Looking for a canned cocktail with fewer calories? Start with the exact can, its size, and its alcohol percentage. A small serving of a stronger drink and a full can of a lighter drink can show similar calorie numbers while representing very different amounts to drink.
Start with two familiar vodka seltzers, then explore other cocktail styles. Recipes and serving sizes vary, so compare the package you are buying rather than relying on a single number for a whole brand.
Compare the same serving size first
Check whether a calorie figure covers a full can, one serving, or a measured pour from a bottle. If a container has two servings, multiply the listed calories per serving by two to calculate the full-container amount.
Alcohol also contributes calories. A zero-sugar claim does not mean a zero-calorie drink, and neither figure tells you the amount of alcohol on its own. NIAAA’s drinking calculators include tools for comparing alcohol calories and standard drinks.
Two examples with the same can size
Landshark and High Noon Lemon offer a straightforward comparison: both come in 12-fluid-ounce (355 mL) cans at 4.5% ABV. Here is how their labels compare.
| Specific product | Calories | Sugar | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landshark Vodka Seltzer, Shoreline Variety Pack | 90 | 0 g | 4.5% |
| High Noon Lemon Vodka Seltzer | 100 | 2.5 g | 4.5% |
High Noon’s page also says “no added sugar.” That can coexist with the listed 2.5 grams of sugar because total and added sugars are different measures. Our sugar guide explains the distinction.
What Landshark brings to the cooler
Landshark’s Shoreline Variety Pack contains Lime, Pineapple, Mango, and Fruit Punch vodka seltzers. Its package lists 90 calories, 0 grams of sugar, and 4.5% ABV for 12-fluid-ounce cans. The brand also identifies the drinks as gluten-free.
For a citrus flavor, start with Lime; for tropical fruit flavors, explore Pineapple and Mango. Find all four in the current Landshark lineup.
Other formats for a different kind of sip
Tequila soda: Mamitas brings a tequila base to the ready-to-drink shelf. If that is your preferred spirit, compare its exact flavor and can size with the vodka examples above.
Tea and lemonade: Good Boy John Daly cocktails combine vodka, tea, and fruit juice without carbonation. The lineup includes iced tea and lemonade, peach, raspberry, and blackberry versions, making this a different texture and flavor experience from sparkling seltzer.
Gin and botanicals: Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Citrus uses gin with lemon, tangerine, rose, and other natural flavors. At 5.9% ABV, it is stronger than the two 4.5% vodka seltzers above, so keep alcohol percentage in your comparison alongside calories.
Cocktails over ice: Austin Cocktails offers a Bergamot Orange Margarita and Cucumber Vodka Mojito, among other flavors. The brand recommends serving over ice and lists its nutrition figures per 1.5-fluid-ounce serving. Multiply by the amount you actually pour before comparing with a full can.
A botanical pour: Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom also gives its bottled-product calories per 1.5-fluid-ounce serving. If you build a spritz from the bottle, the pour and any mixer determine the finished drink’s calories.
More seltzer choices: White Claw’s range separates Original from Surge and other lines. When browsing White Claw, Smirnoff, or Vosa, keep the precise product name on your shopping list so you compare the same recipe and size each time.
A quick checklist before you buy
- Match the product: brand, line, flavor, and can size.
- Find the serving: full can, partial can, or measured pour.
- Read calories and sugar separately: neither substitutes for the other.
- Check ABV alongside volume: a larger or stronger can may contain more alcohol.
- Choose for taste too: citrus, tropical fruit, sweetness, and carbonation are personal preferences.
NIAAA’s standard-drink guide can help with the alcohol comparison. For more on what labels can reasonably tell you, read our guide to “better for you” drink claims.
A useful calorie comparison is specific and easy to check. Choose the flavor and serving that suit your plans, with water and alcohol-free options available too.
