially harmful side effects.”

Can babies have Propel water?

Babies should not drink Propel water – or any water for that matter – as breastmilk or formula is the only form of hydration they need until about six months of age. After the first six months, try to encourage plain water as much as possible to avoid developing a preference for sweetness.

Is water flavoring bad for you?

Water flavoring isn’t inherently bad for you as long as it doesn’t include artificial ingredients like sucralose or Red 40. It’s always best to drink plain water, but a high-quality water flavoring, like the Wild Splash line from Cirkul, can encourage you to drink more water and stay hydrated.

Conclusion

Flavored water is a great way to encourage your kids to stay hydrated, but choose wisely. Avoid mainstream water enhancers that are laden with artificial sweeteners and dyes like Red 40.

The best flavored waters for toddlers and kids are from Cirkul, Hint Kids, and Stur. The best overall is Cirkul – you cannot go wrong with the clean ingredient list and the killer price point.

Let me know in the comment section below: which flavored water do you like best?

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