I’m half Chinese (to be more specific, I’m a bit of a mix of Indonesian, Chinese and goodness knows what else) and alcohol and I have always had a tempestuous relationship. One sip of anything even remotely alcohol makes me flushed and increases my heart rate noticeably. So I tend to avoid drinking, and I’ve definitely got a good reason right now as I’m currently breastfeeding. When it’s hot, my husband cracks open an icy beer and I’ve been on the hunt for my equivalent. Many drinks have been tried in the process, and these are my top 5 non alcoholic refreshing summer drinks. I also found these my saviour during the hot summer months when I’d be sat on the sofa feeding a small baby, or wandering my local park.
Something & Nothing
I remember coming across Something & Nothing when I was pregnant and enjoying a lunch at Pophams bakery with a friend after a pregnancy yoga class and I picked one up randomly. It was the Yuzu one. I LOVE Yuzu. It’s such an amazing flavour. They’re fizzy with a delicate taste and best of all, not too much sugar. During the early newborn stage, I’d often drop the bigger kids at school and have a little wander round the park near me, with a Something & Nothing in hand.
You can buy Something & Nothing from many different shops, but if you want to go large and buy in bulk, Bother is the best place. If you fancy £20 off your first shop, use this link here. Disclaimer: it’ll also help me out and keep my Something & Nothing addiction going.
Iced Lemon Honey Tea
I blame Kissawa, a lovely Japanese coffee shop tucked away near Highbury & Islington station for how much I’ve spent on iced lemon honey tea! It’s deliciously sweet and zingy especially when ice cold.
I’ve since made my own which keeps my craving at bay, but their mackerel onigiri has me going back regularly.
Ingredients: 3 tea bags (I use standard PG tips), half a cup of honey, juice of half a lemon, 8cm of sliced ginger
Method: Pour 800ml of just boiled water over the 3 tea bags and let steep for about 5-7 minutes. While its still warm, add in the honey, ginger and lemon. Stir well so everything dissolves. When it’s cool, place in the fridge and pour over ice as you need it. Sometimes I’ll add in a little water if its too strong.
Dash Waters
During pregnancy, I was slightly addicted to cold drinks. But I wanted something which wasn’t sugary and Dash waters hit the spot. They’re essentially fizzy water with a splash of real fruit, but what I liked is there’s zero sugar. I’ve got two older children and this is the only fizzy drink I let them have. Flavours include raspberry (the one I usually get), mango, blackcurrant, peach, lemon and cucumber. They’re all good to be honest. If you’re after a drink which is properly refreshing without the worry of all the added sugar, this is the perfect choice.
Sign up to their mailing list as they sometimes have good offers when you buy direct from their site. Alternatively, this referral link gives you 50% off your first order (and we get money off our next purchase – it’s become an expensive habit!).
Milo Dinosaur
This is for the big kids! And it’s more of a pudding really, than a drink. But it’s super tasty.
Milo, for those who don’t know, is a malt drink. I used to drink it a lot when I was a kid in Singapore and I’ve only just rediscovered it.
Ingredients: 3 heaped teaspoons of Milo, extra Milo powder, small dash of hot water, cup of milk of your preference), ice cubes
Method: Add a dash of water to the 3 teaspoons of Milo in your glass. When well-mixed, add the milk, add the ice cubes and sprinkle over the extra Milo powder. If you want to go CRAZY and turn it into a Milo Godzilla, add in a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
When you’re looking for indulgent summer drinks, this is it!
Plenish
Plenish do an ‘easy green’ juice called Rise, which is ideal for those looking to start drinking green juices. It’s got a tropical feel due to the pineapple and pear juice, and also contains spinach, cucumber and lime. The lime adds a fantastic zinginess. It’s fairly expensive, but comes in a 500ml bottle and is pretty filling, so I found that it’s hard to drink in one go anyway.
My first taste of this was after 10 days in Italy eating nothing but pizza and pasta, and it was just what my body needed. I craved greens and this hit the spot. It’s limited edition for summer, so grab yours fast! Part of me is hoping this will get added to their standard range, as it’s so tasty. My kids also like it which is a BIG WIN – they usually run a mile from the green smoothies I make!
There are so many great refreshing, and indulgent, summer drinks. What’s your go-to?
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