Mocktails to Make a Healthy Holiday Season

This content was written in partnership with Waterloo Sparkling Water. Sip Happily: Mocktails to Make a Healthy Holiday Season It’s that time of year again—festive gatherings, hearty meals, and a toast or two. Or, who we kidding, three? If you’ve been playing in the sober-curious world or have been focused on upping your health game, you may be looking to cut back on alcohol this season and at the same time, still enjoy the party vibe. Mocktails can make holiday magic happen too. These non-alcoholic beverages listed below are not only refreshing and delicious but will have you feeling all of the holiday spirit. Plus, no hangover or fatigue the next day, what could be better?  Why Go Alcohol-Free? Choosing to go alcohol-free (or reducing greatly) during the holidays (and the rest of the year, too!) can bring numerous benefits to your overall health. For starters, it can improve your sleep quality. You’ll wake up feeling more well rested and ready to conquer the day when you forgo alcohol. After just one night without the disruptive effects of alcohol, you might feel mentally sharper and be more productive. And we all know the link between sleep and weight. Going alcohol-free will also enhance your mood. Plus, alcohol is generally high in calories, so going alcohol-free can help you maintain your weight during this indulgent time of year. Mocktails allow you to savor the flavors of the season and the social aspects of drinking without any negative effects. Cheers to that! Mocktail Magic Here are some mocktail recipes that are sure to impress your holiday guests. Each of these beverages features a refreshing Waterloo Sparkling Water that adds a fizzy twist. Berry Nectarine Martini (Image: Waterloo Sparkling Water) Nothing says party quite like a martini. This is a fruity twist on a classic one. The Berry Nectarine Martini is not only visually beautiful, helping you to feel the holiday spirit, but it’s also bursting with flavor.  Ingredients: Directions: Cherry Coco-Fizz (Image: Waterloo Sparkling Water) If you’re a recovered Diet Coke girl or if a sweet espresso martini is your thing, you may just have found your new favorite conscious indulgence mocktail. The Cherry Coco-Fizz is a must-try. This mocktail combines the sweetness of cherries with a drop of chocolate for a refreshing treat. Ingredients: Directions: Berry Fizz Reboot (Image: Waterloo Sparkling Water) Feeling a little sluggish from all the holiday shopping? The Berry Fizz Reboot is your antidote. With a zesty kick and a berry punch, this drink is both revitalizing and satisfying. Ingredients: Directions: Midnight Soother (Image: Waterloo Sparkling Water) End your holiday gatherings on a calming note with the Midnight Soother. This calming mocktail is perfect for winding down after a festive evening.  Ingredients: Directions: (Image: Unsplash)

The Healthy Holiday Bar Cart of Your Dreams

You’ve got to be prepared to make a festive, low-sugar cocktail, okay?

Sober-Curious? Give These 7 Delicious Mocktails a Shot and You Won’t Miss the Booze

A reset from alcohol can do wonders for your mind, body, and energy. Whether you’re sober-curious, cutting back for wellness reasons, or just craving a fun, flavorful sip without the buzz, mocktails are the moment. Naturally, our team went on a taste-testing mission to find the lightest, brightest, most delicious non-boozy blends to keep you hydrated and happy all season long. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to dive into the world of mocktails—with six easy, refreshing recipes to shake (or stir) up at home. Cheers to sipping smart! What’s a Mocktail? For the uninitiated, mocktails are non-alcoholic cocktails that offer the same complexity of flavor notes but without the booze. As more peeps get on the sober-curious bandwagon, more companies are catering to their tastes with mixers minus the spirits and alcohol minus the ABV. Brands such as Seedlip have been leading the trend by creating non-alcoholic spirits in combinations such as Grove 42, Spice 94 and Garden 108–each with its own complex flavor profile. Three Spirit Drinks incorporates plant botanicals and adaptogens into their three flavors (Livener, Social Elixir and Nightcap) to mimic some of the sensations of alcohol–without the hangover. Chicago’s Ritual Zero Proof is a smaller maker that launched in 2019 and makes no-alcohol whiskey, gin and tequila. SAYSO—a women-owned company reimagining cocktails and mocktails with their craft cocktail tea bags. Simply steep one in cold water, add your favorite spirit (or don’t!), and enjoy a bar-worthy drink made with clean, all-natural ingredients like citrus peels, herbs, and spices. If all these delicious options haven’t convinced you to give alcohol the boot for a bit, here’s a story that covers the myriad health benefits that happen when going without alcohol for just three weeks. We break it down week by week, benefit by benefit. (Hint, they include more energy, better sleep and radiant skin!) Without further ado, let’s mock on! 7 Mocktail Recipes to Sip on This Summer Watermelon Mocktail (serves 2) (Image: Keeping the Peas) This mocktail is adapted from a recipe by Nutritious Life’s Ellie Erlich, MS, RD, originally shared on her blog Keeping the Peas. Inspired by the idea that a drink at home can feel just as special and beautiful as one from a 5-star resort, this recipe brings a little luxury to your kitchen. It’s the perfect feel-good treat to enjoy with family and friends—no alcohol required. Ingredients: 3 cups cubed watermelon seedless 1 cucumber ¼ cup lime juice, about 2 limes juiced Club soda 8 sprigs of mint Directions: 1. Combine watermelon, lime juice and cucumber in a blender and blend until smooth. Or juice each item separately and combine. 2. Strain the watermelon mixture until you’re left with pulp-free juice. 3. Divide mint between two glasses and muddle. 4. Pour watermelon juice halfway full. Top with club soda and stir. 5. Garnish each with additional watermelon and mint. The Dawson’s Pomegranate Mule (serves 1) This recipe, created by the mixologists of The Dawson Chicago, keeps things super simple. Looking to spice things up? Add some jalapeno slices to the mix. Ingredients: ¾ ounce Pom pomegranate juice ½ ounce lime juice 3 ounces ginger beer Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients into a copper mug. Stir and garnish with a wedge of lime. Mr. Howard (Image: Seedlip Drinks) This recipe, created by Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirits, uses Seedlip Spice 94 as its base. The flavor is a blend of allspice and cardamom with fresh citrus notes and a long bitter finish. It’s freshened up with fresh-squeezed lemon juice (and pink grapefruit too, if you choose to forego store-bought varieties.) To reduce its sugar content, you can take out the simple syrup altogether or easily cut it in half. Ingredients: 2 ounces Seedlip Spice 94 2 tablespoons pink grapefruit juice 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar syrup Ice cubes 1 star anise for garnish Directions: 1. Add Spice 94, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a shaker with ice. 2. Shake for 30 seconds. 3. Double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with star anise. Spindrift Blood Orange Tangerine This is a classic summer standby for Nutritious Life Founder Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN. Three Spirit Livener is a botanical-based elixir created by plant scientists and bartenders for a perfect pick-me-up minus the alcohol. Livener ingredients include watermelon concentrate, pomegranate molasses, cayenne pepper and caffeine. Plant botanicals are extracted from ingredients as exotic as hibiscus, guava leaf, schisandra berry and Siberian and Panax ginseng for a truly unique flavor. Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces Three Spirit Livener 3 ounces Spindrift Blood Orange Tangerine Ice cubes 1 large ice cube Blood orange slice for garnish Directions: 1. Add Three Spirit Energy and Spindrift to a shaker with ice. 2. Shake for 20 seconds. 3. Pour over a large ice cube in glass. Garnish with a blood orange slice. Strawberry Ginger Limeade For a refreshing drink with a peppery kick, this one does the trick. The strawberries, lime and mint are filled with bright, fresh flavor, and ginger adds the kick to make things more interesting. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups strawberries 1/2 inch peeled ginger Juice of 1 lime 4 fresh mint leaves To taste soda water Directions: 1. In a high-speed blender, add strawberries, ginger, lime juice, and mint leaves. Blend on high until smooth. 2. To a glass with ice, add 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry puree, top with soda water, stir, garnish with fresh mint, and enjoy! Liquor Lab Virgin Margarita (Image: Liquor Lab) Nothing says summer quite like a tangy (and sometimes spicy) margarita. This booze-free version from the bartenders and cocktail consultants at Liquor Laboratory adds a dash of optional pickle juice to the mix for a tangy twist. Ingredients: 1 ounce fresh lime juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice ¼ teaspoon maple syrup or simple syrup ⅛ teaspoon pickle juice (recommended but optional) 3 ounces tonic water Salt Lime wheel Directions: 1. Run the lime around the rim of your glass before dipping the edge