I Tried 9 Capri Sun Flavors And Ranked Them Worst To Best

Decades have passed since Lemon and Orange were the first and only Capri Sun flavors sold in stores. Now, the beloved children's juice brand carries far more varieties. You're likely aware of just how much shelf space boxes of these iconic juice pouches take up at the market, what with Capri Sun being such a nostalgic staple for generations of customers, myself included.

So, being much older, I decided to try nine flavors to see if my adult taste buds would still enjoy this legendary brand's lineup of old and new drinks. Turns out, the answer is a resounding yes, as none of them garnered a straight "no" or "this is awful" from me. However, I did find that many flavors were clearly far superior to others, whether due to the inclusion of certain ingredients or to how well-balanced their tasting notes were.

Of the best and worst store-bought lemonade brands, Capri Sun's Lemonade falls closer to the "worse" end of the spectrum. It's not necessarily bad, but as someone who loves sweet, fair-style lemonade, this did not deliver the same effect. I know not everyone wants their lemonade the same exact way I do; however, I think it's safe to say that Capri Sun's target audience, which is ultimately children, probably likes their beverages on the sweeter side, too.

Instead, this lemonade has a slight bitterness to it at the end of the sip. You get a taste of some sugar at the very start, but later on, it largely tastes like it was made from a lemonade powder mix, water, and pinches of sugar in an attempt to correct the flavor. And considering each pouch contains 11 grams of sugar, it doesn't quite add up.

That all probably sounds harsh, but again, it's not gross to drink. I just know there's better out there, whether that means other lemonade brands or other flavors within Capri Sun's lineup to reach for instead.

Few fruit flavors are as hard to nail as cherry, and Capri Sun hasn't quite succeeded in it yet, either. Its Wild Cherry variety isn't the worst I've tried, but when I really zero in on the flavor, it is a tad reminiscent of the cough syrup I grew up drinking as a child. Either that, or the cough drops I take now when I get sick.

What makes it medicine-like is the artificial taste. It's unmistakably cherry, but not the fresh kind you'd buy from a supermarket. Here, it's sort of syrupy in flavor with a slight tartness, followed by a bitter quality (sound familiar?). Just a few swigs of this were enough for me, and I don't see myself reaching for another pouch of it anytime soon.

The front of the box for Capri Sun's Peach Mango Punch states loud and proud, in a large, hard-to-miss font, that it's "100% Juice Fruit & Veg." And while no veggies are explicitly mentioned in the name of this drink, we can absolutely still tell they're there.

More than anything, this punch tastes like a funky carrot juice, and my suspicion was confirmed when I saw it listed as one of the top ingredients. It's the most prominent part of the beverage, along with sweet potato, which also made sense when I saw it on the packaging. Conversely, the peach and mango are hard to distinguish, even though they're used to describe this drink's primary flavor. But I'll credit the two fruits for the sourness of this punch, as well as the citric acid, which Capri Sun clarifies is "for tartness." Other than the tanginess from the fruits, however, this really just tastes like you're drinking liquified vegetables, and I think it'd be hard for kids (or picky eaters) to look past that.

If I were awkwardly standing around the punch bowl at a school dance in the '80s, the moment probably wouldn't feel as terrible if Capri Sun's Fruit Punch were in it. This tastes like your standard, run-of-the-mill punch, and it's one of the most straightforward, basic offerings for the Capri Sun brand.

It might sound like a downer that it's nothing new or special. However, I actually quite like its simplicity and appreciate how well it pays homage to such a classic drink. It's got some orange, grape, apple, and pineapple going on in it, but it's the cherry that stands out the most, just like anyone would expect in a typical punch. And thankfully, the cherry tastes a whole lot better in this beverage than it did the last, likely on account of all the other fruits mixed in with it. All in all, this is a solid and reliable flavor, and it's only relatively low on this list because the other Capri Sun flavors taste even better.

Game Day Gulp is a limited-time flavor that hit store shelves toward the beginning of football season in late 2025. After giving it a taste test, I wasn't sure what about it makes it specifically geared for sports lovers or spectators aside from the fun, football helmets, and trophies on the packaging. Perhaps it's that it tastes somewhat like water, so adults and children alike can enjoy hydrating with it while huddled around the screen for hours.

This drink tastes as if just a few apple slices were left to marinate in a water cooler, which makes sense since apple concentrate is one of the very few ingredients it contains. It's a super subtle flavor overall, with nothing really notable about it. So, with no qualities to wow me nor any offensive characteristics to throw me off, Game Day Gulp lands in the middle of the ranking. It's definitely pleasant and not a bad flavor to try while it's still available in stores, but you won't miss it too much once it's gone, either.

If you've ever tried and liked Snapple's Kiwi Strawberry (aka one of the absolute best Snapple flavors there is), then you'll probably really enjoy Capri Sun's Strawberry Kiwi, too. They taste almost identical to each other, and both rightfully have their fans, including myself.

What's so great about the Strawberry Kiwi flavor is that you're actually able to taste both of the eponymous fruits. I've found that in most Capri Sun varieties with flavor blends, one ingredient is almost nowhere to be found once you sip it. With this drink, however, there's not as much hunting around for one or the other. Sure, the kiwi is definitely the weaker of the two, but it's still there.

That being said, the strawberry flavor is very strong and adds a lot of sweetness. It almost tastes like candy, which can be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. In my opinion, it's wonderful for the first few sips, and the nostalgic taste honestly gave me a high. Then I got about halfway through the pouch and realized just how cloying it can be. So, it's because of its tendency to get a bit too sweet as you continue to drink it — in combination with a slight artificialness from the strawberry flavoring that this product doesn't breach the top three juices.

Capri Sun was established in 1969, but it was thanks to the release of some of its classic flavors, such as Pacific Cooler in 1984, that the fruit juice brand became so iconic. In fact, when I think of Capri Sun, the aforementioned flavor is the one that immediately comes to mind — and for good reason.

Pacific Cooler is made of a mixture of pineapple, grape, and apple juice concentrates. The drink supposedly includes cherry, too, according to the image on the packaging, although it's not specifically listed on the nutrition label. Either way, the flavor of the stone fruit is definitely present in this beverage and is actually the easiest to identify of the mentioned ingredients. It also tastes a lot like Game Day Gulp but much brighter, meaning it doesn't taste nearly as watered-down. At the same time, it's not so saccharine that it wouldn't work for adults. Simply put: Pacific Cooler is for everyone.

When packing the perfect picnic, you need a fun drink to wash down all your fixings, and I'd highly recommend Tropical Punch for exactly that. Similar to Pacific Cooler, this is yet another crowd-pleasing flavor. It's refreshing and tangy, making it a top choice for warm summer days (though not as perfect as the highest ranking juice).

This drink is best described as a tame orange juice. It's as if you took a delicious orange juice brand and diluted it with water. And that's not a criticism, as Capri Sun Tropical Punch isn't trying to be an orange juice, especially considering it also shows pictures of a lime, pineapple, and strawberry right on the packaging. These extra fruits just help mellow the drink out a bit, prevent it from being too one-note in flavor, and ensure it isn't too sour or lip-puckering. As a result, you're left with a citrus-forward yet sweet refreshment.

Another limited edition offering, Summer Blast is one of Capri Sun's most appropriately named varieties. Literally everything about this product makes you want to sip it by the pool, beneath a palm tree on the beach, or as the packaging's design suggests, under booming fireworks. Whatever activity you picture yourself doing in the summer, this drink should be in your hand as you do it.

The flavor of this juice is labeled as "Passion Fruit Mango," giving this a very bright and tropical vibe. It's well-balanced — mostly sweet from the mango and mildly tart from the passion fruit — a combination that's both refreshing and energizing on a hot day. Kids are sure to love how distinctly fruity and vibrant it is, but adults will appreciate it as well. While grown-ups can definitely enjoy this drink all on its own, straight from the pouch, I just know it would also do wonders with some booze to form a cocktail that tastes like summer in a glass. It's such a shame Summer Blast isn't always available, as I would be sipping on it all 12 months of the year, summer or not.

When ranking each of these Capri Sun flavors, I tried them slightly chilled and ordered them from worst to best based on flavor. Those that tasted pleasant and weren't overly sweet, bitter, or sour were placed higher. Also, the drinks I felt could be enjoyed by a wider range of people, meaning both children and adults, fared better. I noted which flavor notes stood out in each drink and whether it lived up to its name and description as well. For example, if the juice was called "Strawberry Kiwi," I took into consideration whether I could taste both of those fruits or not.