Updated June 28, 2017
Is it hot enough for you yet? During these dog days of summer, hydration is what we really need… well, that and a great book, shaded hammock and a day off from work. Luckily there are lots of ways to wet your whistle from water (au naturel, naturally flavored sparkling, vitamin enhanced, electrolyte beverages and watermelon water) to smoothies to juices. Although pure water is the best and the most affordable option for hydration, sometimes you want something more flavorful and fun.
10 Tips for Summertime Sips
Add flavor naturally to still or sparkling water with lemon, lime, mint or a little 100% fruit juice. Or freeze slices of citrus and then drop them right your drink.
Brew your own iced tea — adding fresh fruit or fruit juice is a tasty option.
Make lemonade or limeade using real fruit or organic bottled lemon or lime juice and lightly sweeten it with real cane sugar, agave nectar, honey or maple syrup.
Choose a treat without anything artificial like Whole Foods Market™ Zero Calorie Lemonade + Vitamin C Nutrient Enhanced Water Beverage. It's a refreshing way to hydrate, with a big boost of Vitamin C and a touch of sweetness from monk fruit and stevia extracts. (A cold glass of potassium benzoate, acesulfame potassium and FD&C Blue No. 1 just doesn’t sound as tasty, does it?)
Dilute 100% juice with water to drink over ice or to stretch smoothies. By diluting juice, you’ll still get the nutrients of real juice with a little less of the naturally occurring sugars.
Ice, ice baby! Freeze leftover coffee, tea or juice in ice cube trays. Drop these cubes into your iced coffee, tea or other favorite beverage to keep it icy cold without watering it down.
Flavor sparkling or still water with 100% fruit juice in a 3:1 ratio and chill or serve over ice (or frozen juice cubes).
Cool down the little kids by replacing juice boxes with sippy cups filled with equal parts organic apple juice, 100% berry juice and water.
Refill reusable bottles with water, iced tea or your choice of beverage from a big container rather than buying single-serve bottles.
Remember, you get a discount when you buy a full case of pretty much anything non-alcoholic making it easy to stock up on your favorite drinks like 365 Everyday Value® Alkaline Water pH 9.5+.
Get the recipe: Sangria Coolers opens in a new tab
Refreshing Recipes
When life gives you a summer scorcher, make lemonade…or limeade or iced tea or slushies or coolers! Here are a few of our favorite recipes that'll really refresh.
The kids will love to help prepare Double Grape Slushies opens in a new tab that use fresh grapes and in-season melon.
Bottled organic juice is the ultimate shortcut in this quick recipe for lemonade or limeade opens in a new tab and is another one that the kids can help with.
A decadent Vegan Mango Lassi opens in a new tab is only four ingredients away…
Oranges, blueberries, mint – oh my! A Blueberry Summer Refresher opens in a new tab really satisfies.
For Honeydew Green Tea opens in a new tab: Start with 365 Everyday Value® Geen Tea and add honeydew melon (or other seasonal melon) and ginger.
For a not-too-sweet fresh cherry and green tea cocktail, make a party-perfect pitcher of Wine Tea Punch with Summer Fruit opens in a new tab.
Serve Sangria Coolers opens in a new tab on the rocks or add the ice to the blender for grown-up slushies.
Lambrusco Coolers opens in a new tab make for an adults-only summer sparkler.
