Non-alcoholic drinks for the silly season

As a non-drinker, it’s nice to have alternative party drinks that are a bit more exciting than the usual soft drink options. These drinks also provide an enticing alternative for alcohol drinkers who are usually bored by the non-alcoholic options. You might want to consider some of the following if you’re hosting people over the holidays.

Ice-based

Frozen berry frappé

This drink is made using frozen mixed berries, cranberry juice, and honey. You need a blender to mix all of the ingredients together, and it does not need to be made ahead of time. See the recipe here.

Soda-based

Lemon sorbet soda

This is loosely based on the Italian drink sgroppino, which is made with lemon sorbet and prosecco. Add a scoop of lemon sorbet to a glass of non-alcoholic sparkling wine (yes, it does exist) or soda of choice (lemonade, soda water, flavoured mineral water, or tonic water) and top with mint / lemon zest. You can swap the lemon sorbet for another sorbet (e.g. raspberry) and add flavoured cordials to the soda if you want to sweeten it.

Fruity soda

Add fruit puree and fresh fruits to soda water or lemonade for a refreshing drink. This recipe for Peach fizz requires some preparation beforehand to make the peach puree.

Punch

Mix together fruit juices and lemonade / soda to make a fruity punch. Try this recipe for Passionfruit punch.

Water-based

Iced tea

This iced lemon tea requires some prep the day before to get the herb and flower ice cubes frozen. Apart from that, it’s simple prep and will be deliciously refreshing on a hot day.