4 Healthy (and Simple!) Summer Drinks

The following is a guest post with thanks to Stacy of A Delightful Home.

There’s something about summer that makes me want to reach for a nice, cool drink. It’s not just the heat, it’s the atmosphere.

Summer lends itself to sitting back and sipping something tasty. The problem is, sometimes that tasty drink is not a healthy one. And while there’s nothing wrong with an unhealthy treat every now and then, it’s nice to have some healthy drinks on hand so we can enjoy a delicious beverage more often.

Since summer is also a time for relaxing, we need simple drink recipes that don’t take much effort to prepare. The following four recipes are quick and easy (as well as tasty and healthy):

Orange Strawberry Grape Cooler

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups red grapes (seedless)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup frozen strawberries
3/4 cup ice cubes (approximately 6 or 7 regular-sized ice cubes)

Method

Place the grapes and orange juice in the blender and follow with the strawberries and ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Citrus Spritzer

Ingredients

1 cup orange juice or grapefruit juice (or a combination of both)
1 cup mineral water

Method

Combine ingredients in a glass and add ice.

Since this recipe is a 1:1 ratio, it is easy to make large amounts to serve more people. Simply fill a pitcher with half juice and half mineral water and serve with ice.

This method works well with other juices, too. Raspberry juice or cranberry juice make great fruit spritzers.

Strawberry Lemon Refresher

This drink includes a pinch of sea salt, which helps replace electrolytes, making this a great option for re-hydrating after exercise or other physical summer activities.

Ingredients

2 cups water
3 fresh strawberries, diced
2 thin slices of lemon
Pinch sea salt

Method

Place diced strawberries and lemon in the bottom of a glass, sprinkle salt over the top and pour water to fill the glass.

This drink is best when consumed within a few hours of preparing.

Fruity Water

Summer provides an abundance of delicious fruit. This fruit is not only good for eating, it is also a wonderful way to naturally flavor water. Try adding a few slices of your favorite fruit to a pitcher of water and ice. It looks pretty and tastes great, too.

Single fruits, like lemon or lime work well and are liked by many people, however, a combination of fruit creates a surprising treat. Try including kiwi, berries, or melon, for a drink that is healthy and sweet.

You can also increase the sweetness by adding a few drops of stevia.

If you want to liven up summer drinks, try adding a few rose petal ice cubes.

What are your favorite simple (and healthy) summer drinks?

Stacy is a preacher’s wife and homeschool mom. She loves creating her own natural skin care and herbal remedies and is pretty much obsessed with all things DIY. Stacy is intent on creating a happy, healthy home and strives to encourage other moms through her blog, A Delightful Home.