The Best Drinks to Bring for Lunch

I feel like in the movies people always have fun drinks in their lunches. It’s always nondescript (unless product placement is actively happening) and it always has a cute li’l straw in it. But in real life? In real life we have water – sometimes still, sometimes sparkling, sometimes frozen into cubes and mixes in with some milk and coffee from Starbucks. My point is, we need to bring back fun lunch drinks. So here you have it, a list of five drinks to bring for lunch that won’t spill and can scratch that non-water itch, whether you need something refreshing, energizing, or thirst quenching.

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Gatorade Lime Cucumber

Is there anything more refreshing than spa water? That slightly sweet, slightly sour mix of cucumber and citrus that just calms your anxious li’l heart and refreshes you down to your very soul? Well, I’ve never actually been to a spa, so I can’t say, but drinking this Cucumber Lime Gatorade makes you feel like you have been to a spa and, in fact, are there right now. So if you need a refreshing drink that will go well with deep breathing and not pressing send on that furiously angry email you wrote just before lunch, this one’s your guy. Plus it’s thirst-quenching, and as staff writer Jordan Myrick put it, “It tastes natural, which is shocking to me.” What else could you ask for in one of the best lunch drinks?

Zevia Zero Calorie Energy Raspberry Lime

Now, I’m not an energy drink person, but I am aware that that is how a large percentage of Americans get through their workweek, so we had to have one on our list of the best drinks for lunch. And if you are tired of the Monsters (real, metaphorical, and drinkable), the Red Bulls, and the Celsius-es, and looking to diversify your energy drink choices, look no further than what former staff writer Danny Palumbo called “a damn fine energy drink.” It only contains caffeine, carbonated water, citric acid, natural flavors, and stevia leaf extract, and, according to Danny, the taste is subtle but the “raspberry lime combination is brightly acidic and flavorful.” So use this and get through that 4 p.m. meeting, I believe in you!

Related: Best Energy Drink: The 8 Best Energy Drinks for a Boost

Health-Ade Kombucha Pink Lady Apple

Yes, THE BOOCH! Of course we had to have a kombucha on here. In 2023? Come on. And this booch is the queen of booches. This kombucha is fizzy, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, and according to managing editor Gwynedd Stuart, it has “a tart, crisp quality that truly channels a Pink Lady apple.” This one kind of smells like Martinelli’s apple cider (with that ever-present kombucha funk, of course), and has a really nice tea-to-fruit taste balance. Truly a booch for the ages. Plus, it’s packed with probiotics that purport to keep ya regular, and if that’s not one of the most fun and exciting things to hear about a product I don’t know what is. You know the age-old saying: “The best drinks to bring for lunch are the ones that keep ya regular.”

XXX (Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate) Vitamin Water

Now, in a previous article, I talked about how I thought the name of this drink, XXX Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate, would be a great name for a certain space and electric car gazillionaire’s next child. And while I won’t mention his name (he doesn’t need more publicity), I stand by my former assessment. As for the flavor itself, y’all, this stuff is just good. Jordan pointed out that “everyone knows that this blueberry, pomegranate, acai-based flavor is the absolute best Vitamin Water flavor of all time. It’s easily the most flavorful.” Plus, they mentioned the color, which (and I totally agree with them on this) is a stunning, deep reddish purple. Plus vitamins (so you can almost call it healthy) and a resealable bottle (so you can sip it all afternoon)?!? I mean, come on—that’s two of the best lunch drink attributes out there.

Related: Best Vitamin Water: Water AND Vitamins?! These Are the 5 Best Vitamin Water Flavors

Kool-Aid Jammers Cherry

Lastly, I had to include one for the kids. This was the Sporked team’s favorite juice box by far. Why? Because it is sweet and tart and according to Jordan, “The cherry isn’t medicinal tasting.” And they don’t even like cherry-flavored things. So what do they taste like, then? Well friends, this Kool-Aid Jammer “tastes exactly like cherry Kool-Aid.” No surprises there. So, yes, we here at Sporked are indeed encouraging you to ~drink the Kool-Aid ~ and try these out. Your child will probably love them, or, if you are looking to treat yourself to a giant helping of nostalgia, get them for yourself. We guarantee your office mates will be more jealous than judgy. Plus, if they are judging you, just say you mixed up your lunch with your kid’s—works every time. I use this excuse and I don’t even have a kid, and no one questions it (I think).