Like comfort food in the winter, cool drinks are for hot summer days. I do not know about you, but I live on a tight budget. So, while educating myself on this topic, I thought I would share with you how inexpensively refreshed you can be.
Snapshot Survey
Snapshot Survey
1. Chilled Water
Often, we take plain chilled water for granted. Some may be blessed with good kitchen faucet water. Even if not, a crate of bottled water can be bought for $4.00 or less at the local grocery store. You could even buy a filtering carafe for less waste. Hydrating and cool, our bodies cry for it, especially during the summer.
2. Iced Green or Black Tea
What is served at restaurants as an alternative to water, coffee or soda? Of course! Iced tea!
Whether unsweetened or sweetened, flavored or unflavored, made at home or bought dining out, by far, a pleasing elite drink.
3. Iced Coffee
This is my morning and evening ritual. I find hot coffee to be depressing and iced coffee to be uplifting. Simply perk a pot of coffee, place ice cubes and artificial sweetener in your travel cup, then pour coffee over. If you have the money, then you know of local coffee shops booming with daily business.
4. Fruit Spritzer
For example, cranberry juice with diet 7-up. However, you could use any juice with diet 7-up, with Sprite, with club soda, etc. Cute as a mocktail.
5. Sparkling Water
If you crave bubbly more than caffeine, this is good too. The benefits of pure clean water with the bubbliness of champagne.
6. Your Favorite Juice
Sometimes, our bodies do need a little sugar. Not one for sugar-laden drinks? Grab an all-natural fruit juice, such as orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, etc.
7. Smoothies
Make a fruit-based or vegetable-based smoothie. Use bananas, spinach, etc. Smoothies may sound a little too expensive to make a couple of times a day, but even canned fruit and vegetables can be used.
8. Lemonade
Lemonade is super easy and cheap to make. Fill a pitcher with water or grab a bottle of water and pour in some lemon juice, to your taste. I like to buy little lemon juice squeezy bottles. I grab a bottle of water and squirt in 5 drops. My local grocery store sells the lemon juice squeezy bottles for $1.00! Lemon is also good if you have fatigue.
9. Diet Soda
OK... I know you are saying that diet soda is unhealthy. The way I look at diet soda? I do not drink. I do not do drugs. So, if I want a little indulgence, I allow myself some diet soda.
10. Kool-aid or Wyler's
Powder drink mixes could very well be called a cheap mocktail. So, why be embarrassed? The mixes come in every flavor imaginable. You can usually buy 10 individual packets for a $1.00.
11. Eggnog
Why wait until Christmas? Surprise your family and friends with eggnog this summer! I have a recipe that I have had for years. All you need are 4 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, 4 cups milk and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Mix eggs until creamy. Mix in sugar and salt. Mix until dissolved. Pour in milk and vanilla. Mix well. Serve immediately.
Not rocket science, huh?
These are pleasing to any taste, whether a nice evening on your porch, a 4th of July party, a graduation party, a church function, a shower, a BBQ, at work... Kids can be "grown-ups" at the bar too! The drinks are not going to take your wallet, either.
Have a happy, safe and thirst-quenched summer!
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